Friday, July 11, 2008

The Objective-less Resume??


I read an article the other day that really took me by surprise. It turns out that employers aren't so keen on objective statements. The author advises against beginning your resume with an objective as do 90% of the resumes I've ever seen (including my own). According to him, the traditional, cheesy objective is better replaced with a "profile" containing some things that relate to the job you're applying for but more so expressing your passions and what you can offer the company.

I over-analyze everything so I took this idea up with a corporate recruiter where I work and career advice authors Lindsey Pollak and Alexandra Levit. The unanimous consensus was that we should indeed "ditch" the old-fashioned objective statement in favor of a "profile" to headline your resume highlighting what you can bring to the company and giving your resume the personality it needs to stand out.

Heres an example:

Less of this:
"Seeking to develop skills while learning, gaining experience, and contributing to the increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness of manufacturing operations."

More of this:
"I have a passion for problem solving and I love a challenge. I'm interested in applying my passion to find ways to increase efficiency and cut costs in manufacturing operations."

No comments: