The Objective of the Objective

A professional blog consisting of excellent written expression, intelligent banter and a helpful spirit.  In search of curious readers who will contribute to the success of this blog by means of clear communication and thoughtful inquiries.

Does the above paragraph strike a resemblance to the famous "objective" section of your resume (or perhaps a resume you have seen)?  That is my parody of the often useless, mostly dismissed objective statement (also known as a Summary or Profile).  You will regularly see this blurb of adjectives as the headline of the resume used to paint a picture of what the applicant's strengths are, what they will offer the employer and what their career goals are.  The only problem is that the details provided are typically vague and generic.

In my opinion, a few sentences that say you're a team player with strong organizational skills who wants to grow with the company are a waste of space to put it frankly.  Instead, this area can (and again, in my humble opinion, should) be used to detail specific accomplishments such as "consistently scored 95% on customer satisfaction survey scores month over month for two consecutive years." 

If you insist on including an objective piece, please be so kind as to tailor it to the position and employer you are sending your resume to; otherwise, it irradicates the purpose.  And of course the purpose for your summary is really to showcase what you are capable of based on past experience and proven indicating factors. 

So let's try this again....

Recruiter's Corner is a workplace blog written by Jessica Erickson, owner of Write Track Resumes.  Jessica has executed resume construction and revision for over 50 clients.  Write Track Resumes currently has 44 followers on Facebook with the goal of obtaining a fanbase of 100 within the next three months.  Jessica is also the author of another successful blog dedicated to subjects related to mostly motherhood and marriage.

And yes, it is important that you personalize each time you forward so that the information is relevant to the opportunity. 

Get your career on the Write Track by finding the right objective to your objective statement!

Step into my office...

Well, I did it!  I have officially created an employment related blog.  My goal is to provide honest, helpful guidance to those in the dark about where to search for jobs, what information to include on a resume, how to answer interview questions and much more!

As a recruiting professional, I have some of the answers; however, keep in mind, every recruiter or hiring manager is different.  This is not the best saying but "One man's trash is another man's treasure" is relatable because an applicant one recruiter might disregard as unqualified might be the perfect match for another recruiter.  Please note - I, in no way, meant to refer to anyone as trash by the above quote.  Although my pointers might not apply to everyone, I will do my utmost to provide generalized advice that will be applicable across the board as much as possible.

Another feature of this blog will be occasional "guest" bloggers from other recruiting and HR professionals.  This will hopefully even out the playing field and allow for feedback I might have otherwise excluded or neglected.

So - the floor is open and the mic is turned on.  Let me know what is on your mind.  I want to hear your questions, your frustrations, your successes.  It is important to me that my blog topics are centered on what matters to YOU! 

Looking forward to helping you get your career on the "write track!"

Recruiter Jess