It is passé. Bottom line: having a career objective statement on your resume does not tell the interviewer anything about what you can do for the company. A career objective statement is all about you and the company wants to know what you can do for them NOW.

It may sound cold, but the fact is fewer companies are looking for stellar talent that they can grow internally. In the past, when companies where fueling management development programs an objective statement on your resume might have served well to identify you as someone who could be groomed or had high aspirations of a steep career trajectory. Here’s an example of a career objective statement:

Seeking a role to advance to a Senior Management position in a technology based company.

This statement implies you are seeking a company that can meet your needs – career advancement. Times have changes, the trend is career growth comes from moving from company to company which makes this statement obsolete.

What Replaces the Objective Statement on Your Resume?

It is far better to state your value proposition or what skills, results, relationships or competencies that you bring to the company that is unique or worth them hiring you. Your opening statement must grab the interviewer’s attention or guess what…you are in the deep six pile.

One of the best ways to write a killer value statement is to look at your list of accomplishments and think about which one of those might be applicable to the company you are sending your resume to. With a little rework, you can craft a new killer value statement for each resume!

The point of a resume is to get noticed – and be asked in for an interview. When you lose the career objective statement on your resume, there is an opportunity to put your best forward in the place that counts – the beginning paragraph of the page. Tailoring your resume to the job or company shows you put some thought into demonstrating on your resume that you understand the job requirements and have a good idea how to make a positive impact.