You wouldn’t buy a product based on the seller’s needs. So why would you try to sell yourself based on your own objectives? This is the mistake too many people continue to make with their résumés.

Let’s say you need a new dentist, and you see two consecutive commercials on TV for local dentists. Here’s what the commercials say:

“Dr. Alphonse has been practicing for 20 years, and is consistently named among the top 10 dentists in the tri-state area. His office is equipped with the latest technology, and his staff is always friendly and courteous, ensuring you leave every appointment with a smile.”

“Dr. Bravado’s goal is to increase his number of patients by 20% this year. He’s looking for patients who can help him hone his skills in abscess removal and improve revenue so he can give his well-deserving hygienist a raise.”

Which dentist will you be trusting with your teeth? In all likelihood, you’re much more concerned with the quality of service you can expect from the dentist (what he can do for you) than with what his goals are (what you can do for him). Dr. Bravado’s objectives for his practice are less compelling than Dr. Alphonse’s ability to deliver for you.

So why do people still insist on opening their résumés with objective statements? A résumé is, at its core, an advertisement for you. You’re selling yourself to prospective employers, convincing them to invest their resources in hiring you. Their objective is to hire a strong candidate; your objective is irrelevant.

That’s why the objective statement, traditionally placed at the top of a résumé to let a prospective employer know your goals, has largely been phased out. An employer doesn’t care what they can do for your career any more than you care about what you can do for your dentist. You want to know what your dentist can do for you. Similarly, an employer reading your résumé cares about what you can do for the company.

Instead of a statement of their own objectives, you’d be better off with a professional summary statement headlining your résumé. It tells the reader who you are, what you can do, and why you are the best candidate for the job. Make sure the reader knows immediately what you’re capable of. And make it absolutely clear that hiring you would be the right move—more for them than for you.

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