Pongo Resume

Should you lead your resume with an Objective or Summary that briefly describes your skills and background? In a word, yes. However, if you were to poll 10 recruiting experts on this question, you might get 10 different answers. That's because so many Objectives and Summaries are just plain bad. If they’re properly written, they can be the hook that pulls the reader into your resume.

These points were driven home clearly two weeks ago when I reviewed several resumes at a Women for Hire event in Boston. About half of them went straight from the name and contact information to the education and professional experience details.

From what I saw that day, the Objective/Summary issue usually spawns these questions from job seekers:

         1. Do I even need one?
         2. If so, which one? Objective or Summary?
         3. Isn’t this best left for the cover letter?
         4. What should I say?
         5. How long should it be?

Let’s tackle these questions.

1. Do I even need one?

I’m on the “yes” side of the issue for this simple reason: The Objective or Summary helps describe the value you can bring to a would-be employer through your skills and experience. It’s much easier for a hiring manager to find that value in a short paragraph than to try piecing it together from a lengthy history of professional experience and education. A strong, well-written Objective or Summary that's tailored to the position you're targeting can spur the hiring manager to read more of your resume.

2. If so, which one? Objective or Summary?

You’re better off with a Summary, unless you fall into one of these three categories of job seekers:

          • You’re just entering the workforce; 
          • You’re re-entering the workforce after an extended absence; or 
          • You’re changing careers.

Those who fall into these categories are usually the only ones who do need an Objective. Most other people's career objectives are easily determined from their work histories, so a Summary works better.

3. Isn't this best left for the cover letter?

Well, there are also differences of opinion on whether including a cover letter with your resume makes sense (however, 86% of executives say “yes”). Sure, you might say something similar in the cover letter, but if the company doesn't accept them, or the hiring manager doesn’t bother to read it, at least the resume can communicate your value.

4. What should I say?

Too many job seekers continue to write Objectives and Summaries that focus on what they want their next jobs to do for them. But frankly, most employers don’t give a [insert word or phrase here] what you want. It’s all about the employer: What can you do for them? So, your statement must focus outward, showing hiring managers what they stand to gain by hiring you.

Pull out the most relevant highlights of your professional history and present them in a brief, high-impact statement. Avoid personal pronouns (I, me, my) and remove unnecessary words. And don't write complete sentences.

Compare the following two Objective statements, and notice how the employer-focused Objective is more likely to grab attention:

WRONG: Job Seeker-Focused

OBJECTIVE: A position in corporate procurement in the retail industry that can utilize five years of negotiating and research skills and eventually lead to a management-level role.

RIGHT: Employer-Focused

OBJECTIVE: A position in corporate procurement that can utilize skills in research and negotiating gained from 5 years of experience in another industry, helping a retailer cut costs and improve its competitive position.

Here’s an example of a well-written Summary statement that says a lot about the value the candidate brings to the table.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: Corporate procurement professional with 10 years of experience in the high-end retail apparel industry. Highly skilled at performing due diligence on potential suppliers around the globe, negotiating contracts, controlling corporate risk, and minimizing costs. Fluent in French and Spanish.

5. How long should it be?

No more than 50 words. You want to be succinct and straightforward. Anything longer might make the hiring manager stop and not bother to read the rest.

Today, the onus of career management falls on you — the worker — not the employer. You must be effective at communicating your value and marketing yourself. That begins with knowing yourself and understanding what you have to offer, how that fits with the employer's needs, and how to “sell” your skills and potential. Your resume Objective or Summary lies at the heart of that effort. Excel at it and you won’t have a problem convincing someone you’d be a great hire.

Got any questions about the Objective or Summary? Post them below.

One question please: Because at the "objetive" part you talk about what you want and at the "summary" part you talk about what you offer. Could I write both of them on my resume?

You pose a good question. Here's my take:

(1) If you prefer an Objective, don't write a summary that appears like an objective; in other words, a couple of sentences that summarize your skills and what you offer to an employer. If you need something to summarize your skills, try something like a SUMMARY OF SKILLS section and list your skills in bullet points, such as:

* Ten years of management experience at a mid-size IT company. * Project management professional. * Highly effective at working with professionals with a wide range of abilities and backgrounds.

Stuff like that.

(2) If you have a lot of relevant experience and you're not seeking to make a major career change, I'd stick with a narrative Summary that promotes your skills.

Hope this helps! ~ Rick

I'm not totally clear on what you're asking, but let me call on my inner grammarian.

If the thought does not contain a subject and verb, then, technically, it's not a complete sentence and you don't need a period at the end. I would indeed use bullets to list your accomplishments and skills. In a professional summary, if you don't want to use the paragraph format (with "complete sentences"), listing your skills and potential value in bullet points is acceptable.

Good luck! Let me know if I can be of further help! ~ Rick

Let me know if I can offer further help.

@ Job seeker -- In most cases, you're right. A summary in bullet-point form can be useful if you don't like the idea of writing a full paragraph. But as I note in the post, there are situations when an Objective is a better idea.

Good luck!

Think harder about what you loved about all those roles. Then, try to envision yourself in a job in which you do what you love.

Good luck! Feel free to hit me with more questions.

To fill it out, here are some questions for you to answer:

* What parts of your classroom work did you enjoy most? * Is there anything you did as a stay-at-home mom that can enhance your qualifications? (Organizing field trips?) Experience such as that can change a parent's outlook on life (speaking as a parent myself) and your approach in working with school-age children. * Did you earn any honors or awards while in the classroom that you can drop into your summary?

Good luck!

"Adept day-to-day management of crises and interruptions that caused company to alter deadlines," then mention a couple of specific situations.

Does that help? If not, please write back! ~ Rick

@ Jamie -- Look at job postings for 3 or 4 positions in which you would like to work. Look at the skills and qualifications the employers are seeking, and see which of those match up with the skills and qualifications from your previous roles. It's in those "matches" that should help you put together your summary or objective. Remember it's not so much about where you've been but rather where you want to go!

Best of luck!

An open-minded, with a flexible approach to work, which enables accommodation of change. Able to work well with a group or on own initiative. Willing to take any responsibilities and assignments, regardless of the challenge. A Self-reliant individual with the ability to pick up new ideas and concepts quickly. I enjoy learning new skills and methods of working. Takes pride in producing excellent work and can accept constructive criticism. Very organized and can work under pressure in a busy environment.

What you wrote covers what just about ANY employer would want to see in an employee. What you need to figure out is what makes you better than everyone else who's interested in the particular job or jobs you're applying for. To that end, focus on your skills, what you accomplished in your previous roles, and how all of that can benefit the next company you work for. Start with what you wrote, though, and think of specific times when those qualities shined. For instance, ask yourself: "When was I able to pick up new ideas and concepts quickly, and how did that help me shine in my job and help my employer? Or this: "What were the best results I produced when I was under intense pressure in a busy environment?":

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask another question on this issue.

A concise, well written, visually appealing resume/cover letter will compel the reader to keep reading. Make it an "easy" read that suggests a good fit & you should get that interview!

I've been a stay-at-home mom for 19 years. I was able to get a 1 year internship last year, but now the internship is over, I'm having a hard time finding a job in this economy. My objective is an entry level financial analyst position. How can I explain my gap in my objective?

* Play up your internship as your most recent work experience outside the house.

* Are there any skills you picked up while you were home that are related to your target job? Anything related to family finances or investing? Think about that when you write your objective or summary. And did you do any relevant volunteer work during that time?

I've included links to a couple of relevant blog posts that might help you:

http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/593/returning-to-work-after-raising-the-kids-10-tips.cfm

http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/299/survival-tips-for-moms-returning-to-work.cfm

As for what *you* are looking for, that's a subject for the interview. And while you may have to explain why you were let go, you need to assure a would-be employer that you've learned from the experience and can be reliable in the right kind of setting.

Hope this helps! Best of luck!

Help?

For the most part I go by this rule: if you are inexperienced in the field you are applying to, than you're better off going with an Objective. I would focus on transferable skills and your volunteer work. This other post just might help you out in that department: http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/290/writing-a-resume-when-you-have-no-experience.cfm

Let us know if you have any other questions!

First off take a good look at the job ad you are applying to. You will want to tailor the resume to fit the job you are seeking. So you may have had only one formal job but skills can come from all sorts of life experiences. Focus on other things like volunteer work or community involvement you may have done. Even as a stay at home mom you acquire soft skills that can be used. Perhaps you may want to enroll in an online computer class or something like that to show employers you are committed to refining your skill set. Think outside the box as not all skills in life come from formal employment.

I took the paragraph below from another one of our blog posts entitled, "So... About this Gap on Your Resume"

Typically, this kind of gap involves something personal in nature. Without going into painstaking detail, explain the reason. For instance, you may have taken care of a sick relative, had a medical issue, or taken an extended vacation. By law, U.S. employers cannot ask you about your personal life, but if you volunteer the information and it alarms the employer, it might make them wary of hiring you (though they would never admit that as the reason for denying you the job). Explain the gap factually, but briefly. Hold back the urge to volunteer details best left private – anything that might create an impression in the interviewer's mind that you are unsuitable for the job. Then, explain what you learned from the experience if it will help improve your chances at landing the job. For instance: During that time, I developed practical skills for dealing with difficult people, which paid off in my next job as a customer service representative in a high-volume call center at ABC Company.