Your job objective is usually the first item of substance on your resume, appearing right under your name and contact information. Is yours getting the job done, or is it wasted space?
If you’re like most jobseekers, it’s wasted space. Often, job objectives are so vague that they add no value whatsoever to your resume. Recruiters can recite by heart the standard resume opening. It goes something like this:
As an alternative to an objective statement, a summary of qualifications can be very effective at the top of your resume. While an objective focuses on the job, a summary statement focuses on the job seeker by highlighting experience and skills that employers are likely seeking.
A summary statement is a one- to two-sentence overview that captures the essence of your skills and experience. It highlights what makes you a qualified candidate as well as what makes you different (and better) than other applicants. It can be most useful for managers or for candidates who aren’t sure exactly where they might fit into an organization. Here’s an example of a strong summary statement:
Some people believe that it’s a big mistake for their résumé to be longer than one page. They’ve probably received advice at some point in their career that their résumé will be placed straight in the trash if it runs to two or more pages. However, that’s simply not true. While most applicants should limit their résumé to one page there are some cases where two or more pages are not only acceptable but expected.
New college graduates and those with less than 10 years experience should always stick to a one-page résumé. With limited work experience, exceeding a page in an attempt to look more accomplished is a mistake that will be detected and reflects poorly during the interview process. Applicants should always use the entire page, placing the most relevant and recent accomplishments at the top.