Curriculum Vitaes, or resumes, are among the most important documents when it comes to job searching because it highlights the candidate’s professional experience, skill set, and competencies relating to a specific industry. Therefore, how you write and the information you choose to provide in your resume is crucial.
Hence the need for a career objective, which is usually a brief statement or blurb that can either highlight your skills, experiences, and career goals for new grads, or provide a summary of your accomplishments for seasoned professionals. A career objective (resume objective, objective statement, personal statement or career summary) section should come immediately below your name and should be well crafted because it’s the first part hiring managers gets a glimpse of on your resume. A well written resume objective will get you one step closer to landing your dream job.
Career objectives play a significant role, especially in entry-level positions. Career objectives especially come in handy for newly graduated individuals since they lack the relevant work experience compared to seasoned professionals. Therefore, it’s crucial to craft your career objective in a manner that solidifies the fact that you know and understand the career path you want.
Including a resume objective is a brilliant way to attract the attention of recruiters, if well written. However, note that the purpose of a career objective is to:
Consider these when drafting your career objective so that it stands out from the rest.
Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes, and consider the fact that he or she receives tons of application letters and resumes which they have to go through. Therefore, consider that hiring managers spend less than 5 minutes to skim through your resume to decide whether you’ll be the perfect candidate for the role and get invited for an interview or not. It’s important to polish this section for it to achieve the intended purpose, which is to capture the attention of the hiring manager in just a few seconds.
1. Tips to create the best career objective
2. Types of career objectives
3. Is a career objective important?
1. Introduce yourself
Apart from your cover letter, your resume is the next thing that comes into contact with the recruiter, which means crafting a great career summary that captures the hiring manager’s attention is vital to landing the role.
A personal profile allows the recruiter to get an idea about whom the applicant is, where they are coming from, the experiences and skill set that the candidate possesses. How you illustrate these attributes is the one thing that stands between you and getting shortlisted for the position you are applying for.
An example: “As a new graduate from the University of ABC with an upper distinction in counselling and psychology, I have undertaken several internships and volunteer programs in various clinical practice facilities. These internships and volunteer programs have helped me enhance my communication skills, research, ethics, problem-solving skills, as well as valuable transferable skills that can be used in the fast-paced health industry.
2. Sell yourself
Besides crafting a professional and well written resume, hiring managers are interested in knowing what you’re going to bring to the table, i.e. how you are going to help the company achieve its goals.
For example, “During my volunteer programs at ABCDE hospital, I worked in the mental health department and contributed to numerous projects- such as researching social issues that cause mental disorders, networked with various organizations to create a social awareness day in the community. With my excellent communication, ethics and problem-solving skills, I was able to be nominated as the assistant chief psychologist for the junior staff of the east wing.”
Whenever possible consider including numbers and more details about your achievements and accomplishments in previous roles. For instance:
Focus on the recruiter. Ask yourself how your skills and traits can and will benefit the organization if you were hired? How is your experience relevant to the job you are applying for? Asking yourself these questions as you write your career objective helps you address and write a personal statement in a manner that will capture the recruiter’s attention since you will have made his or her job easy.
Generally, hiring managers look for candidates who will add instant value to the company, when choosing the candidate who will move to the next step. Therefore, indicating your value increases your chances of moving to the next level of the hiring process. Ideally, if you have a track record of success, unique skills, work ethic or hard work, this is where you should mention them.
3. Highlight your career goals
When writing your career summary, you need to highlight your goals and ambitions that you hope to achieve within the course of your career. Use simple and straightforward language to illustrate these aspects of your CV.
For example, I am in search of a position in a mental health facility where I can bring my great can-do attitude, problem-solving and ethical skills as well as immediate value and hone my skill set.
4. Keep it simple and straightforward
Consider the fact that the recruiters receive hundreds of applications, therefore, spend very little time sifting through all these applications to determine whether a candidate is worthy to move to the next step. The trick is to make your resume objective simple, straightforward and powerful. The aim is to capture the attention of the hiring manager long enough to see that you have the relevant skills and experiences for the next level in the hiring process.
Try avoiding using too many filler words, such as articles, ‘a,’ ‘the,’ and ‘like’ to help the recruiter focus on the vital information on your resume.
5. Tailor it to fit the role
Instead of always using the same objective statement for all the jobs you apply for, consider writing a new objective and even revamping your entire resume to fit the position at hand. Remember, when writing a resume, the content or rather information you give is ultimately determined by the requirements of the job as illustrated in the job description.
Imagine a scenario whereby you have decided to transition from one industry to another. Will you still use the information about your skill set and experiences to market yourself in the new industry? The answer is no! Unless of course the skill set is transferable to the new role and the experiences are also relevant. For instance, a recruiter of a managerial position may be interested in your management skills rather than your presentation abilities, and vice versa.
However, it’s always advisable to tailor your resume, cover letter, and objective statements to fit the position you are applying for.
6. Create the tone for your resume
Similar to any written work, include a fascinating hook. Your objective statement needs to capture the attention of the hiring manager immediately. Highlight the most relevant and critical skills as well as mention your career goals. This will set the stage for what is to be expected in your entire resume.
7. Lead with your strongest skills
When choosing your strongest skills ensure that they are relevant to the position being applied for and mention attributes or accomplishments that you take pride in — for instance, Dedicated and goal-oriented, Experienced and refined leader and so forth.
8. Mention relevant degrees, licenses, and certifications
Although you are going to discuss your education background later in the resume, mentioning significant certifications, licenses or degrees as part of a career objective puts you in a better position to land the job you’re applying for.
This is especially effective if you are new to the job market or changing careers or industries.
1. Entry-level position career objectives
In this case, your objective should revolve around stating that you are in search of a stable company that will offer you the opportunity of learning and enhancing your skills. Avoid restricting yourself to the perspective that the main aim of writing a letter is to land a job but rather a step closer to the career path you hope to pursue in future. Consider noting down information about the company or organization that grabbed your attention and be specific about it. Also, ensure that your resume objective is relevant and specific to the job you are applying to, to increase your chances of being called for an interview.
Ensure that you illustrate your willingness to learn and your ability to gain new knowledge without any difficulties-be truthful though. Whether this is your first time to apply for a job-straight out of college or high school, you are changing industries or targeting a specific job, having a resume objective is essential.
When crafting an entry-level career objective, focus on emphasizing your traits and characteristics through the lens of your education. Consider stating your points in the manner below:
Example 1
A recent college graduate with a BA in Agricultural economics and sociology with eight months of internship experience. Seeking to enhance my education and professional skills as a [mention the position]. An ambitious, hardworking individual, eager to learn, and take responsibility to drive your organization to achieve its goals.
Example 2
College graduate with a BA in information technology, seeking to obtain an entry-level position with a company that provides a positive working environment that fosters learning and implementation of new skills as well as technologies for the betterment of the organization. A goal oriented, creative, responsible and dedicated individual eager to utilize my [mention skill-set] and qualifications obtained during my term at [mention the name of the university].
When writing your career objective, if you have any experience, consider including it in the first sentence so that your application can stand out. However, if you have no work experience, consider describing your strongest attributes or achievements that you obtained during your college years.
On the other hand, if you are a high school student, with no work experience or a university degree, and hoping to land an entry-level job or an internship opportunity. In the career objective section ensure you put utmost emphasis on the general traits you possess, majorly focusing on your character, personality, work ethics, among others that make you seem valuable asset to the company.
Consider drafting your career objective by illustrating or addressing the sections below:
Example 3
An ambitious and hardworking high school student with proven problem-solving, creativity, detail oriented with strong leadership skills and ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. Seeking to apply and enhance my skills to fill the job shadow position in your company. A dedicated individual capable of working with minimum supervision as well as in a team set-up, who can be counted upon to help your company achieve its objectives.
Example 4
A confident and dedicated team player and captain of the hockey team for the past one year with proven leadership, management and communication skills. Seeking an opportunity to leverage my skills and abilities as a [mention position]. I have a can-do and goal oriented attitude that will allow me to achieve the goals of the company.
Ensure that the skills, abilities and traits you mention are quantifiable and are expounded on in your resume. To do this, you need to be truthful because, in your resume or cover letter, you’ll need to provide a situation, the task, the action you took and the results you achieved.
You can use the various extracurricular activities that you participate in at your school to determine your best attributes. For instance:
When writing your objective ensure that the skills you mention align with the requirements of the job, stick to the relevant skills and downplay the less relevant ones. Granted, writing an eye-catching career objective for entry-level positions may be challenging. However, It’s possible. Focus on emphasizing the tips provided above to make your resume notable.
2. Professional career objectives
For people with both the relevant education and work experience, your resume objective should mirror your wishes and provide a strong case for why you would be the ideal candidate for the position you are applying for in the organization.
Consider focusing your career statement on the tips below:
Example 1
Information technology(IT) professional with 2+ years of experience in managing Microsoft office suite, pivot tables and analytics as well as systems management and configuration. Aiming to use my proven problem-solving, creativity, communication and flexibility to adequately fill the position of the managerial IT position in your company. Possess a BA in computer science and information technology from the University of ABCDE with a CEH-Certified Ethical Hacker certification from the Institute of XYZ.
Example 2
A dedicated financial analyst with 5 years of experience in resource management, data engineering and management. Aiming to use my proven skills in data analysis, leadership, decision making, communication, and interpersonal skills in a fast-paced working environment such as XYZ company as a director of financial analysis department. Possess a BA in accounting, and financial modelling and valuation analyst certification.
The above career objectives highlight the candidate’s experiences, abilities and skills as well as their educational background. Doing this ensures that the recruiters immediately gets a glimpse of your strong points, and determine whether you are the perfect fit for the role. The inclusion of “proven” skills demonstrates that the candidate’s experiences will be illustrated further in the resume using specific examples that demonstrate the candidate possesses those skills.
On the other hand, if you’ve decided to change careers or industries, consider indicating that you are changing careers and you possess the skills that are relevant to the industry you are interested in.
Example 3
Accomplished administrative assistant with over 4 years of experience in administrative and clerical duties. Seeking to leverage my skills and experiences in planning, organizing and scheduling to take on the role of social media manager at XYZ. I am well-versed with how content works on social media platforms. Possess a BA in Communications and certification in sales and marketing from ABC University.
Yes! This is the best and surest way to ensure your resume stands out regardless of your professional level or background. While it is important to always include an objective statement in your resume, it is even more helpful in situations where:
The candidate is new to the job market
This especially applies to new graduates who have little to no experience in the job market, entering the job market for the first time or even high school students. Writing an objective statement helps recruiters comprehend how your career goals align with the company’s goals and objectives.
For example
A highly motivated, recent communication and journalism graduate. Seeking a part-time/full-time position in social media marketing industry where I can leverage my skills of community management, brand awareness creation and content and technology optimization to help the ABCD company achieve its goal and maintain its competitive advantage.
The candidate is making a career change
If you are applying for a career in a different industry than the one you have experience for, a career summary can help you highlight your goals and objectives, how you’ll be an excellent fit for the new industry, the transferable skills that you’ve gained during your experience, and perhaps why you are shifting careers.
For example
Accomplished individual in software engineering, seeking a new career path in the teaching industry. I am seeking an opportunity where I can apply my experience and passion for imparting knowledge to change the education industry. Possess a BA in computer engineering and an M.A. in software engineering for embedded systems.
The candidate is relocating
If you’re moving to a new location shortly, your current address may be confusing to recruiters. However, noting down your plans in your objective statement will help decrease your chances of being disqualified due to your current area of residence.
For example
An experienced software engineer, relocating to New York City in January and seeking employment in a fast paced computer engineering company. I have more than 3 years of experience in hardware, software and programming languages and an excellent understanding of CASE tools.
The candidate wishes to advance in their career
For example
A highly ambitious and driven sales and marketing professional with a proven track record of exceeding targets and achieving high customer satisfaction rankings. Seeking a managerial position in a fast-paced insurance company where I can utilize my skills to drive the company to achieve its goals.
Although a career objective is barely two to three lines long, make sure you use it to your best advantage. Highlight why you are applying for the job, what makes you the valuable candidate, why should the hiring manager be interested in calling you for an interview and why you would be the ideal candidate for the role. Tailor a position-specific, compelling career statement to capture the attention of the hiring managers and be remembered to get a step closer toward landing your dream job.
Do you include a career objective on your resume? Leave us a comment below.
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