Resume objective or resume profile. Which should you use

Today we explore and reveal the difference between the two and when you need which of this elevator sales pitch in your resume. You will find plethora of resources to score a knockout resume headline.

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How to get your resume read!

Those who says resume profile is not essential are high on marshmallow or macaroons maybe. It’s like making a movie without a trailer and hoping the masses would flock and fill up the theatres. If done right, you will lit up their mind like firework and go for your kill right at the top, to kill all their doubts about your candidacy and prove you’re the #1 match for the job!

You essentially sell your peachy pitch right at the top, the top 1/3rd is the most important area on your resume. An average resume gets a mere 6 seconds worth of attention. You want to break past that threshold, hold employers’ attention for longer, that’s what a great resume profile does! It proves you’ve got the goods they are trying to buy within that first 6 seconds! Now they begin to investigate the rest of your resume, if you really are as solid as you say you are.

Resume objective vs resume profile

Both resume objective and resume profile serve as a resume headline. Now is it ultra-important to include them in your resume? Well, the answer lays naked above, proving why you need one. Now, let’s understand who employs them when.

A resume profile is used by professionals who has 2+ years of experience and a resume objective is used by someone who is entering a profession, a recent graduate or someone who holds little to no direct experience because they are making a career switch. For example, a car sales specialist making a switch to insurance sales industry.

What is a resume profile?

A professional summary also known as resume profile tells a story that sells your career highlights like you’re destined for this job. It's an important profile summary that proves how well your skillset match with the job requirements and your career accomplishments begins to fill up employer’s imagination, the kind of wonder it would do if you could bring your brand of magic, because past accomplishments always predict future success, if it is to be judged by history!

You are not summarizing your career here; you are providing proof in this pin-point pitch that shows why you are the #1 choice for this job. You should be targeting this section to the job you are applying like an eagle going for the kill.

Sample summary for resume

Receptionist resume summary: Receptionist devoted 7+ years mastering the art of building lasting client relations. Fluent in 3 languages to render highly personalized services that generates 5-star reviews on Google Business Listing and Trustpilot. Can support expert admin functions by writing marketing grade materials for social media, creating custom reports with advanced expertise on Excel and Powerpoint.

If you liked this example, you will find the firework to lit up some serious inspiration. Head over here to find 15+ brilliant interview winning resume summary examples written by certified resume writers, you will be dancing through the night with excitement. Now, how do you write a killer resume profile? Well, that’s also included in that page with a proven formula showing you exactly what gold-plated resume summary supposed to include.

What is a resume objective?

Now here’s a truth nobody tells you about resume objectives. Resume objective as it was used 30 years ago has no relevance today. In this competitive job market where, top talents are widely available, there is no room for me or a me-focused writing. It has to be written with employers in mind, showing the skills they are looking for is exactly the skills you carry.

Some terrible examples of resume objectives are provided below:

  • Marketing specialist with perfect qualifications looking for an exciting new position at Next world to acquire new expertise and deliver digital strategies that will grow client base.
  • A new law graduate who is looking to obtain a position at Rivers Lawyers. She can create lasting client relationships and conduct research, survey and write materials.
  • Looking for a challenging restaurant position to learn and acquire new skills at Park Hyatt. Always deliver superior customer service and I’m efficient with busy restaurant operations.

You can find over 20+ resume objectives examples covering different professions written by certified professional resume writers. How about a cheat code, a simple formula showing how to write your knockout resume objective?

FAQ about Resume Objectives and Resume Profiles

Is it mandatory to use a resume profile?

Well as we said, without this section, the hiring manager have to skim through the resume to find if you’ve got the firepower to deliver the targets demanded by this job. What’s important is however, your resume profile must be highly targeted to the job. So, everything an employer needs to make a hiring decision is provided right there in the top!

But if you plan to use a generic resume profile that doesn’t target the job you’re applying, it will loose its efficacy.

Should I use a resume profile or a resume objective?

These days everyone use the term “resume profile” or use its moniker which goes like professional summary, resume summary or professional profile. The term “resume objective” is used entirely by young students entering the job market for the first time, though it is being rarely used every day and increasingly becoming obsolete and being replaced by the modern version which goes by “resume profile”.

How long should a resume headline be?

Generally, for resume objective you should aim to keep it under 65 words and for resume profile you can write up to 90 words but its best to keep it under 75. Brevity is of the essence here, using the shortest possible space to convince the recruiter why you are the best choice for the job.

 

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Resume objective or resume profile. Which should you use
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Areli Nevan has 15 years of writing experience in career columns. A professional resume writer with vast experience in his portfolios helping candidates create job winning applications.