The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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The Resume Objective Question: Useless or Use Less

The Resume Objective Question: Useless or Use Less

 

The resume objective section is useless unless your practicing to write one for a grade in your freshman year in college. A reader recently pointed to me an article that they read on NBC Universal Life Goes Strong blog on how we should blow up the objective statement on résumés. When you read the article, it aligns closely with what I believe:

Leslie Ayres (@JobSearchGuru), The Real Job Guru, wrote the article, “The Resume Objective is Dead, So Why Are You Still Using It?” makes 3 points that are very true:

1) Objective statements are completely about the candidate

2) Companies also ditched the candidate because of it was all about the candidate

3) The competitiveness of candidates who say much more than, “… hire me and I’ll be more focused!”

Three more articles Several more articles on résumé from respectable and knowledgeable career pros:

Resume Objective Statements That Kill Your Hiring Prospects by Jacob Share (@JacobShare)
Why Your Resume’s Objective Statement Doesn’t Work by Phil Rosenberg (@philreCareered)

Is Your Résumé Telling Your Story? by Daisy Wright (@CareerTips2Go)

IS YOUR RÉSUMÉ A CLUNKER? by Melissa Cooley (@TheJobQuest)

Simply, objective statements don’t compete anymore. They don’t say enough about the candidate, nor doesn’t grab the reviewer’s attention. So what should we do?

One suggestion is using the position headline:

(SEEKING PROFESSIONAL POSITION) SOFTWARE ENGINEER

A discussion that I had recently with another career pro is that the head is not appropriate when uploading to a site that the résumé will not scan. The headlines that are suggested:

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

SUMMARY

These are two different approaches contingent on whether if the first set of eyes will be human or not. Mind you, that there are college career centers that are still advising their students to write an objective statement.

Traditionally, an objective statement stated,

Objective: To use my excellent organization and discipline to advance my career in finance.

Yes, at one time it was OK to impress an employer with this statement. Now, a career summary or branding statement will compete against the vague “Objective” statement. My current client who gets it and although we are working on the length, she understands the gist:

Enthused developmental Math Subject Matter Expert actively engaged in instructional design programs geared towards diverse student learners. Offer and assert skills and experience as an instructor and a project manager obtained from seven years of teaching, and more than 12 years in Fortune 500 companies. Implement strategies for evaluation and assessment results of classroom instruction to address the needs of learners with a diversity of learning styles resulting in 100% participation and 80-90% passing compliance. Thrive and excel as a project manager who understands the breadth of challenges that require strategic tasking between planning, change management, coaching, mentoring, tutoring, and teaching.

Yes, it is too long, but once a vague summary is now a contribution statement. Once we edit, this branding statement will be lean and mean. Notice how the results are integrated into the statement. Numbers always catches the eye of a potential employer. The lesson here as well is to overwrite at first, then it is easier to truncate as a whole.

By now, the objective statement on your résumé is USELESS. Whether it’s called an “Objective” or “Summary,” think contribution when you write this statement. Even a little attitude would help in writing this statement when based on FACT.

Do you have an objective statement that says nothing? Are you guiltyof a vagueness on your résumé? Please, confess your crime below?

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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3 More Resources to Help Proofread Your Resume

3 More Resources to Help Proofread Your Resume

Once again, I found additional resources to help anyone proofread his or her writing anything career related (or anything at all). Every communication leaves an impression these days and I hate to see people lose out on opportunities because spelling or grammar! So to help you proofread your resume, I scoured the web and found three more tools you can consider using.

Roadtogrammar.com

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This site provides 365 categories of quizzes. Some of the categories are slightly redundant but this tool provides simple quizzes to help you with weaknesses in grammar.

I took the adverb test and scored 14 of 15. Some are more challenging than others, and while it doesn’t do the grammar check for you, a good way of reviving some of the basics learned in school and proofread your resume and other documents in the first draft. There are games and additional challenges to at least help you make a step forward improving your grammar.

 

Gingersoftware.com

This site is a diamond in the ruff in the scope of Internet tools. It is F-R-E-E.

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I downloaded the software which works well with Word, Firefox, Chrome, and Outlook. I tried it with Word (I use 2010, but works with 2003) by entering part of this post. The Ginger box has a small box that appears at the top of the page that says F2 in green, which instructs you to highlight the sentence, paragraph, or complete paper and press F2. I chose a paragraph and Voila! The above graphic appears offering a corrected sentence.

This app does not detect the passive voice phrases. For casual notes, it wouldn’t matter, but for your résumé, too much passive voice makes you sound as if you avoid responsibility (Heeehe!). Just kidding. It’s not a good look.

For you bloggers out there using Windows Live…Sorry! It doesn’t work there but it will work with your Outlook. So if you are writing business letters or letters to employers, this will check your spelling and grammar. This is one of the best free proofreading tools I’ve tried so far.+ Add New Category

 

 

Interested in what I reviewed last fall? Here are the two articles I previously written you can check out:

Five Resources to Help Correct Resume Grammar Errors

Three More Resources to Help Correct Resume Grammar Errors Part 2

 

Spellboy.com

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This site, unlike the others that I have reviewed, is strictly a spell check site with a couple of unique features. On the right, it has several sections that the first will check your blog (if you have one) for spelling errors. Of course, I had to try THIS BLOG and the search found 16 errors. Words like uncategorized, javascript, and jobseeker (which I purposely spell the way I do at times). Once I spelled attributes, a-t-r-r-i-b-u-t-e-s, but it does not say which article. I have 97 articles before today, no sleep loss tonight.

The other two interesting boxes feature that the app can be present on your iGoogle page or Chrome extension (by the way, all three apps mentioned today have Chrome extensions). The other suggests that it has a mobile app. I checked my Android phone, no luck.

Please let us know if it is on the iPhone in the comment section.

There is no excuse now to not proofread any written material you author. This will improve your personal brand, and hopefully, produce quality documents. Is this helpful information? What grammar or spelling challenges do you hope to overcome?

Please share in the comment section.

 

 

 

 

 

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About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Do Employers Understand You?

Do Employers Understand You?

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Without a well-written résumé, cover letter, and virtual profiles a job seeker will remain a question mark. You may say you’re misunderstood, but employers want to recognize the future in a candidate no matter the position grade. Employers want clarity from potential employees and see their investment flourish in a short period.

The question: Is it clear to employers that you are the one? Let us count the ways.

1. Are employers clear about what job you want?

There are many ways to say “I need a job” without forming the words. One way is to apply to massive amount of positions without any brand statement clarity or targeted functionality on your résumé. Today’s job seeker has to offer appreciating value first.

2. Are you relevant?

Employers want to know, “What skills do you offer that solve the problems we have now?” They want to envision solutions, results, and the impact you’ll have within the company.

3. You don’t speak the lingo

It doesn’t take an interview, or an extended conversation to realize that you don’t fit because you don’t know the language. Saying “lingo” is an anomaly because you are just keyword-ing your way in hopes that the lingo alone establishes your worth. On the contrary, this fails because no one speaks your language.

4. An unclear personal brand

Stating that you are a dynamic, hardworking, and competent individual describes the other 200 candidates applying for the same position. No one hiring cares that you fit in with the other candidates. The hiring manager wants to know what makes you different from everyone else. Without clearly demonstrated strengths, core competencies,  or purpose offers a perspective that someone will employ you.

Read: 7 Job Tips From Your Future Self

5. You don’t ask questions to the company

Employers can only see that don’t care about the company when you don’t have questions. It speaks volumes that you didn’t research the company, you won’t personally invest effort, and you lack enthusiasm about working for anyone. Prepare questions to ask such as, “What are the measurable expectations of my job in the first 90 days?” Or, “What career path have others in this position pursued in and outside of the department?”

6. You lack likability

You have a personality and you don’t show it. Why? Don’t know. You have achievements and accolades, but 20 other candidates do too. People hire others they like, and that you stand out in their minds. Lack of personality matters, but so does tone, and eye contact.

Read: Book Review: The 11 Laws of Likability by Michelle Tillis Lederman

7. No quantity, quality, cost or time results

Without measurable performance or visible achievements is similar to watching an empty home depreciate. How will you show value without showing a $ or %?

8. No competitive mojo

Competitiveness in a job search is part desire, but mostly follow-up from the initial application to receiving the job offer by mail. Otherwise, you’re competing for a tie in the career race.

There are other ways to alienate employers. You can offer suggestions below. To launch a career search campaign without clear goals and objectives compares to a politician campaigning for an office that doesn’t exists.

The question: Is that you?

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.