The Objective Section in Your Resume

Article taken from JobsJournal.com
By Gina Watson

In order to craft an effective resume for yourself, there are several factors that you need to keep in mind. But one of the first and foremost things to remember is that simply listing your credentials will in no way get you to the interview. You need to present your information intelligently, demonstrate your caliber through proper wording and design, and work very hard to make an impactful beginning.

Should the 'Objective' section be used?

A very common starting point in resumes is the 'Objective' section. The primary aim of this section is to tell employers about your interests, your expectations, and your reasons for applying to the position. A very important aspect has been overlooked here – the company. When a hiring manager looks at your resume, the first impression that he or she will have is that you are concerned primarily with yourself, your gains, and your prospects of growth in the company. Although the self-concern is completely justified, the message that is communicated will not really interest the reader. Why is it so? Where have you gone wrong? It's actually the simple fact that by having an objective section, you negated the interests of the employer and the requirements of the company. This section tends to give the hint that you are more concerned about your own needs rather than the company's. Due to this reason, it is recommended that instead of an objective section, you could use either a 'Profile' section or a 'Summary Of Qualifications' section. Such sections showcase your abilities and indicate the fact that you wish to contribute these skills for the benefit of the company.

Using a 'Profile' or a 'Summary Of Qualifications' section:

By and large, in every possible way, you need to keep the company in the forefront and present your information in a manner that the reader is convinced about your intentions – the growth of the company. If this is the main message that needs to be communicated at the start of the resume, then an objective section does not serve the purpose. For a successful job search start, it is essential that you have a 'Profile' or a 'Summary Of Qualifications' section. Use simple but powerful words, indicate the length of your experience, your additional strengths, and some outstanding personal traits, and end this section with a positive character statement. Also, in order to maximize the effectiveness of this section, make sure that your statements are short and directed. If it is a profile you are drafting, have it in a paragraph form, and the summary of qualifications section should have information in the bulleted form. Whichever you use, both go a long way to make a tremendous impact upon the reader.

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