Career Objective or
Professional Summary:
A guide to determine the “best fit” for your Resume
If you run
after two hares, you will catch neither.
In other
words-- focus – - This definitely applies to your resume. –Generic
“one size fits all" and broad based resumes just don’t cut it. Employers are
looking for specific job and industry experience…. And you can showcase
that, starting with the Objective Statement or Professional Summary. This
guide is to help job seekers differentiate between the two, determine which
best suits your situation and how to write an impactful statement or summary
which entices the reader to read further into your resume.
Let’s start with defining the two and understanding their purpose.
Career Objective:
A career objective is your current employment goal. Its focus is short term
rather than long term. It defines what you desire as your next career move,
however states that from the perspective of how it can benefit your future
employer. Whether or not a career objective is visible on a resume, one
should be determined by the job seeker before writing the resume. It will
provide focus for the reader and sets the tone for the rest of the resume.
The career objective is a specific statement which reflects the
following:
§
The
specific position/ industry/ field sought.
§
Specific
skills/ experience which qualify the job seekers, relevant to the position
§
The
benefit or value the job seeker brings to the employer.
Situations when a Career Objective may be the most effective:
§
Career Change:
In the case of a career change, it is necessary to state up front the
specific career desired and the willingness to take an entry level position
§
Specific requirements:
Such as
location, part-time or internship employment, or a specific position or
organizational culture.
§
Less than 3 years professional experience:
Generally,
the alternative to a career or job objective is a professional summary. New
graduates or individuals re-entering the work force rarely have enough
recent relevant experience for an impactful professional summary.
Now let’s examine the Professional Summary
Professional Summary:
A
professional summary is a statement which defines the desired job and
summarizes why you are qualified for the job. It is a summary of your
professional expertise, experience and accomplishments which are relevant to
the employer. Its purpose is to highlight the fit between your expertise and
the employer’s needs.
The
Professional Summary provides the employer with an overall summary of your
years of relevant experience, rather than relying upon their ability to
extract it from your various work experiences. It also provides an
opportunity to “brand” yourself to the employer.
The
Professional Summary may also be known as the Qualifications Summary,
Professional Strengths , Core Skills or Core Competency Section.
The Professional Summary is a brief paragraph of 3-4 sentences
which reflect the following:
§
Provides a
clear indication and summary of your skills, experience ( including number
of years), accomplishments, advanced degrees/ licenses and professional
characteristics worth noting.
§
Contains
key skills and attributes in the form of industry specific keywords
§
Contains a
clear value proposition from the perspective of meeting the employer’s needs
and proof of your ability to deliver.
Situations where a Professional Summary may be most effective:
§
Seasoned Professional:
You have 5
or more years of professional experience in the specific industry and
position requirements
§
Management or Executive:
You are qualified for professional management or executive level.
§
Noteworthy Accomplishments:
You have
noteworthy accomplishments skills, or experience which may not otherwise be
seen until later in the work history
For a
complete Guide to writing effective Career Objective Statements and
Professional Summaries, complete with exercises and examples,
download our
handbook.
Here’s to
your Success,
Dominique
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