Summary and Objective in Resumes

Your resume is your ticket for an interview and eventually a good job. That is why you need to develop a resume that’s not only noticeable but will also bring out the best in you. As a fresh graduate, you could be skimming through different sample resumes and have seen two distinct features in a resume especially in the header: summery and objectives.

Sometimes, these two headers are considered as non-essential components in a resume. After all, head hunters will take a closer look at your educational achievements and relative experience. Summery and objectives could be ignored or worst, the reason why your resume will not go through.

Using Summary

The summery in your resume should tell who you are in a single paragraph. It usually consists of three sentences or even less. The summary will inform the head hunter what you can do for the company. You have to tailor the summary according to the company you want to work with. A general summary will never work since companies are looking for specific characteristics from a candidate. Writing a general summary will never work since you can’t write everything down. Remember that you only have less than three sentences for this part of the summary. You have to highlight what’s important for the company to get the attention of the head hunters.

Using Objectives

Objective on the other hand is a part of the resume where you inform the head hunter your goals in being part of the company. This is very tricky since you can’t just write the things you are looking for. You are actually telling the company what you are looking for is exactly the same as what the company offers. That means you need to research a little bit about the company and job you are trying to gain. The length of the objective in resumes is also the same with the summary.

But you don’t have to be too specific in your objectives. Your aim is not only for a specific job but also for other jobs related to your education. By expanding your objectives, you should be able to gain the consideration of head hunters for other jobs in the same company.

Overdoing is Always a Bad Thing

Summary and Career Objective should be in three sentences or less only – NO EXCEPTIONS. As we have already indicated, this part of your resume is totally disposable. You can still be hired if you don’t add these in your resume.

Keep them simple so that they could be comprehended in one reading. You are not the only applicant and the human resource department doesn’t have the time to read your resume twice.

As much as possible do not write a summary and career objective in a resume. Consider what you need to be highlighted and focus on that feature. The head hunter will have the impression that you are just covering things in your resume that you have to write these together. One of them will do as long as you know what you really want to highlight in your resume. 

Editorial Team at Geekinterview is a team of HR and Career Advice members led by Chandra Vennapoosa.

Editorial Team – who has written posts on Online Learning.


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