Is an objective statement really necessary for my resume?

As one of the country's leading resumes writing and career coaching services, our ResumeWW team is frequently asked the same questions by job seekers. The requirement for an objective statement is a common misunderstanding. Learn why including an objective statement in your resume can actually hurt your chances of landing that job – and what you should include instead:

•        You, not the employer, should be the focus of your objective statements. A potential employer is looking to fill a critical position and is looking for specific skills. An objective statement, on the other hand, is all about you, your desires, and your preferred role. It detracts from the value you can bring to the company in terms of skills and benefits.

•        Using an objective statement could be detrimental to your chances. If your stated objective does not perfectly align with their needs, a prospective employer conducting a quick scan of a pile of resumes may simply discard your resume. They'll scan the field to see who most closely matches their stated preferences; a specific objective may cause you to be screened out early in the process, even if a more thorough review reveals you to be a strong candidate for the job.

•        Objective statements eat up a lot of room. If your resume were a newspaper, a traditional objective statement would be the headline, grabbing the reader's attention without providing the information that leads to an interview. Make the most of this prime viewing section by using the title of the job you want and a branding statement that clearly relays what the reader can expect from your skills and background, rather than a dated objective statement.

You'll make it easy for a prospective employer to move your resume to the "yes" pile by including both a concise title and a statement that represents your branding and what you bring to the job by incorporating both a concise title and a statement that represents your branding and what you bring to the job.

Are you looking for more examples of strong branding statements? For job seekers in a variety of fields, our resume writing experts provide plenty of inspiration.