Developing An Effective Resume (Page 2 of 13) in pdf

Resume

OBJECTIVES, SUMMARY STATEMENTS, & SKILLS SUMMARIES

Do you need an objective or summary?

As a rule, the first line of your resume should communicate to the reader the type of position or industry you

are seeking. If your major directly relates to the job you are seeking, (for example, you are applying for an

accountant position and you are an Accounting major), you may not need an objective or summary statement.

However, for most liberal arts majors, this is not the case. For example, a Communications major may be interested

in many career areas, so how does a potential employer know what types of jobs or careers would be of interest to

you or what skills you have to offer for those jobs? An objective or summary is recommended in that it tells the

reader the type of job/career you are targeting, and describes skills or ways you can contribute to the

specific job, industry or career. If done effectively, this is a very powerful tool in getting your resume noticed.

I’m including a cover letter, so do I still need an objective or summary?

Again, although optional, an objective or summary allows you to reinforce your goals:

1. In case the employer reads your resume first; and

2. To reinforce how you meet the qualifications and the requirements of the position

What is the difference between an objective statement and a summary?

An objective statement is a concise, position centered statement describing the value you can add and the needs

you can fulfill. An objective may include a brief statement of skills and qualifications that you will bring to the position.

A professional summary or skills summary is longer and provides more detail than an objective statement.

Summaries identify the type of position you are seeking and provide lengthier descriptions of skills and qualifications.

Objective Statement Examples:

Seeking a statistical research position utilizing my experience with survey development and evaluating sales data.

To obtain an internship in the Human Resources field, with particular interests in recruitment and training.

Professional Summary Example:

Recent graduate with Bachelor’s degree in Business and a concentration in Marketing seeking a Marketing

Associate position. Offer solid understanding of marketing strategies illustrated through academic projects and an

internet venture that continues to develop and test theoretical marketing strategies and business management in the

areas of:



Conceptual Planning

Web-Based Marketing

Advertising Campaigns



Project Development

Competitive Analysis

Media/Client Relations

Skills Summary Example:



Passionate writer and reporter. Experienced in writing feature articles, short stories, biographies, editorial

pieces, press releases, research reports, and creative ad copy.



Well-versed in copy editing, transcription/editing of interviews and proofreading, most recently as an editor for a

weekly college magazine.



Strong vocabulary and command of the English language; familiarity with MLA, Chicago, APA and Turabian

writing styles



Commitment to meeting deadlines.

The Career Center

Developing An Effective Resume Page 2

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