Scrap the Resume Objective and Include These Three Resume Elements That Recruiters Would Rather See Instead

Here’s the cold, hard truth: the “resume objective” is so 1991. Originally, resume experts touted that including an objective — an up-front statement of what the job seeker is looking for — at the top of your resume could help you stand out from the pack. But then everyone started including an objective, and now this old resume standby is seen as outdated and totally overused. Plus, it’s kind of obvious. What’s your objective? Your objective is, well, to be hired for the job you’re applying for. Duh.

The good news is that by scraping the objective you’ll be freeing up space on your resume for info that will be much more useful to recruiters. Before you send out another resume, try replacing your objective with one of these three resume elements that recruiters would rather see:

1. A Savvy Skills Section

So many jobs today require incredibly specialized skills and knowledge about specific programs and software, particularly in tech and data fields and jobs in the online media space. In fact, job postings will often list knowledge about certain programs as must-haves in candidates, or at least major pluses. Put your knowledge front and center on your resume by listing your relevant skills near the top of the page, that way recruiters don’t have to hunt through copy to find out if you meet the skills minimum for the job. And remember, you should tailor your skills section to the different jobs you’re applying for —your in-depth knowledge of HTML, for example, won’t be impressive to the recruiter hiring for that customer service role, but be sure to include that skill on the resume you send out for the in-house graphic designer role.

2. Relevant Links

Many resume experts still suggest keeping your resume to one page, if possible, but sometimes you just can’t describe a major project you worked on in a bullet point or two. Go the “show, don’t tell” route by including a section for relevant links near the bottom of your resume, that way recruiters can easily see examples of your previous work. This section is especially apt for creative types; writers will want to include links to their best published articles and stories, ad designers can put in links to their award-winning digital ads, etc. Just don’t name this section “Relevant Links” — call it something specific that will clue the recruiter into what they’re going to find when they click, like “Writing Samples” or “Published Work.”

3. A Personal Branding Statement

A brand: everyone’s got one, including you. Including a snappy, succinctly written personal branding statement at the top of your resume serves as a great virtual introduction to recruiters (think of it as a super short “elevator speech”). Your personal branding statement should convey your values, your level of expertise, and your unique selling points, or what makes you —and you alone — the most qualified for the position. And it all has to be conveyed in about two sentences. A tough feat, sure, but it pays off. Think of it this way: an objective is focused on what the company can do for you, while a personal branding statement is all about the awesomeness that you could bring to the company — and that’s what recruiters really want to see.

Recruiters often receive hundred of resumes a day for a single position, so you’ll want to make sure your resume is especially memorable. Ditching the objective and including these resume elements instead might make the difference between landing in “Maybe …” or the “Heck Yes!” resume piles.