How to Start a Resume

• July 16, 2024
• Newsletter Article

Learn how to captivate employers and take your resume to the next level. Don't miss out on this valuable insight – it could make all the difference in your job search journey!

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With all elements of a resume, there seems to be a lot of debate about how to introduce your resume, and if it’s even necessary. At AgCareers.com, we hear lots of opinions from employers we work with about how they’d like to see applicants open their resume. It can be difficult to successfully implement, especially considering you want to essentially summarize everything below in a very quick, non-fully kind of way. Here are four different ways we recommend to start a resume and how to do so successfully.

 

Objective Statement

This is the most commonly referenced method to start a resume. Typically, objective statements present a picture of what you have to offer, and it is best utilized by applicants with less experience. An objective statement outlines your career goals and your reason for submitting a resume. However, you’ll note in the above video that we recommend steering clear from the outdated “objective statement.” Employers have repeatedly told us this is also a more unnecessary element on resumes. Just the same, if you think this is what would best introduce your resume, here is an example opening:

 

“Obtain a position as a sales agronomist with an industry leader to exercise my relevant skill and knowledge in plant science and customer relations.”

 

Branding (or Summary) Statement

You’ll see in the video above, originally created for the AgCareers.com Career Success Kit, that we recommend starting a resume with a brief branding statement. This “provides a quick summary of your skills and attributes.” It really wraps up who you are, what you offer, and what you’re looking for to introduce your skills and experience listed on your resume. Here is the example utilized in the video:

 

“Recent graduate of a land-grant university with experience in developing comprehensive market analyses and supporting internal customers. Seeking opportunities to leverage analytical and risk management skills in collaborative environment.”

 

Bullet Summary

A bullet summary will look a bit more like the rest of your resume and is essentially a branding statement broken out into bullets. This breaks down what could be an otherwise chunky paragraph at the top of your resume. Here is an example:

 

• Experienced marketing professional with nearly 10 years of experience in agribusiness
• Proven skills in social media strategy, search engine optimization, writing, and market research
• Thought leader seeking to bring successful branding and promotion to a passionate and driven team environment

 

Offering Statement

Offering statements are a bit more unique way to start a resume as they take the focus off of the “you” and focus more on the employer. This one can be a bit more challenging to write, but can be attractive to employers who read your resume. However, also note that if you include a cover letter with your resume, you can iterate these thoughts more elaborately there. An example of an offering statement:

 

“Seeking to enhance your organization’s already stellar technological capacities and improve upon the functionality of your online business.”

 

Are statements necessary at all?

Debatable! And there’s really no right or wrong answer here, it’s just how successfully you can start a resume. Feel free to contact us at agcareers@agcareers.com or ask a question via Facebook Messenger about your resume for expert advice.

 

Put your resume to the test. Create an account on AgCareers.com and add your resume to the AgCareers.com Resume Database.

Check out our YouTube video on how to make a great resume: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAnsMUfYt2A&t=6s