Writing a resume objective was once a standard practice, but it has since fallen out of style in the professional world. A resume objective consists of a short statement regarding your professional goals and explains why you think you would be a good fit for the job. Summary statements have replaced objectives for product managers and many other professionals because they focus more on accomplishments than intentions.
How You Used to Write a Product Manager Resume Objective
The primary purpose of writing a resume objective is to explain why your professional skills and goals align perfectly with the position for which you are applying. Because most job applicants have qualifications that align obviously with their chosen professions, resume objectives are no longer in fashion. However, objectives were once used to tailor an applicant's resume to a specific position and company.
When writing a resume objective, it is important to include relevant information while keeping the objective as short as possible. The objective reads as a brief overview of your career experience, explains why you are applying for a specific position and describes your future goals. It should be as specific as possible and avoid vague statements like "knowledgeable employee" and "looking to excel at work." Consider the following example of a clear and concise resume objective:
Motivated product manager with over five years of experience in managing large teams looking to implement team building, conceptualization, marketing and product development skills in a management role with Blue Ridge Manufacturing.
This objective is short, but it explains the specific qualifications that would make the employee a great fit for a position and shows hiring managers that this resume was tailored for a specific position rather than sent out at random.
How to Write a Product Manager Resume Summary Statement
The process of creating a summary statement is significantly different from that of writing a resume objective. While both an objective and a summary statement serve to summarize your career experience, a summary statement is longer and consists of several anchor statements placed at the beginning of your resume. If you have a significant amount of experience in your industry, a summary statement allows you to pull the most relevant experiences out in a way that is highly visible to hiring managers.
The next step to writing a summary statement is to research your target job so that you can determine what the top priorities are within the industry. Highlight the parts of your resume that align with these priorities. This involves listing two or three of your strongest selling points, discussing several product management problems you have the experience to solve describing how your career goals align with the employer's needs. Consider the following example of a short but effective summary statement:
Product manager with 12 years of industry experience. Bilingual professional with experience managing large teams both in-house and across international branches. Ability to oversee product production and facilitate communication between designers and logistics professionals.
The helpful tips and advice on LiveCareer will help you create the perfect summary statement. Product management is a competitive field, and a concise yet powerful summary of your qualifications and strengths as a potential employee could be the thing that gets your application noticed. While writing a resume objective is no longer necessary for most professionals, a summary statement gives you more freedom and creativity to express to hiring managers why you are the perfect fit for a product manager position.
Be sure to check out more helpful resume formats and cover letter formats !