Do You Need an Objective or References on Your CV? What to Use Instead

Two old habits take up valuable space on a CV: the objective statement and the reference list. Here's what to put in that space instead, with UN examples.

Why Objective Statements Are Out of Date

Older CVs often began with a sentence like this: 'Objective: Seeking a challenging senior position in an international organization where I can utilize my skills.' Recruiters skip it, and it's easy to see why. It tells the employer what you want from them. It doesn't say what problem you can solve for them.

Write a Short, Strong Summary

Replace the objective with a three-line summary right below your contact details. Think of it as answering three questions a busy reader has: Who are you professionally? What results have you delivered? What can you do for the next employer? (The examples below use made-up numbers, so please use your own.)

Example summary for work in a similar sector: 'Senior Humanitarian Operations Lead with 14+ years directing complex crisis response across East Africa and South Asia. Managed multi-donor portfolios up to $18M and cross-functional teams of 40+. Moving into foundation grant management and international nonprofit leadership.'

Example summary for a move into the private sector: 'Senior Operations Leader with 14+ years running complex, fast-paced programs across East Africa and South Asia. Managed budgets of up to $18M and teams of 40+, delivering results on tight deadlines with many partners at once. Moving into operations and supply chain leadership in the private sector.'

What to Do About References

Don't put the names, titles or contact details of your references on your resume and skip the line 'References available upon request.' Employers already assume you'll give references when the time comes. Instead, prepare a separate reference sheet and send it when someone asks. That way your resume space goes to your results, where it belongs.