Are resume objectives outdated?

Objective statements were the norm on resumes 20 years ago. And, in fact you can find them on many new grad resumes. But, resume objectives are outdated. If your resume contains one it’s definitely time for an update.

I cannot begin to tell you how many clients come to me with an old objective on their resume. I can honestly only think of one situation where this is ever appropriate and that would be if you’re 16 and applying for your first job and have no experience or skills. Then it would be okay to use an objective. If you’re not 16 and if you have had some form of employment over your lifespan DO NOT USE AN OBJECTIVE.

A career summary or career snapshot is much more effective.

As a hiring manager I’m not interested in your objective when I’m initially screening the resume. I’m looking to see if you might be a fit for the role.

Are you what I need? How am I going to find that out from an objective? I won’t be able to do that. Now if you have a powerful opening statement that conveys your achievements and what I can expect from you as an employee that is so much more appealing to me. I want you to sell your knowledge, skills, and abilities in that opening paragraph.

Think of it as a movie trailer. We watch the movie previews to decide whether we want to invest the time in watching the actual movie. It has to grab our attention, captivate us, and make us WANT to invest our time in watching it. A career summary is the same way. It needs to grab the employer’s attention, captivate them, and make them want to invest their time reading the rest of your resume.

If you need help writing your resume check out this free PDF guide I created that includes 178 action verbs and high-impact phrases to improve your resume.