The Resume Objective Statement

Are you struggling with writing your resume objective statement?

If you are creating your resume for the first time or for the tenth time, it is essential that you include many aspects for your resume to become noticed and bring yours above others who are competing for a position alongside you. This statement is one of those important parts of a resume that should not be ignored. Without including this vital section, you are jeopardizing your chances at getting looked at seriously. With such a simple aspect on a resume that can have a profound effect on obtaining a future position, why would you not include it on yours?

This opening statement on your resume introduces you as a candidate, and not does it inform your potential employer exactly what you are looking for in a career, but also what you can offer a company in terms of your skill set and attributes. It is the part of your resume that is typically read first and can sell you to your future employer in a matter of seconds.

Although it may seem easy to include a short statement about your objectives in your resume, you have to be cautious. You will want to carefully include this into your current resume so that it is not overpowering and too obvious for someone reading it. Remember to focus on the needs of the employer and not on your own needs.

The State of Massachusettes, on its Labor and Workforce Development site offers the resume objective statement examples below:

• Objective: To obtain a position as a legal secretary in real estate law.
• Objective: Seeking an administrative or 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.

(Source: Mass.gov)

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There are many different methods to writing an objective statement and no one statement is best or perfect for everyone. You will have to devise your own resume objective statement that is ideal for you, how it describes you to a potential employer and makes you stand out above everyone else. You can put your personality in it, but be professional at the same time.

Be sure to state exactly what you want, so you will want to tailor an objective statement with each resume that you put out there. Objectives that are not specific and too generic may not help you but in fact hinder your job opportunities. Use exact phrases that have been included in the job posting to help bring familiarity to your objective statement, such as: securing a position as a customer service coordinator or records management officer.

What you can offer a corporation is essential. Use this space to sum up your attributes, talents or even past employment experience for a potential employer. Relate your qualifications to the position you are seeking.

Letting a company know what you can do for them is important and lets them know that you are aware of what needs to be accomplished for the position. Phrases such as increase productivity or time management are key elements for a resume objective statement.

If you fail to include a resume objective statement, you could be risking a chance at a new job position. You may come across to employers as having no direction for your job search or that you are blindly 'blanketing' your resumes to every company that has an open job posting. Without taking the time to include this important aspect of your resume, potential employers may pass over your resume as just another cookie-cutter candidate rather than their next new employee.

Here are some additional articles about resumes that you might also find interesting:

• Creating a Professional Resume from Scratch
• 175 Power Verbs and Phrases for Resumes and Cover Letters
• Scannable Resume