Collection of Helpful Objective Statement Guides

Objective: a single phrase expressing the specific type of employment you are seeking and/or the principal skills you want to use on the job. Some people prepare two or more resumes with different objectives. Once you formulate a clear objective, you can use it almost as a thesis for the remainder of your resume: only information that supports your objective should be included on the resume.

Career Objective: If you have a cover letter, you generally do not need an objective. If you decide you want one anyway, it should be a concise and meaningful statement describing your career goals. Be as specific as possible without being too restrictive.

Determine your job search objective prior to writing the resume. Once you have determined your objective, you can structure the content of your resume around that objective. Think of your objective as the bull’s-eye to focus your resume on hitting. If you write your resume without having a clear objective in mind, it will likely come across as unfocused to those that read it. Take the time before you start your resume to form a clear objective.

Web Resume – Objective and Summary Statements

Most employers do not read objective statements. Ninety-five percent of the employers who contributed to this guide recommended that you do not use an objective. However, when discussing objective statements, employers agreed that if you use one, make it direct and to the point. Not too broad yet not too narrow. Everyone wants a challenging position which utilizes their skills. This is not an appropriate objective statement. Stating the occupation you are seeking and being industry specific is more effective.

Some Examples of Objective Statements

Objective: To obtain a position as a legal secretary in real estate law.

Objective: Seeking an administrative/managerial position in a non-profit offering opportunity for professional growth.

Objective: To obtain a materials management position in a dynamic high-technology manufacturing company.

Objective: An individual contributor as a systems/analyst/programmer in commercial data processing environment.

Web Resume – Writing Job Objectives

There are two reasons for including an objective on your resume:

1. To show that there is a match between the kind of work you are seeking and the position being offered.
2. To clearly state your job target for the employer who needs assurance that you have clear goals. Potential employers may be hesitant to take a risk on a candidate who is unsure of his or her career direction.

The ideal resume and objective are tailored to a specific position and employer. The savvy job seeker modifies a resume to emphasize different skills and experience for different opportunities. The myth that one resume will do for all positions is just that, a myth. Remember you can change your job objective each time you print a resume to more closely align with the position for which you are applying.

Web Resume – Advantages of Including a Career Objective

Developing a functional career or professional objective for your resume provides several advantages:

1. Developing a functional career or professional objective forces you to think about what you want — the particular type of position or positions you’ll seek, the specific skills or functions you wish to perform, the size or locations of companies you’ll apply to.
2. A natural part of refining a career objective is thinking about your strengths — skills and abilities you have, functions you’ve performed in jobs or activities — and where and how you’d like to put these strengths to work.
3. Once you’ve developed your objective, that objective will help you focus the rest of the information you present in your resume.
4. Readers use this objective to match their needs with yours.

Writing your Resume’s Objective Statement

Know:

• The Purpose of an Objective Statement
• How to Create a Powerful Objective Statement

The Purpose

The purpose of an objective statement is to let the employer know what position or type of job you are applying for, and your qualifications for that position. It sets the direction of your resume; therefore, the rest of the resume will need to include information which supports the objective.

Objective and Summary Statements

Most employers do not read objective statements. Ninety-five percent of the employers who contributed to this guide recommended that you do not use an objective. However, when discussing objective statements, employers agreed that if you use one, make it direct and to the point. Not too broad yet not too narrow. Everyone wants a challenging position which utilizes their skills. This is not an appropriate objective statement. Stating the occupation you are seeking and being industry specific is more effective.