A growing notion among recruiters is that the “Career Objective” statement found at the top of a resumé is becoming more and more outdated in today’s job market. They feel instead of focusing on his or her objective, the primary responsibility of the candidate should be to quickly impress upon the recruiter what he or she can bring to the table in the organization. And so an ideal resumé today replaces the “This is what I want” objective statement with a “This is the value that I offer” branding statement today.
Especially in a world where the resumé needs to get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and score high on the preferred keyword-focused formatting, it is imperative to write something compelling and valuable in the top one-third of your resumé to stand out.
Brand yourself
A bold entry with a strong personal brand within the first five seconds, framed around your unique value and strengths, can open more doors for you.
Here are a few examples that could go right under your name.
> Dynamic Customer Service Representative
> Passionate Marketing Sales Head
> Seasoned Mechanical Engineer
> Accomplished Project Manager
> Experienced QA/QC Analyst
The combination of a powerful job title headline followed by a positioning statement that connects your experience to the position, telling a potential employer what you can do for them, can literally make you unbeatable.
Because recruiters and employers generally spend most of their time looking at the top portion of a candidate’s resumé, you must be strategic with the content you place at the top — it should excite them to move beyond the first few lines and devote more time to reading the rest of it.
When drafting your personal brand statement, keep it tight enough to interest them, quantify your skills — mention the number of years of experience — highlight the key areas of expertise, insert keywords that are appropriate for the job position and definitely sizzle with personality.
Here are a few examples:
> Accomplished business supplies and equipment professional with proven record of training teams and leadership development.
> High-performance, results-driven sales specialist with 8 years’ professional immigration consultation expertise.
> Energetic, passionate IT networking technologist with demonstrated skills in hardware software applications.
> Passionate sales and marketing manager with 10+ years’ successful experience in finding new leads and growing markets.
> Passionate and dynamic sales specialist with a focus on building effective relationships and driving clients to action.
> Performance-driven and self-motivated banking professional with high integrity and commitment.
> Accomplished marketing, business development specialist with tested experience in diverse markets.
Sharp resumé extras
Think of your resumé as one of the arrows in your quiver. If it’s dull at the tip, you’re less likely to hit the mark. To make it sharper, it is also advisable to add a QR Code or a link to your LinkedIn profile or portfolio website link or any professional social media page — right at the top along with your email and phone number. Make sure that you make your hyperlink live as your resumé could most likely be viewed on a computer or mobile media.
At the end, it is totally your choice whether to start with an objective, summary, brand identity line or a value statement. Whatever you term it, I recommend opening the resumé with your name, the coveted job title that indicates the position you are looking for, followed by a well-defined brand slogan that sets you apart from others.
