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.

Sections of a Resume: Career Objective Statement

The most effective, well-written career objective is targeted for a specific job (bookkeeper, medical transcriber, diesel mechanic, etc.) with a specific company (General Motors, Johnston Automotive, etc.). Since you may need a different resume for each opening you locate, you will also need to change the job objective and especially the specific company for each resume. Be sure that you know the actual title of the job when you apply. If your resume targets a position that is not open, then you may not be considered. For example, if a line position is open and you are asking for a management job, then you may never get the interview that you want. Your objective can also be repeated in the body of the cover letter. Make the objective short and to the point. Consider this the title of your resume. The rest of the resume must convince the hiring authority that you have the background and skills to do the job and are well worth an interview.

Do not assume that any career objective is better than no objective. If your objective is vague and unfocused, you appear indecisive and unable to make decisions and set goals. This is not a description of duties or a vague description of a job. Avoid statements such as “a position that will utilize my broad talents and allow me to grow.” If this is your objective, leave it off your resume.

Using a career objective has been an optional issue on a resume in the past, but in recent years it has become more important. There are times when you absolutely need a job objective, such as:

• When applying online. Often jobs are sorted by objectives and directed to the correct department for review
• When applying to large companies, to avoid the human resources department deciding the position you should fill
• Posting resumes on job search sites, such as Monster.com. Employers decide whether to review your resume based on the job objective
• Resumes for scanning. The objective becomes a key word in the screening process

Writing Career Objectives for your Resume

• Concise, short and to the point
• Target your career objective whenever possible. Don’t make the employer guess
• Be specific – don’t write: “Seeking a challenging position with a large company that will provide an opportunity for growth and advancement.”
• Answers the question “What can you do for the employer?”

Targeted Objective (preferred):

Lists the specific job and company you are applying for

Examples of Good Targeted Career Objectives

• Seeking a position as a Licensed Vocational Nurse for St. Mary’s Hospital
• A position as a Bookkeeper for M&M Tax Consultants
• Position as a Security Guard for Brinks International

General Job Objective:

Occasionally you do not know the actual company you are sending your resume to and a general job objective is most effective in these circumstances. When you do not know the name of the actual company or are going to a job fair and will hand out resumes to several companies, then the objective needs to be more generic. Often jobs that are posted on the Internet are blinds ads from head hunters and you will not be able to find the company name.

Examples of General Objectives

• Entry level position in multi-image production company
• Position as a Health Educator
• Project management position in Marketing

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.

Some employers suggested that job seekers incorporate their objective into the cover letter. If you use an objective statement, there is no need for a skills summary at the top of your resume. Concerning skills summaries at the top of a resume, employers generally agreed on key points. Whether you utilize skills summaries or not is a personal preference. If you do use one, make sure:

• You put only the skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for
• The skills should also be linked to the job they were performed in

Employers do not want to work to find your skills and accomplishments. One hundred percent of the employers we talked to said the first thing they look for in a resume is the particular skills and experience they need in your two most recent jobs. Do not bury information in lengthy or wordy paragraphs. Explain your skills and accomplishments in simple terms. Bullet points are recommended; however, paragraph form is acceptable.

Summary

Experienced laboratory professional with in-depth knowledge of all technical administrative functions of a clinical laboratory.

• Implemented a new quality system which facilitated a faster and more accurate means of inspection, saving $50,000 per year
• Coordinated the hospital-wide Infection Control Program, including surveillance and evaluations of all infections

Some job seekers like to utilize summary statements at the top of their resumes. Employers prefer this method only if you are highlighting hard skills like hardware or software knowledge, typing speed, or other specific skills. If you utilize a summary statement, be sure to incorporate accomplishment statements which are quantifiable. These accomplishments must relate to your work history and also to the job you want to get.

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.

There are several types of objectives from which to choose on your resume:

1. A simple statement of a professional position
   • Programmer Analyst, Biologist, Graphic Designer, Wellness Coordinator, News Reporter, Youth Counselor.
2. A statement reflecting your functional area of interest.
   • A position in food systems management
   • An internship in Human Resources
   • A position in fashion merchandising
3. A statement which notes your functional skills and may include preference for a particular sector of employment, size of organization, and/or geographic area.
   • An administrative position utilizing fundraising and public relations skills.
   • A marketing position with an emphasis on research.
   • A fundraising position within a Western New York not-for-profit organization.

Some Tips for Writing Objectives

1. Be specific! A vague objective makes you appear unfocused.
2. Avoid the use of trite terms, such as:
   • “an entry-level position”
   • “a challenging and interesting position”
   • “opportunity for advancement”
   • “dealing with people”
   • “a progressive organization”

   (To understand why, put yourself in an employer’s place. They read hundreds of resumes. It can safely be assumed that each candidate is seeking a situation that can be described by the phrases above.)

3. State only one functional area, e.g., Marketing as a single objective. Do not state “Marketing or Finance.” You will need to create a different resume for each stated job objective.
4. Make your objective “work-centered” rather than “self-centered.” An employer needs to know that the organization will benefit from hiring you. They don’t particularly care to know how they can help you.
5. Don’t count on your cover letter to do the work of an objective. Cover letters and resumes are frequently separated by employers who are overwhelmed with paper. As a result, employers will be unclear as to which position you are applying for if your job objective is not stated clearly on your resume.

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.

Note on your Resume: Some fields, especially very competitive ones, do not encourage professional objectives in resumes. Mass communications and journalism are two examples. If you’re unsure whether or not you should include an objective, ask a professional in your department or in the workplace.

Strategies for Developing a Career Objective on Your Resume:

• Career objectives should be stated as verb phrases rather than sentences. Carefully selected verbs will make you sound forceful and confident; a sentence, which would inevitably start with “I,” would simply sound “I-centered.”
• Create a clear, concise career objective that is focused on prospective employer’s needs. Omit “I-centered” or obvious statements, such as “where I can learn” or “which will enable me to advance.” Prospective employers expect you to want to learn and advance. Boldly saying so simply starts your resume off with a “gimme” perspective and emphasizes not what you can offer but what you expect to gain. Notice the difference between the following two objectives, the first which is “I-centered” and the second which focuses on prospective employer’s needs.

• Your objective should be as concrete as you can make it. Specify the position you’d like and perhaps the general atmosphere or geographical location you’d prefer.

• If you’re using a functional format to present your experience, you’ll probably want to emphasize in your objective functions you’d like to perform.

• If you’re using a skills format to present your experience, you’ll probably want to emphasize skills you can bring to the position you’re seeking.

• If you’re looking for a part-time, summer, or internship position, your objective should let readers know this.

This article was found on the St. Cloud State website. For information from them visit the link at the begining of the article.

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.

The characteristics of an objective statement :

>>Focused >> Specific >> Personal >> Commited >> Action-oriented

What To Include

You will decide what to include in the objective. Consider the following options:

>>Describe the type of job or position you seek.
Objective: To obtain a position as an assistant buyer.

>> Identify the career field or industry in which you want to work.
Objective: Seeking entry-level position in the advertising industry.

>>Identify the department or functional area within an organization.
Objective: To obtain a position in the research and development dept of a company.

>>Consider adding what you have to offer the employer, such as skills and qualifications.
Objective: A position as an assistant buyer, where expertise with vendors, inventorycontrol, and retail market knowledge are assets.

Objective Statement Terms, Definitions and Examples

Skills/Qualifications: behavior you are capable of performing to carry out tasks. Job skills are skills that allow you to perform tasks pertaining to a job. Many of the skills we possess are not limited to a particular job, but can also transfer to diverse occupations. These are referred to as transferable skills.

General skill areas: clerical, technical, management , administrative, information management, customer service, communication, research, financial management, creative/innovative, problem solving/critical thinking, teamwork, human services, interpersonal, planning, organizing, leadership, and self-management skills (professional/career).

Transferable skills:

IDEAS- developing, implementing, analyzing, coordinating, processing, promoting

PEOPLE – motivating, instructing, counseling, facilitating, training, directing, interviewing, presenting, negotiating, demonstrating, marketing, influencing, persuading, influencing, managing, supervising, directing , overseeing, leading, collaborating, corroborating, motivating, selling, delegating.

INFORMATION/DATA – classifying, editing, evaluating, summarizing, reviewing, defining, estimating, comparing, analyzing, calculating, budgeting, interpreting, synthesizing, verifying, translating, cataloguing, auditing

THINGS-stacking, collecting, repairing, operating, building, engineering, readjusting, maintaining, trouble shooting, producing, restoring, processing, testing, inspecting, delivering, transporting, tending, publishing, operating, drafting.

Job/Position: a position of employment with assigned tasks.

Examples: office assistant, management trainee, computer programmer, social worker, production assistant, research assistant, underwriter, case manager, advertising assistant, math instructor, program resource specialist, marketing representative, billing manager, program coordinator, entry-level manager

Departments/Functional Areas: departments within an organization that handle specific tasks.

Examples: shipping and receiving, administrative, sales, production, marketing, purchasing, accounting, human resources, financing, supplies, research and development, information technology.

Career Field/Industry: general work areas under which many different job titles sharing similar work activities are found.

Examples: agriculture, forestry, construction, tourism, utilities, trade, mining, real estate, telecommunications, food manufacturing, electronics, publishing, broadcasting, health services, government, waste management, social services, administrative, finance, insurance, banking, investment, educational services, leisure and hospitality, transportation, business services, advertising, public relations.

Deciding What to Include (Examples to help you decide what to include in the objective.)

Situation: You don’t want to limit yourself to a specific occupation, because you want to keep your options open for several or different occupations, within a field or industry.
Option: Include the career field or industry you are interested in, but give the employer some direction, by specifying what type of work you would like to do in that field/industry.

• Objective: To promote and market services for a health services organization.
• Objective: To work within the broadcasting industry as a writing assistant.

Situation: You know the type of agency or organization you want to work for, but not the type of position you want to apply for.
Option: In the above case you want to describe what skills and qualifications you are able to provide the agency/organization. You may include general skill areas or specific skills.

• Objective: To work for an investment firm applying my practical and formal knowledge of statistical analysis, economic principles, and skills gained as an administrative assistant for a fast-paced investment firm.
• Objective: To work for a telecommunications service provider offering my skills and knowledge in microprocessors, applications, organization, and digital systems engineering.

Situation: You know the specific job/position or occupation title you are seeking, but you may be applying to different organizations or a particular organization.
Option: In the above case include the position title.

• Objective: To obtain a position as a television program intern with a television broadcasting company.
• Objective: Seeking an event planner position where I can use my highly developed organizational, project management , and public relations skills.

Situation: You want to work within a certain department or area of function within an organization, but may not necessarily know thespecific name of the organization or the job/position in the organization.
Option: In the above case you can include the name of the department or area of function you want to work in.

• Objective: To obtain an internship position in employee development within a human resource department.
• Objective: To secure a position performing an administrative function in a business environment.

Situation: You want to work with a specific population.
Option: Identify the population you would like to work with.

• Objective: To manage financial portfolios for small business owners.
• Objective: To provide employment counseling services to displaced homemakers.

Situation: You want to work in a specific geographical area or environment.
Option: Include the specific geographical location in your objective statement.

• Objective: To obtain an entry-level position in advertising with a Madison Avenue firm in New York City.
• Objective: To work as an environmental engineer in Alaska.
• Objective: To work outdoors as a geological specimen collector.

Situation: You want to specify your preferences for travel or the size of the organization you are seeking.

• Objective: Seeking a pharmaceutical sales position with opportunity for travel within the state.
• Objective: To secure a human resource assistant position with a small business organization.

Writing an Objective

Using all the information you have so far, you are close to writing an objective statement – but first consider this last example and the final helpful tips that follow.

• Notice that a position is identified (case manager).
• Notice that a field or industry (mental health) is also identified.
• Notice that qualifications/skills (counseling, mental health assessment, and detailed case documentation) are mentioned for the benefit of the employer and not from the perspective of what the job seeker needs.

Tip: You could include all three preferences regarding position, field, and skills or one or two, but don’t give more than three or your objective will be too long. Remember- an objective must be succinct.

Tip: As stated on page 2, you will decide what to include in your objective.

Tip: Pages 4 through 6 describe several specific scenarios you may face when writing an objective statement, you can refer to these, but realize not every possible situation is covered.

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.

Some employers suggested that job seekers incorporate their objective into the cover letter. If you use an objective statement, there is no need for a skills summary at the top of your resume. Concerning skills summaries at the top of a resume, employers generally agreed on key points. Whether you utilize skills summaries or not is a personal preference. If you do use one, make sure:

• You put only the skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
• The skills should also be linked to the job they were performed in.

Employers do not want to work to find your skills and accomplishments. One hundred percent of the employers we talked to said the first thing they look for in a resume is the particular skills and experience they need in your two most recent jobs. Do not bury information in lengthy or wordy paragraphs. Explain your skills and accomplishments in simple terms. Bullet points are recommended; however, paragraph form is acceptable.

Summary

Experienced laboratory professional with in-depth knowledge of all technical administrative functions of a clinical laboratory.

• Implemented a new quality system which facilitated a faster and more accurate means of inspection, saving $50,000 per year.
• Coordinated the hospital-wide Infection Control Program, including surveillance and evaluations of all infections.

Some job seekers like to utilize summary statements at the top of their resumes. Employers prefer this method only if you are highlighting hard skills like hardware or software knowledge, typing speed, or other specific skills. If you utilize a summary statement, be sure to incorporate accomplishment statements which are quantifiable. These accomplishments must relate to your work history and also to the job you want to get.