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:

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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.

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Whether fair or not, age discrimination does exist in today’s workplace, and it is important for older job seekers to be prepared for the challenges they will face. In most cases the discrimination older workers face will not be overt; after all discriminating against job applicants on the basis of age alone is illegal. Instead, the discrimination will likely be more subtle; applicants may never know the reason they did not get the job had anything to do with age. The reasons some companies shy away from older workers are varied, but they include worries about health care costs and fears that older workers will not remain in their jobs over the long haul.

The truth of the matter is older workers have a great deal to offer in the workplace and many companies are actively looking for older, more stable and more experienced workers. By placing the focus on what they are able to contribute, older workers can not only succeed but thrive in even the most challenging job environment.

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