The Resume Objective - Use It Correctly

The resume objective is a controversial beast. It’s so often trite and cliché-ridden that many companies simply ignore it and focus on the rest of the resume. However, a well-written resume objective can grab a potential employer’s attention, and keep your resume in the pile of likely candidates.

So the first rule of thumb is simple. If your resume objective adds nothing to your overall resume, then you’re better off without it.

However, if you want to successfully use your resume objective to sell yourself to your potential employer, and convince the company that you are the perfect candidate for the position, then you need to outline your strengths, abilities, or qualifications and make sure they’re a good fit for the job you’re seeking.

Here are some tips and guidelines that will help you craft that perfect resume objective:

• Be sure to keep your resume objective as brief as you can, while still including all of the necessary information. A resume objective should consist of a single paragraph of no more than three sentences.
• The goal of the resume objective is to get the attention of the employer and encourage him or her to read your resume further. If you’re looking for a career change, or if you have limited work experience, then you should try to divert the employer’s focus on where you’re going, rather than where you’ve been. If you’re looking for something in line with your present career, then it’s important to stress your abilities, qualities, and achievements.
• The first sentence of your resume objective should convey not only that you are the best candidate for the job, but that you want to provide value to the company.
• Avoid using the word “I,” as it indicates a self-centered point of view. The company is far more interested in what value you’ll be adding as an employee than they are in your personal dreams and aspirations.
• Keep your resume objective concrete and direct. Avoid fluffy and trite phrases such as “challenging career,” “utilize my skills,” and “opportunity for advancement.” Instead, imagine your potential employer has just asked you, “What’s in it for me?” Do your best to answer that question.
• Avoid the generic, all-purpose resume objective. Instead, tailor the resume objective to be as specific to the job you’re seeking as you can. A bland resume objective gives the impression that you don’t really care what kind of job you land, which will likely hurt your chances for an interview.