The summary (accroche) is the short paragraph below your name, between the title and the first experience. On an HR CV, it is often the only part read in full during the first screening, and it is also the part that contains the most empty phrases: “dynamic”, “good listener”, “passionate about people”. A good summary does the opposite: in two or three lines, it says who you are, what you can do and what you are looking for. Here is what an HR recruiter reads first, the three ingredients of a solid summary, six examples rewritten by level, a method to adapt it to each job ad and the list of phrases to delete.
What an HR recruiter reads first
The top of the page, before anything else
A recruiter screening applications first reads the CV title, then the summary, then the title of the current role. If these three elements do not match the role they are trying to fill, they often move on to the next CV. The summary therefore answers, in a few seconds, their implicit question: “Is this the right profile, at the right level?”
What they are concretely looking for
- your current or target job, named with the function’s own words;
- your level: years of experience, scope, autonomy;
- your specialism or environment: recruitment, payroll, employee relations, sector, company size;
- your goal, if it is not obvious: work-study, first permanent job, promotion.
What they do not read
Personal qualities stated without proof, general sentences about the importance of human capital, vague goals (“joining a dynamic company”). These words do not help them decide, and they take the place of useful information.
The three ingredients of a good summary
A positioning
Start with what you are professionally, with your level: “HR generalist with four years’ experience”, “Master’s student in HR management”, “Head of recruitment”. It is the equivalent of a title, but more precise.
Evidence of know-how
Add two or three areas you genuinely master, ideally with an element of scope: a type of population, a sector, a volume. “Recruiting technicians in manufacturing”, “payroll for two sites under the metalworking collective agreement”, “relations with the CSE works council of a production site”.
A goal or added value
End with what you are looking for or what you bring: availability for a work-study contract, the type of role you are aiming for, or the contribution you offer. This ingredient is essential when your CV does not say it by itself (career change, change of specialism, search for a work-study contract).
Length
Two to four lines. Beyond that, the summary becomes a paragraph nobody reads in full. Write it in the first person without a pronoun, or in a noun-based style: both conventions are accepted in France.
Six examples, before and after
The examples below are fictional: replace each element with your own background.
1. Master’s student in HR
Before
Motivated and curious student, passionate about human resources, looking for an internship to develop my skills.
After
First-year master’s student in HR management, with a first internship in the HR department of a small manufacturing company (employee files, preparing annual reviews). Looking for a six-month internship in recruitment or HR development from April.
The rewritten version gives the level, real experience, the type of internship and the date. The recruiter knows immediately whether they can go further. For the complete layout, look at the HR intern CV example.
2. Work-study student
Before
Looking for a work-study position in HR, I am dynamic and have good people skills.
After
Admitted to a second-year master’s in HR management on a work-study basis (three weeks in the company, one week at school), with a first work-study year in personnel administration and payroll. Available in September for a work-study role as HR officer or recruiter.
The rhythm and the date are information the company needs to decide. The HR work-study student CV example shows the rest of the CV.
3. HR officer
Before
Versatile HR officer, rigorous and organised, I wish to grow in a stimulating environment.
After
HR generalist for four years on a logistics site of 300 people: recruiting dock workers, personnel administration, preparing CSE meetings and following up the training plan. I am aiming for a site HR manager role.
The summary gives a concrete scope and a credible career goal.
4. Recruiter
Before
Passionate recruiter, I love finding the rare gem and supporting candidates.
After
Agency recruiter for five years, specialising in engineering and technician profiles for manufacturing: direct approach, technical assessment with managers, offer negotiation. I would like to join an in-house talent acquisition team.
The specialism and the type of profiles recruited are the two pieces of information a head of recruitment cares about. Our guide to the talent acquisition CV details the lines that follow.
5. HRBP
Before
Experienced HRBP, I am a true strategic business partner.
After
HR Business Partner for six years supporting sales and operations leadership teams, I help managers with their reorganisations, talent reviews and key hires, working with centres of expertise and employee representatives.
We move from an assertion (“strategic partner”) to a description of what this partner actually does. The HRBP CV example follows the same logic.
6. HR manager
Before
HR manager with solid experience, I put my skills at the service of company performance.
After
HR manager of a 250-person company for seven years, the only HR person on site: recruitment, employee relations, training and management of outsourced payroll. Negotiated two company agreements with the CSE, including one on working time.
Autonomy, the size of the scope and a specific achievement replace a general promise.
Summary and job ad: adapting in two minutes
Spot the title and three words in the ad
Reread the ad. Note the exact job title and three recurring terms: a skill (“employee relations”), an environment (“multi-site”), a tool or process (“talent review”, “DSN”).
Place them naturally
Use the job title in your CV title and, if it fits, in the first sentence of the summary. Include the three terms where they describe what you have actually done. Never add them artificially: a recruiter quickly spots a summary that copies the ad.
Keep a stable base
You do not need to rewrite your summary for every application. Keep a reference version and only adjust the specialism you highlight and the goal. Two minutes are enough. To choose the keywords of your skills section consistently with the summary, use our article on the skills to put on your HR CV.
Empty phrases to delete
Qualities without proof
“Dynamic”, “rigorous”, “good listener”, “good people skills”, “proactive”: these words appear in the vast majority of HR CVs and set no one apart. Replace them with a fact.
Sentences about the HR function
“Convinced that people are a company’s greatest asset”: it may be true, but it is not information about you.
Vague goals
“Growing in a stimulating environment”, “taking on new challenges”: specify the type of role, organisation or assignment you are aiming for.
Superlatives
“Expert”, “true”, “solid experience”: let the recruiter judge from your background.
Moving on to writing
Once your summary is rewritten, place it under your name and title, then complete the rest of the CV with the same precision. You can create your CV for free in the site’s editor: it handles the formatting and produces a PDF that screening software reads without difficulty, which ensures your summary is properly extracted and shown to the recruiter, instead of being cut off or mixed up with another section.
Frequently asked questions
Is a summary compulsory on an HR CV?
No, but it is strongly recommended, especially if your background needs explaining (career change, work-study, change of specialism). Without a summary, the recruiter has to work out your positioning alone from your experience.
Should the summary be written in the first person?
Both styles are accepted: “I recruit…” or a noun-based style (“HR generalist, four years’ experience…”). What matters is staying consistent throughout the summary and avoiding overly long sentences.
Can you put figures in a summary?
Yes, if they are reliable and useful: years of experience, size of scope, number of sites. Keep result figures for the experience lines, where you can explain them.
What is the difference between a title and a summary?
The title is a short line stating the target role (“Recruiter”). The summary develops this title in two to four lines with your level, your know-how and your goal. The two must be consistent.