The resume
objective statement, explained
Your objective statement. While it’s a relatively short blurb of text that serves to introduce you as a qualified applicant, it’s actually deceptively tough to write. Many job seekers cringe at the thought of needing to kick off their resume in a way that’s equal parts concise, thorough and impactful.
Fortunately, it’s doable. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about the resume objective statement. What is it?
Your objective statement is one or two sentences that appear at the top of your document and explicitly state what sort of job you’re looking for, as well as what skills you hope to make use of in your next role.
The strongest objective statements are specific. By enlightening an employer about your goals for your profession and career, you make a powerful impression while providing some context for the rest of your document.
Additionally, an objective statement makes it evident that you know exactly what you want in your next step. That sort of clarity and drive isn’t always easy to find in job seekers.
Do you need it?
While resume objectives are a long-standing job search tradition, there are many career experts that find them to be an archaic and outdated practice.
On many resumes, the objective statement has been replaced with a career summary section in which the job seeker expands on his or her qualifications, skills and goals.
In most cases, a career summary will be your better bet for kickstarting your resume. However, there are some circumstances when an objective can help your case.
For example, if you’re applying at a company (take a retail store, for example) where there are numerous types of positions, it can help the hiring manager to better understand what specifically you’re looking for. Or, if your experience is rather scattered and varied, an objective statement helps to make your desired role undeniably clear.
How to write it
When putting your statement together, there are two major things you should be sure to include:
• The type of position you’re seeking.
• What skills and experiences make you qualified for that particular role.
Your objective isn’t your opportunity to tell your entire career story and touch on every single one of your major accomplishments — that’s what the rest of your resume is for.
Instead, focus on putting together only one or two sentences that capture these details.
Examples
“Experienced customer service representative eager to bring three years of experience and a passion for relationship building to an organization that believes the customer comes first.”
“Highly motivated retail associate seeking a store manager position that will benefit from customer service experience, excellent time management skills, and a friendly and outgoing attitude.”
“Driven and goal-oriented sales coordinator looking to utilize 10 years of experience and knowledge of sales best practices to help a company achieve their revenue and sales quotas.”
“Experienced customer service representative eager to bring three years of experience and a passion for relationship building to an organization that believes the customer comes first.”