Re: Employment Agencies - Technical Communication Specific

["Eric J. Ray" <ejray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM>]

At 08:42 AM 5/27/98 -0500, Tracy Boyington wrote:
>So... since the objective is typically an "I want" statement, what
>should you use instead? Or should you eliminate the objective
>altogether?

Objective:
I seek a technical communication position in which
I can apply my FrameMaker, WinHelp, HTMLHelp, HTML,
and project management skills.

That puts the objective statement in terms that the
hiring manager can appreciate and relate to. However,
as a rule, the resume should be tailored and focused
enough to make an objective more or less superfluous.
Realistically, the "objective of record" used on a resume
says little or nothing--it doesn't usually provide tangible
information, as my example above does, and it usually
doesn't tell the whole truth. Most honest objectives (not
for use on resumes) are more straightforward:
I need a job.
I need a better job.
I need a job that pays more.
I need a job that doesn't bore me senseless.
I need a job that has good bennies.
etc.

What John is getting at is that the employer rarely
cares what YOU want--the employer wants to know
how you can help her/him/the company. Anything that
you put in your resume that doesn't show how you'll
help or benefit her/him/the company is extraneous.
Stressing the "I'm inexperienced" facet right up front
implies (accurately or not) that the honest objective
is somewhere between "I need a job" and "I need
on-the-job training".

Eric




*********************************************************
* Eric J. Ray, ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com, http://www.raycomm.com/
* TECHWR-L Listowner, co-author _Mastering HTML 4.0_
*   _HTML 4 for Dummies Quick Reference_, and others.
* RayComm, Inc., currently accepting contract inquiries.