Thursday, May 12, 2011
Why I object to objective statements
Do you have an objective statement on your resumé? I don't. Here's why:
1. They already know what I want.
I want the job I'm applying to. There's no reason to write an objective statement that says, "Looking for a challenging editorial position at a leading consumer magazine" or some other nonsense. It's stating the obvious.
2. Your cover letter should say it all.
If there's anything overarching that you need to say about yourself and your goals, it should go in your cover letter, not on your resumé.
Do you hate objective statements as much as I do? Why or why not?
1. They already know what I want.
I want the job I'm applying to. There's no reason to write an objective statement that says, "Looking for a challenging editorial position at a leading consumer magazine" or some other nonsense. It's stating the obvious.
2. Your cover letter should say it all.
If there's anything overarching that you need to say about yourself and your goals, it should go in your cover letter, not on your resumé.
Do you hate objective statements as much as I do? Why or why not?
- Corinna vanGerwen
Comments (6)
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Comments:
6. Naomi says:
19 May 2011 at 3:29 PM
Objective statements are about what the writer wants as opposed to what they will bring to an employer. I always encourage people to use a summary statement instead. Within 3 seconds the reader will have made a decision as to whether they wish to invite the candidate for an interview.
5. Corinna says:
19 May 2011 at 12:32 PM
That's a good point, Susan, and something I hadn't thought of. If you're making a transition from one industry to another, it could be a good way to frame your resumé -- get people reading it in a certain light.
4. Susan says:
18 May 2011 at 12:24 PM
In special cases, I've used objective statements to make a bridge between my experience and the position I'm applying for, e.g. if I'm in transition from one field to another, "I want to apply my skills as journalist to work as a communications officer at a charity." Sometimes people scan the resume, they don't read the cover letter.
3. Kat says:
17 May 2011 at 10:26 PM
Is it just me, or do objective statements seem like a creation of Microsoft Word resume templates?
2. Emily says:
17 May 2011 at 5:54 PM
I agree, Corinna. I try to keep my resume down to one page, so every line is precious.
1. Marisa says:
12 May 2011 at 3:05 PM
Agreed. The space is better spent on the education and experience you can offer.
About Me
Corinna vanGerwen
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Corinna vanGerwen is a freelance editor and writer. She has worked as senior editor at Style at Home, senior design editor at Cottage Life and is the former Canadian Director of Ed2010. She has also held the position of operations manager at a boutique PR agency, where she handled strategic planning and daily operations.
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