RESUME Objectives: What Do You Want?

RESUME objectives are a major topic online.  Apparently, it’s a problem for people…but it shouldn’t be.  The concept of it isn’t that hard.  At it’s most basic level, a resume objective says what it’s that you want, and the rest of the CV is supporting evidence for why you should get it.

That said, it should follow that a generic one-size-fits-all objective won’t cut it.  you got to tailor your objective for the career opportunity just like you tailor the information on your resume.  It’s not that you’re leaving things out, it’s that you’re telling the hiring manager why certain accomplishments at your last job(s) mean that you’re a perfect fit for this one.

(For example:  What did you do (not what were your duties) in previous jobs that will make you the best fit for the job you want in pharmaceutical revenue, clinical laboratory sales, biotech revenue, clinical diagnostics sales, hospital equipment revenue, laboratory device sales, imaging sales, clinical laboratory sales, surgical supply sales, cellular products sales, molecular products revenue, research products sales, or pharma sales?)

THAT told, you still need to keep it brief.  Your resume should be no more than one page long, or two if you’ve A LOT of experience (which goes to show why you need to tailor it), so your objective should be no more than 2-3 sentences long.  There’s an argument afloat that says you don’t need an objective because you’ve included that information in your cover letter…but recruiters like yours truly don’t read cover letters.  We just don’t have the time.  Give us the information in as clear and concise a manner as possible.  Make it easy for a recruiter or hiring manager  to work with you.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized clinical and medical laboratory sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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