Dear JobsBlog: I’ve read that recruiters do not study goal statements, but my school’s career center is suggesting I add 1. What do you think?
It’s not so much whether recruiters study them or not; it’s more a question of whether an goal statement is really serving the purpose you intend it to, especially since you are giving it top billing on your resume. (Everything above the fold = gold.) Recruiters and interviewers care what you want to do,
Microsoft Office 2010 Professional, and this is a topic they can cover during the interview. But if you are applying to a certain type of position at their company,
Office 2007 Professional, they have a pretty good idea of your general motivations. “Looking for a software developer role which will help me grow my technical skills and contribute to the bottom-line of your company” hardly answers any questions anyway. The most important questions you want to answer right off the bat are, “Is this person qualified?” and “What makes this person really tick?” This is why I always suggest leading your resume with a Summary Statement, which highlights your most relevant accomplishments,
Office 2007 Serial, qualifications, and interests (see, there’s your “objective”) first. As an example,
Windows 7 64 Bit, below are two fictitious versions of an objective statement and a summary statement, written for a software engineer. As a potential employer, which one tells you more about the person’s skills and interests? Objective Statement
To obtain a full time .NET developer position for a company where opportunities for advancement to senior management are available. Software Engineering Manager
Recognized pioneer in the development of .NET-based, social networking software Accomplished technical presenter and communicator with demonstrated experience winning over tough audiences Established technology manager with a background in leading organizations of 10 or more employees The summary statement helps you convey your goal and immediately signals the recruiter or interviewer to your skills, interests, and expertise. Give it a go; you won’t be sorry. (And do not worry about being braggy - that’s what resumes are all about,
Microsoft Office 2007 Key!) - Gretchen