Resume Objective Statements

Writing objective statements is one of the most challenging and difficult parts of creating an effective resume. Here are some strategies and options to help you create an effective resume objective.

What is an Objective Statement?
Immediately below the top section of a resume where you type your name, address, phone number and email address, should be a short statement with one of the following headings: "objective," "professional objective," or "career goals." Usually the objective statement includes 1-3 lines of text, and should summarize your career aspirations, what you expect from a job and/or what you have to offer to the employer.

Why Write an Objective Statement?
Objective statements can improve your resume effectiveness by helping you: « to establish your professional identity « to emphasize your main qualifications by stating what you, as a professional, have to offer to the organization « to inform your readers of the position(s) you are seeking and your career goals

Drafting Your Objective Statement
Before drafting or revising your objective statement, you should try to answer the following
questions:
« What are your career goals?
« What are your main qualifications (strengths, skills, areas of expertise)?
« What position (or series of positions) are you seeking?
« What type of organization would you like to work for?

Be Specific One of the main problems people encounter when writing their objective statement is being able to write a specific objective. Many resume objectives are too general and/or too vague. In order to be effective, an objective statement must be specific. For example, some objective statements read like this:
A position allowing me to utilize my knowledge and expertise in different areas. Such a statement raises more questions than it answers: A position in what area/field? What kinds of knowledge and expertise? Which areas? A specific statement helps readers to comprehend what you have to offer and what you are seeking in terms of a career.