Writing an Effective Resume: Using Your Objective to Win the Interview

Scenario: You need to hire an employee to help you with a job. As the person who makes the hiring decisions you are responsible for the productivity of a project or group of people who will help you get this job done. You need to find someone is capable of learning, displays a variety of competencies that are specific to the job, and has the knowledge and skills that prove they will be an asset to have on your team. As you are faced with a pile of resumes to review in order to find this superior candidate, you will be looking for the resume that appeals directly to this job.

When writing an effective resume, the first step is to put yourself in the shoes of the person who is doing the hiring. In order to convey to the prospective employer that you are truly an exceptional candidate, you must understand how to market yourself to their needs rather than just describe your history. Research the company history, the corporate culture, and understand its governing values before you submit your resume. What does the company stand for? Read through the job description and requirements carefully. What does the hiring manager really want? What special abilities would this applicant have? What would make a candidate truly exceptional and triumph over the others who possess the same skills? When writing an effective resume, it is important to focus on the employer's needs and not your own.

Do your homework.

If you are seeking a job in a field you know well, then you know what it takes to be a superior candidate. If you are not sure what employers are truly looking for, ask them. Find people who work in the same company or industry, or call the prospective employer and ask them what they are looking for. Write out a priority page and loosen up your thinking. Jot down the competencies and skills required for the job you are applying for. Next, think about the jobs you've done in the past and write down everything that demonstrates how you fit perfectly with what is needed. This exercise will help you make connections between what you have done and what your future employer expects from you.

Start with a great objective.

So, how do you convey that you are the candidate that has what it takes? Start with a great objective. As the employer is falling asleep over the hundreds of resumes submitted for a job, the objective may be the only part of your resume that the employer reads before placing it in the boring pile with everyone else's. Because your resume will only get a few seconds of attention (at best), you will have to generate interest right away in the first sentence they lay their eyes on.

Be sure the objective is direct and to the point.

Do not use fluffy phrases, but use key words. Keep your objective powerful and subtle. Do not use a generic objective for every job you are applying for. Make it noticeably different than everyone else's generic objective: "A promising career in an organization where my skills and experience apply... blah, blah, blah." They have read that before in the previous 100 resumes and will continue to see it in the next 100. Get creative and wake them up with your objective. Let your first sentence relay a powerful message: "I want exactly the job you are offering, and I am a superior candidate because I recognize the qualities that are most important to you and I have them. I want to contribute to your company." Immediately the employer will be interested and want to read the rest of your resume, if not pick up the phone to set up an interview. The candidate with a targeted and job specific objective establishes a connection to the employer right away as the perfect candidate in the first sentence. By stating the job you want, and listing the qualities that make this job worth seeking from the employer's point of view, you will communicate that you are that person for the job because you understand what the employer is looking for. Remember, the employer will be interested in hiring you for what you can do for them, not for what you want or need.

Make your objective work for you.

Be sure that your summary, or the skills and accomplishments, and job history sections of the resume support your objective claims. Now that you've got the employers attention, you've got to back up what you say you can do. This is where your homework, those notes and competency connections you jotted down earlier, come into play. Keep the resume format easy to follow, well-written, and well-organized. Do not put your whole life story into your resume; leave some mystery for the interview. The point of your objective and summary sections is to grab their attention as quickly and directly as possible about the product you have to sell: you, so that you have a chance to finalize the sale in the interview.

There is nothing wrong with having more than one resume. If you are applying for several different positions, you should adapt your resume to each one. Objectives especially, and maybe even other sections of your resume should be adapted for each job you apply for. The point of using an objective is to create a psychological response in the mind of the reader. Wake them up . . . having a perfectly matched objective with the job you are applying for is a great way to win that interview!