Many people still begin their resume with an objective statement. In this opening statement, they tell the employer what they are looking for (“seeking an opportunity to use my sales skills with a growing company”). My question is always: why? Why are you telling them that?
Why should the employer – a total stranger – care about your objective? She shouldn’t, and she doesn’t!
An objective is all about you (“seeking employment with a progressive company with strong growth plans blah blah) but your resume should be all about the employer.
If that’s sound counter-intuitive, think about this. The employer is hiring people to fill a business need. She wants to know how you will help to meet that need. An objective does nothing to tell her that.
So change the focus of your resume from yourself to the employer. Start with a value statement – something that shows her why she has to hire you.
Try something like: “Sales Manager with 10 years experience in the widget industry” or “Marketing Executive who drives double-digit revenue gains” or “Customer service rep who has won 5 awards for excellence in just 3 years.” (Note: it is important to state what type of position you’re targeting right up front just to make sure the hiring manager is clear on that).
Decide what will make you most attractive to your target employers, and then lead your resume with that information. It’s so much more effective to share your value rather than your personal goals.
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