What's on Your Resume?

Last week's Monster+HotJobs poll asked people, "What's the first major content section of your resume (after your contact info)?" And a large majority--55 percent--said that the first item on their resume is an objective statement.

Frankly, this is a bit of a surprise--seeing as how many career experts have been gently advising job seekers to forgo objective statements in most cases.

That's because a traditional objective statement--something along the lines of "Seeking a marketing position in which my ability to produce exceptional work will contribute to my employer's success"--wastes a hiring manager's time. It tells her something she already knows (that you want the position you applied for) and then heaps on a bunch of vague jargon that anyone could say about himself.

Instead of an objective statement, consider a summary statement that tells a hiring manager who you are and how you'll benefit her company (16 percent of poll respondents are already doing this)--for instance, "I'm a marketing professional with 10 years of experience strategizing campaigns; I bring my SEO, social-media, broadcast, and email-blast expertise to multimedia projects that make brands pop."

Of course, you should customize your summary statement to suit the job you're applying for.

(For more resume help, see "6 Common Resume Questions Answered," or check out all of Monster.com's resume advice.)

You might consider an objective statement if you're sending your resume, blind, to a company's HR department. But then again, why would you do that? It's always better to find a specific person to direct your queries to (for more on that, read "5 Sneaky Ways to Find Out a Hiring Manager's Name"). People who are just entering the job market, too, might benefit from some form of objective statement (so here's advice on how to craft one).

Another type of summary statement is a list of skills. And 13 percent of poll respondents said a list was at the top of their resume. Like a summary statement, a list of skills can help a hiring manager see what you have to offer, in concrete terms. It can be a good option for people in high-tech fields, for instance.

Next on the list of responses were "My most recent job details" (12 percent)--potentially a good option if that most recent job is a very close match to the one you're applying for--and "An endorsement" (1 percent).

Finally, 4 percent of respondents said "Other." Were you one of them? Tell us what's at the top of your resume--or share your resume tips--in the comments section, or send me a message on Twitter.

 

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