Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

After 20 years of hiring, I refuse to look at resumes that have this common yet outdated section

After 20 years of hiring, I refuse to look at resumes that have this common yet outdated section

An impressive resume concisely illustrates one major message: "This is how I made things better for the companies I've worked for." But there's one section that gets in the way of that -and I see people make the mistake of including it all the time.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve reviewed thousands of resumes, and despite the vast amount of information available on how to write one, only a shockingly small amount of people do it well.

The most impressive resumes concisely and compellingly illustrate one major message: “This is how I made things better for the companies I worked for.” But the one section that gets in the way of this objective is ... well, the “objective” -those few words up at the very top, meant to capture the entirety of a candidate’s career ambitions. Instead, they don’t really say anything at all.

It’s highly outdated and unnecessary. And yet, I still get so many resumes that have one. While it might sound harsh, 90% of the time, I refuse to read through resumes that include an objective.


No objectives, please

Virtually every objective I’ve read has either been too broad or too short, never just right. To say that you’re “seeking a challenging team leadership position” might be true, but it still reveals nothing about what you can do for a prospective employer.

Here are some extreme examples from the Hall of Shame that illustrate why you need to eliminate the objective:

San Jose, Calif.-based cybersecurity professional (working remotely, but willing to travel) seeking a CSO role managing a global team of like-minded, talented professionals.
Senior-level executive looking to be hired as your next CFO.
Looking for an opportunity to make a difference and change the world.
The first one is oddly specific and sounds more like a list of demands than genuine interest in the company. The second is just too “in your face,” while the last objective sounds overly presumptuous.


What you need to focus on depends on your experience


If you’re a job seeker with only few years of experience, a “headline” is a quick way to make an impact. The headline appears below your name, address and other contact information. Here are a few great examples:


Award-winning graphic designer


Marketing associate with experience running online and social media campaigns
Communications manager for fast-growing Fortune 500 company
Biochemical engineer with nanotechnology expertise
For mid-level professionals with several years of experience, valuable technical skills and expertise that directly relates to the contribution they will make to their next employer, a “summary” will suffice.

A solid summary might look something like this: “Financial executive with extensive experience building and leading teams. Areas of expertise include: Strategic planning, business process reengineering, SEC reporting and governance...”

Hiring managers hardly spend any time looking at your resume (their first glance lasts about six seconds) if it doesn’t immediately deliver what they’re looking for. So it’s important to use what little amount of space you have wisely.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×