According to recruiter Gayla Moore of Taylor Recruiting in Austin, TX, “A general objective is a good way to have your resume tossed out immediately. A candidate who states they want to be with a great company who values its employees... well, guess what? Everyone wants that!!”

Instead of an Objective that can pigeonhole your focus too narrowly or an introduction that adds nothing to your background, use this top piece of real estate to really SELL yourself, by creating a HEADLINE. Don’t be shy. Tell them who you are and what you do immediately. Come up with one powerful sentence or phrase to "grab" your reader. Think of this like a headline to a major front-page news story … PATS UPSET RAMS IN SUPERBOWL. What is going to grab that reader to want to read further? For instance:

Senior-Level Health and Safety Manager with Extensive Experience Working with FDA Regulations in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Arena.

Recruiter TIP: This headline can be customized to match the job description and “hot-buttons” of the employer or recruiter.