I object to your resume objective

resume1More and more people are saying that objectives are obsolete these days.  Back in the 1900’s everyone had an objective on their resume and if you did not have one it was no bueno.  These days though, they usually do more harm than good.  Most people could use that space on their resume more effectively with a summary of qualifications tailored to the job they are applying for or a skill summary.

Day after day I see people who apply for a position and their objective has nothing to do with the job they are applying for.  Still don’t believe me?  Even the best objective is just a drawn out way of saying “I want the job I applied for.”  Anything that does not match the job you applied for might as well say “I don’t really want your job but I do not have a trust fund and the bills are piling up” or “I am on unemployment and I must apply for ten jobs a week to keep by benefits, you are number five.”

It would be like if you are on a date with a blonde and they ask “I got my hair cut today, do you like it?” and you answer “It looks great, I am a big fan of red heads.”  They would be like WTF!  Recruiters think that a lot when looking at applications.  There may be an argument for putting an objective on a resume that you have on LinkedIn or in a database but I think it could limit you.

Al

A resume is a job search tool that should be sharpened and refined each time before use.
Al Pollard