Resumes are still the common currency used by jobseekers and reviewed by employers to open doors to various career opportunities. Regrettably, many professionals are given advice to build their resumes around standard elements which may not always be right for every jobseeker. One such element, which is often outdated and problematic, is leading off the resume with an objective statement. In this brief article, we provide you with an alternative to the traditional objective statement which can help your resume, and your accomplishments, stand out in a crowd.
Typically, the objective statement is meant to provide a brief summary of the position you seek and the main skills you can offer an employer; the provided information forms a first impression with the reader. Invari ably, jobseekers find this section to be most the difficult to master when drafting a resume, and unfortunately, most objective statements fail to catch the attention of a recruiter or future employer.
How can you craft a winning objective statement? One potential option is to forgo it altogether.
As experienced recruiters, we have reviewed thousands of resumes and have rarely seen an objective statement worth its space on the page. The problem is that most jobseekers give their objective statements a personal angle by discussing professional desires but omit reasons as to why employers should hire them. In these cases, the objective statement does not achieve its intended goal.
Instead, consider using this area for a "professional summary," a synopsis of your career highlights and the key skills you bring to the job. A professional summary is similar to an objective statement, but it focuses more on what you offer a potential employer versus what you seek in a position. The summary also provides an opportunity to highlight your most employerfriendly skills upfront.
To ensure your professional summary achieves its goal:
- Distill your highlights. A professional summary is, in essence, an executive review of your career. If a recruiter or hiring ma nager reviewed your resume, what are the top three or four points you'd want to stand out? These highlights should serve as the basis of your statement.
- Expand beyond one sentence. Most jobseekers think that an introduction should only be one sentence long; however, it's important to showcase your highlights. Instead, you may find more success in crafting two to four sentences which utilize action verbs and describe the qualifications you can offer an employer.
- Discuss your "soft skills." We work in the software engineering industry in which jobseekers mistakenly believe if they can write code, they can easily find a new job. The same belief holds true for other highly skilled industries. In fact, more and more employers desire candidates who can do more than just apply their trained skills to a job. Qualities such as teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal and critical thinking skills can be just as important. Make use of the professional summary area on your resume to highlight these less technical or taught attributes.
- Customize your experience. A professional summary does not have to be "one size fits all." If you plan to post your resume online via your website or a job board, create a general professional summary that will be attractive to many types of employers. If you plan to target your search to a particular employer or position, create a customized summary that specifically addresses what you have to offer and how those qualities match what the company seeks in a new employee.
As an example, below are two fictitious versions of an objective statement and a professional summary, written for a software engineer. Note the impact that the professional summary makes in providing information about the candidate's accomplishments and how these statements might be seen as benefits to a potential employer. In contrast, the objective statement falls flat in describing the jobseeker's attributes and future contributions to the organization.
Objective Statement
To obtain a full time .NET developer position for a company where opportunities for advancement to senior management are available.
Professional Summary
- Recognized pioneer in the development of .NET-based, social networking software
- Accomplished technical presenter and communicator with demonstrated experience winning over tough audiences
- Established technology manager with a background in leading organizations of 100 or more employees
The key to winning your dream job often starts with your resume: a first impression of your skills and accomplishments to a future employer. The important take-away is that you don't always have to follow staid practices in formatting a resume. Being creative in your approach to introducing your value to a new employer will often win you more call ba cks then sticking to an old-fashioned template. In this case, instead of limiting yourself to vague and often times ignored objective statements, ensure your resume stands out and provides a future employer a rich and clear view of your experience by usin g a professional summary.