As an alternative to an objective statement, a summary of qualifications can be very effective at the top of your resume. While an objective focuses on the job, a summary statement focuses on the job seeker by highlighting experience and skills that employers are likely seeking.

A summary statement is a one- to two-sentence overview that captures the essence of your skills and experience. It highlights what makes you a qualified candidate as well as what makes you different (and better) than other applicants. It can be most useful for managers or for candidates who aren’t sure exactly where they might fit into an organization. Here’s an example of a strong summary statement:

Summary of Qualifications: Medical coding professional with more than five years of experience in insurance billing, diagnosis and procedure coding. Supervisory experience includes managing a team of six billing clerks in a large physical therapy practice.

A summary of qualifications allows you to present your skills and experience in a powerful marketing statement. It allows you to create a clear and concise impression up front that answers the question “Why should I hire you?” It will also direct the screener to look for certain highlights in your resume, just as the back of a book draws your interest in and prompts you to look for chapters that have the information you need. The most powerful statements include language from the employer’s ad or job description, so that your qualifications reflect the exact needs of the position. If the ad calls for a specific number of year s of experience or certain interpersonal skills, be sure to include them in your summary if you have them.