Here is the catch, just as how you wouldn’t wear flip-flops to an interview you wouldn’t wear your shiny shoes to beach. The point is very simple, you may not need a resume objective section at all if you fit in one of the categories that I will talk about just now.
If you have plenty of experience you don’t really need resume objective. What you need is a resume summary. One exception to this is if you are changing your career field and venturing into a new domain. Resume objective may end up making you look like a fresh graduate or simply, an amateur. But if you are a recent graduate, or looking to change your domain then resume objective is what you need.
Again, first things first; What NOT to say in resume objective section? First of all, this is not a section where you write down what you have always wanted to be. Here is a few more. Don’t use a generic objective for all your applications. It will hurt your chances more than it will help. You are trying to collect points in every little section of your resume. Plus, resume objective is the first section in your resume so it’s even more important. Remember, that’s the first thing they see.
Avoid writing long paragraphs. It should be short, simple, and effective. Hiring managers will only browse through it. They don’t have time to go over it in great detail. Another one,don’t use fillers. Whatever you say needs to serve a particular objective. It needs to help you position yourself for that role. It’s not about you! It’s about what you give to the organization. Leverage your experience and skills and explain briefly how they will benefit them. What to say in your resume objective?
Alright let’s get to the good bits. The number one tip I can give you here is to make your resume objective as specific and as tailored as possible to the needs of the organization. You already read the job description, you have so much knowledge as to who their ideal employee is. Essentially, in this section you are looking to write down only a couple of sentences. That’s about it. The more you write in this section the less attention hiring managers will have left for the rest of your resume. Because, ideally, you would want your experiences section to shine not necessarily the objective section.
Your resume objective needs to answer two questions. One,what position are you applying to. Two,what’s your relevant experience and skills? Let’s say you are a fresh graduate with very limited work experience. This would be a good template to use; To obtain the position of junior analyst with PwC where I can leverage my high quality education from Cass Business School and consulting skills I gained from my internships at McKinsey. So this was fine for a fresh graduate. But, If you have years of experience in that domain, then you’d want to show that. Then something like this would be better. Dedicated management consultant with 12 years of experience around the world. Served over hundred clients with project values exceeding Usd 200m total. Received “Consulting Falcon Award” two consecutive years. Looking to continue my achievements with XXX.
Now a few more tips. I need you to remember that while writing your resume objective, this is also true for the entire resume really, try to use action verbs. Action verbs are those that allow you to describe a boring task or experience more dynamically. They add color to your sentences, allowing you to show your enthusiasm. They are also proven to get more attention from readers. In simple words, they work! Here are some examples that you can use in your resume-maximized,solved,designed,composed,consulted,coordinated,controlled,enlisted, formulated,lectured,persuaded,presented,recruited,conducted,interpreted,measured,constructed.specialized,upgraded,enabled. I think you get the point.
Don’t treat these as “must-haves” though. They may or may not give you one additional point. My suggestion is that write a sentence or two and then move on. Don’t think writing the best resume objective will give you that job. It’s like ticking the box. Don’t spend an hour compiling the list of all the action verbs just to maybe use one or two of them. Pick one or two from this and you will be fine.
Let’s recap some of the highlights of this article.
1. Don’t use resume objective if you are an experienced hire. Resume summary will better suit you. Make it as specific and as tailored as you can to the role you are applying to.
2. Mention the company name and role if you can.
3. Try to use action verbs – but don’t spend hours finding the right ones.
4. Remember to focus on what they will benefit rather than what you will benefit. It’s about them not you.
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