With increasing regularity, job seekers draft a résumé with an opening “objective statement” section without realizing this can be a turn-off to employers. Objective statements, by definition, are a declaration of what you want out of your next position. Think, “A stable position with room for advancement”. However, employers rarely hire an applicant based on what the applicant wants, but rather based on what the applicant offers.
Objective versus Qualifications
In today’s demanding job market, the most effective job seekers are utilizing a “summary of qualifications” as the opening section to their résumé in lieu of a traditional objective statement. This summary of qualifications states what you are offering to a potential employer in terms of expertise and experience, causing the potential employer’s first impression of the applicant to be a synopsis of the positive impact you’ll make, rather than what you are demanding from your next employer. At the end of the day, employers only invite a handful of applicants in for an interview and it makes sense that those job seekers who demonstrate what they offer, instead of highlighting what they demand in their next position, will be those lucky few chosen for the interview.
Change It Up
When you start your résumé with an objective statement it may say, “Seeking an administrative position that works closely with customers and keeps the office organized and efficient,” instead of telling them what you want try kicking off your résumé with an objective statement like this, “Organized administrative professional who types 55 words per minute, has supported a staff of eight in a fast-paced environment and effectively managed an office expense budget of $50,000 annually.” By shifting the initial focus of your résumé to what you bring to the table instead of what you are looking for in a job, you’ll help the potential employer picture you contributing to the team.
Reprinted from Express Presonnel
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