Reflections on the Summary of Qualifications-Objective Debate
Share
You stumble upon a job that could possibly jumpstart your career, but you must first update your resume and tailor it to the specific vacancy announcement. The age-old question when it comes to resume writing is whether to use an objective statement or an executive summary. In the past, no resume was complete unless an objective was included at the top of the document. As times change, resume practices are also updated. Thus, the objective statement is slowly becoming obsolete due to the value of a well-composed resume summary.

Also referred to as a summary of qualifications or profile, a resume summary focuses on the hiring manager by briefly explaining the benefits one can bring to a company, whereas an objective can be perceived as egocentric, expressing one’s employment goal by indicating a target job or work preference. Essentially, an objective statement does not effectively communicate your past experience, skills, or how you will benefit the employer. A resume profile, on the other hand, allows applicants to demonstrate their skills, experience, and accomplishments in a way that would cause them to stand out from other candidates.

Because recruiters and employers generally spend most of their time looking at the top portion of an applicant’s resume, you must be strategic with the content you include there – it should entice the reader to move beyond the first few lines of your document. Here are a few tips to consider when drafting your resume summary:
  • Do not use verbatim statements. Recruiters and hiring managers do not want to waste their time reading repetitive statements that have already been included in the body of your resume. Keep your summary succinct in order to pique their interest.
  • Quantify your experience. If you have served in a management role for a while, indicate the number of years you have been in that capacity.
  • Highlight key areas of expertise. I have reviewed many resumes that have included a paragraph summary of their experience and skills then also included a bulleted list of key skills (e.g., project management, training and development, etc.). This is a nice way to demonstrate such areas in a concise way.
  • Use key words. You will want to include key words that are appropriate for your target position. For example, you should include your career title, some general skills, as well as industry-specific skills. I would recommend browsing job board postings to assist you with selecting key words to include.
While it is ultimately your choice whether to include an objective or summary in your resume, I would suggest evaluating which option presents the best method to effectively communicate who you are to potential employers.

This article was first featured on OnlineCareerTips.com