Resume Secret #1: The Objective Statement

by Lyubomir Dimov on August 5th, 2010

Is your "Objective" or "Summary" boring to read?  Well, you must pump this up!

After seeing literally hundreds of resumes in years past I see a disturbing pattern.  That pattern is a boring Objective or Summary that's often meaningless.  The Objective or Summary is too important to dismiss.  This is your opportunity to "tell a story" so seize it!

I often see this canned content such as "Looking for an organization offering opportunity for advancement" or "Value an organization that recognizes and will utilize my talents".  Boiler plate laden resumes simply will not work!  Employers notice this pattern.  You need to stand out!

This is really a no no!  You don't want to state what you want.  Remember, this is not about you!  This requires some time and effort.  You  want to be talking about the needs of the company you're interesting in working for!

Here's a quick 3 step process in writing a really eye popping, attention grabbing Objective or Summary.

  • First, research the companie website.  If they don't have one then "Google" their name.  You're looking for something current about the organziation.  Do they have a new widget?  What are they doing now?  Check their press releases section!
  • You can then say something that's relevant to the organization!  Try to tie into what you've done before to their objective.  Even mentioning you're aware of what's going in THEIR company shows you care.
  • Finally, be sure to state what skills you have that will help them succeed.  This is really important because you'll be tying together your background to their CURRENT needs.

Follow this siimple formula and you will get eyballs to take a harder look at your resume!

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David

A Cisco Success Story

I attended a resume writing seminar & conducted mock phone interviews with a Microtrain career counselor. These two activities gave me a leg up on distinguishing myself from all the other people looking for work. Since the career counselor's at Microtrain had a track record of getting people hired, their insight and positive past experiences helped me tremendously in getting hired with a Cisco Voice Systems Integrator in the Chicago area. I was hired as a Cisco Voice Tech Engineer with a starting salary of $65,000 / year with a Cisco voice systems reseller located in the Chicagoland area. Microtrain was very instramental in making this a reality. From expediting my WIA grant, to providing excellent hands-on training from knowledgable instructors I was able to achieve becoming certified with my CCNP. Microtrain's career services was the final catalyst in connecting me with this company by communicating with them on my behalf and with me in setting up the interview. One week later and I was hired. No joke. Thanks Microtrain!

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