Are objective statements necessary?

Yes, but today we call them positioning statements or headlines. These are used to present to the reader at the top of the page what you are and who are. Remember when you were in school? You learned to write a paragraph and the first thing you had to develop was a topic sentence. Think of your positioning statement as the topic sentence for your resume. Without it, how will the reader know what you're looking for in the way of a job?

The positioning statement should be written in such a way as to be somewhat generic-sounding so that most prospective employers will see themselves in your statement. A good example for an accountant might read: "Career Accountant with Public and Private Experience."

The documentation that follows supports your positioning statement and makes the case for your candidacy.

Again, a professional resume writer can be helpful in crafting the precise turn of phrase necessary.

Don't make the mistake of waxing philosophically in your resume. Too long, too flowery or too specific statements often cease to have meaning for the reader. So, leave out the "...with room for advancement," references to "growing companies" and anything else that's implicit. To date, we've never seen a resume with an objective that read "Seeking dead-end job offering little room for advancement and limited reward." Get the picture?



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