Do I need to have the 'Objective' or 'Headline' section for my Résumé / CV?

The mechanics of reading an English document flows from left to right and then in the downward direction. And since a recruiter would probably spend only around 10 seconds to skim through your Résumé / CV, the top section of the document is the most precious 'real estate'. Logically you would want the essence of your resume to be there to inform the recruiter how well you and your skills (like a product's feature) would be able to fulfil the requirements of the company (like a product's benefits) and answer to its needs. Remember that if a company advertises for a position, it is looking for someone who can specifically help it solve a certain problem / or a range of problems and a candidate needs to be clear if he/she is qualified and possesses the ability to provide the solution.

For every one position, there may be many potential candidates who can do the job but how is the recruiter to know exactly "who" to call for an interview? A nicely written brand statement / objective helps the recruiter get a clearer impression of you and your ability and sustains interest in reading your whole Résumé. Many candidates have impressive achievements and career records but those strengths were not always highlighted to their advantage. So if I were to answer to a specific job advertisement, then a brand statement or headline would be appropriate - but if I were to "cold-call" by writing speculatively to enquire for a job opening, I would state my objective in the Résumé.

Gaps in the CV: What does that mean?

When will you likely NOT to have gaps in your CV?
-- You have just finished school and starting your first full-time job.
-- You are still employed and working in your first full-time job.
-- You have been continuously employed even though you have switched jobs more than once.
-- You were in part-time employment between full-time jobs.
-- You have not been in the workplace long enough!

Anyway if you have been in some kind of employment for at least a decade (and more so if you've been employed longer), it is likely that you might have a gap or more in your employment history if you have tried changing jobs, have been made redundant, or have taken time off full-time jobs for whatever reasons (studying, relocating with spouse to another place, illness, travel, starting a business etc.).

But having a gap in the CV may adversely affect one's chance of getting a new job. The recruiter, being faced with so many choices, would obviously screen the CV for the best few, and any CV which is no where near perfect (those with spelling errors, gaps, experiences and education that do not meet requirement) would unlikely make it at all. I have known of people who have gaps in their employment history - but are still able to get back into full-time employment. The process may be much harder, takes longer, and sometimes involve luck and ingenuity.

But I firmly believe there is no merit in "concealing" the gaps, honesty is the best policy. It is a reality that firms lay off staff (especially the more senior staff who are much more expensive to keep) during poor economy or whenever mergers occur. People left their jobs for different reasons and some did so without another job to fall back on immediately.

However, as far as I am concern, gaps between jobs aren't necessarily bad! What is the rationale behind this thought?
-- A person who has been out of job for some time would be more appreciative of his or her new job and be a better worker.
-- One who has taken a sabbatical would return to the workplace "refreshed" and energized.
-- If this person has been doing something else and meaningfully engaged as a volunteer, or setting up a business, or has been consulting for sometime - he or she might have gained some insight and new skills while doing so.
-- One who can "afford" to be "out of job" between full-time employments may be someone who has a strong financial background, and that means he or she may be waiting for the "perfect job" to come along. If what the company is offering matches this job seeker's talents, then it may be a win-win situation for all.

Does Your Resume Stand Out? 您的履歷是否特殊? 您的履历是否特殊?

We need to put ourselves in our recruiters' shoes if we were to understand how they make decisions as to who they want to call in for interviews, basing their decisions on the resumes they get. Unless a job listing has been extremely unpopular, you can be sure that any one job advertisement would likely to attract a number of job applications. Then one has to pass that first "screening" in order to be considered for an interview and that step is crucial as what you put in your resume determines how good your chance is.

Your Resume IS Your Marketing Document About Yourself
Assuming that you have all the information that normal resumes should contain, what else can you do to make sure that it is an OUTSTANDING document - one that recruiters would spend more time on and dream to meet the person behind it? Here's when you have to step into the recruiter's shoes and try to understand the kind of candidates the recruiter would be most interested in.

Here are some tips to consider:
-- A candidate whose resume is customized for the job applied for and not just a general "off the copier" stuff.
-- A candidate whose resume reflects all the education, skills, knowledge, experience and qualification that the company is looking for (in other words, what the post had advertised for).
-- A candidate who seems to be able to handle the post and add value to the organization (as in track records documented).
-- A candidate who seems to be able to contribute the best to the company when hired (personality-wise, other additional skills possesed, other strengths).
-- A candidate who demostrates care in preparing their resumes to the point that it is error-free.

There are numerous styles in which resumes could be presented and candidates must make sure that an appropriate one is used. If in doubt, do your research or hire a professional CV writer to do that important task for you. Ultimately, your resume must project professionalism and create that optimum good impression and suitability for the post advertised. You only get one chance to make an impression and a well-written CV or resume maximizes that.