Career Objective
A well-developed career objective helps you determine your next career move.

Your objective and summary statement set a tone for the rest of your resume.

Try to keep them short and focused on the job you are applying for.

Your objective is your employment goal. You should develop an objective even if you choose not to include it in your resume.

Write or edit the rest of your resume with this focused objective in mind. Remove any statement or detail of previous work experience that does not reflect your objective.

Employers may look at your resume before your cover letter. A well-written career objective catches an employer’s interest and channels this attention to the details of your resume. Again, make sure you are editing your resume to be in line with the job actually being advertised.

The career objective summarizes your expectations for pursuing your desired career. These expectations should include what an employer should expect from you as well as target skills that you can bring to the company.

Some objective statements refer to specific positions within the hiring organization. Consider broadening the statement to include other potential opportunities available.

A good objective may improve your chances of winning an interview. It should be geared to the job being advertised.

Avoid vague descriptions, as they are meaningless to employers. Keep things crisp and clear.

A good objective mentions a specific job category, such as “office position” rather than “data entry clerk.”

Being too specific may eliminate you from possible openings within a company.
You may also mention an industry, such as “the communication industry” tailored to that of your potential employer.

You may want to highlight some of your specific skills that are of interest to the hiring party. Focus on what you have to offer a potential employer, to show that you will be worth the salary they will pay you, and be a solid return on their investment.

Example Career Objective: To obtain an entry-level office position where my solid word-processing computer skills and excellent attention to detail may be fully utilized.

Each resume contains required elements that every employer will expect you to include.

Most of your time should be spent completing these parts carefully and fully. Don’t worry at this point if you are over your two page limit. Get it all down in writing, and then you can selectively edit and cut out what you don’t need, depending on the job you are applying for.

That is the beauty of computers and word-processing programs!
Just make sure you go to SAVE AS and save your different versions of your resume with meaningful descriptions.

A career objective can focus you and help you write a tight, well-focused resume. Each statement in your resume should reflect your objective.

Write a summary statement to show why you are the best candidate for your desired job. The summary statement is a
place to highlight your past accomplishments. Emphasize the
professional characteristics that make you stand out.

Your contact information tells the employer who you are and
how to contact you for additional information. This is essential
in setting up an interview, via phone, email, or in person.

Your education background shows your academic
achievements and fields of study.

Include information on any licenses you may hold that fulfill
state legal requirements.

List your certifications to indicate your specialized expertise
in a particular field.

Your work experience tells the employer where you have
worked and what you have done.

Your results in given situations, to illustrate your experience.

Your skills list that shows what abilities you have related to your
desired job.

We will discuss each of these in more detail in the next articles in this series.

Design and Presentation of Your Resume

Enhance the content of your resume with a professional presentation.

It is important to please the reader’s eye.

Short narratives work well in summary statements.

Bullets, keyword phrases, and indented paragraphs market your skills in an effective manner.

Avoid using color in your resume. Use bold, italic, and a readable font.

Guidelines to Better Presentation

Complete sentences are not necessary. Market yourself with action verbs, careful use of white space, and emphasis on indentation.

One-inch margins and a balance of content in the body make your resume more readable. Be consistent in all resume design, text, and
punctuation decisions. Be professional!

Key points to remember:

Use a readable font rather than one that is decorative.
Sans serif fonts tend to be easier to scan, serifed ones will fit more on the page.

Maintain font sizes between 10 and 14.

White is still considered the best choice of paper color. Avoid unnecessary graphics and shading.

Use laser printing on high quality paper. Make sure photocopies of your resume are clean and sharp.

Do not use overly textured or thick paper.

Email hints and tips

If you are sending it out via email, follow ALL instructions, and email your cover letter and resume together in one file. But also include the cover letter in the body of the email. (More about cover letters later).

Choose the type of resume that best suits your situation

Resume Types
There are four basic types of resumes: chronological, functional, combination, and curricula vitae (CVs), a list of your accomplishments, often used in academic circles.

Choose a format that best fits your experiences and industry or one that you are comfortable with. Ultimately, the choice of resume format is up to you.

Most head hunters will prefer a functional resume, many human resource departments will want a chronological one.

If unsure, use the format that you feel puts you and your experience in the best possible light, keeping in mind the reasons for using each type which we highlighted when we gave examples.

Again, to summarize:

Chronological resumes present information in a time line.

Functional resumes group work experience and skills by
skill area or job function, and are good for people looking for a career change.

Combination resumes highlight your skills and experiences in a clear chronology.

Curricula vitae (CVs) provide a detailed statement of your qualifications. They are only used in certain positions and industries.

You may not know which form each human resources person will prefer, however, you will know which one puts you in the best possible light for the position you are applying for, so have both under your belt just in case.

Other resume don’ts to leave off

Items which could cause controversy
Avoid listing political affiliation, controversial employers or activities, or religious beliefs. Follow this rule unless you are applying for a political, activist, or religious job.

Personal Information
Listing your age, height, weight, race, ethnicity, or marital status is not necessary. It may provide open invitations for discrimination.

Personal References
Remove personal references from your resume. Use professional references only.

Salary Requirements
Do not mention your salary desire or wage history.

Errors
Check your resume several times for accuracy, consistency, correct use of grammar, and spelling. Stick with a single verb tense.
You and your closest friends/spouse should proofread your resume ON PAPER, not on the screen, to make sure it is error-free.