Four reasons to ditch your resume objective

Remember when every resume used to start with “to secure a position that helps me utilize my education and work experience while exploring opportunities for growth and development”? That was ten years ago. Today, you will never see an effective resume start with an objective statement.

Why must you get rid of your resume objective?

Everyone keeps telling you to remove the resume objective, but no one exactly gives a reason why. Here are some perfectly good reasons not to have an objective statement on your resume:

It is outdated

Resume objectives went out of use ten years ago. Adding an objective statement to your resume is like shouting, “Look, my resume hasn’t been updated in years” in the reader’s ears.

It is always generic

Every person writes the same thing in their resume objective. You don’t want to add something to your resume that every other candidate will repeat word-to-word in theirs.

It is boring

There is no attention-grabbing element in a resume objective. If you add a resume objective at the start of the document, you will likely bore the hiring manager when they read your resume.

It is redundant

Obviously, the “objective” of your resume is to get the job for which you are applying. Why waste valuable resume space just to say that you want the job?

So, what can you do instead?

Now that we've discussed why you shouldn’t add an objective statement to your resume, we should talk about what you can do instead.

Add your job title

You must mention your job title at the very start of your resume. Highlight the title of the job for which you are applying. This will ensure that you seem qualified for the role at first glance. It also helps hiring managers see that your resume is relevant to the role.

Create a captivating resume headline

Your resume headline goes right below your name on the resume. The resume headline must mention your job title. But it isn’t enough to simply list your job title on the resume headline and call it quits. You must make your resume headline stand out from the crowd. Create a catchy one-liner that includes your job title and a professional win. Remember, you are writing this headline to grab the attention of a recruiter. Find three skills that are the most relevant to the job and try to incorporate one or two of them into your resume.

Write a killer resume summary

Get a banging start for your resume with a resume summary that is tailored for the job. Your resume summary must be between two and four sentences. Being concise is very important when writing a resume summary. Avoid using a sample resume summary from the internet, as it would make your resume seem generic. It is a smart idea to finish your entire resume before you start writing the summary statement. This helps you highlight your best skills and achievements in the summary. Be sure to say a lot of specific things about you and avoid blanket statements.