A recent client had a resume I wrote reviewed by a competitor. He asked for my response to the critique. I had to admit that the critique included some very good points worth my paying attention to. I had opened the resume with an objective statement wasting, as the critique said, some very valuable real estate.
Value of an Objective Statement
This was the first item targeted. The critique questioned whether it should even be included. "In today's highly competitive job market, starting your resume with an Objective statement is a very weak marketing tactic."
I still feel that opening with an objective statement doesn't have to be a weak marketing tactic. In fact, most resume services recommend it as essential.
Focus of an Objective Statement
At the same time, I recognized that they had a valid point when they addressed the statement itself. "Recent college graduate seeking work in natural resources and environmental services."
This statement told the employer what my client was looking for. This was a weak marketing tactic, and I deserved to be called on it! As a resume writer, I needed to show what my client had to offer the potential employer.
Here are the facts I knew: He had worked his way through college, so he had many developed skills to offer. He had overcome many of the difficulties caused by dyslexia.
The objective statement would have been a much stronger marketing tool if it had been worded this way. "Recent environmental services graduate. Excited about prospect opening offers to transfer learning and experience into opportunity to grow your company's recognition as a leader in this industry."
When a client is just entering the market, it can be a strength to admit he/she is excited about learning and doesn't think he/she already knows it all. That can be refreshing. It could be the thing that makes the resume stand out (especially if the company is looking for young blood). Without a little research into the company culture, it can be difficult to know which angle is the best.
Often, after you have prepared a resume for a client, they will find the resume isn't producing the results they had hoped for. A poorly written objective statement could be the cause.
Learn from my learning process. Make sure you client realizes that the resume objective statement does need to be tweaked each time he/she submits a resume. It has to fit the employer and the job opening.
I'm very thankful that my client sent me the critique. It showed me some weaknesses in my resume writing skills. The process wasn't comfortable, I'll admit. Yet, strengthening my resume writing skills as a professional was worth the discomfort.
