Resume Career Objective

The decision about whether to include a resume career objective or not is a personal one. For every potential employer who wants to see a candidate use this strategy, there will be one who is turned off by it. Please continue reading to see arguments for and against this practice.

A resume career objective is a statement describing the kind of job you are looking for. It also gives the reader a snapshot of the value that you would bring to the company or organization you are applying to.

• A resume career objective helps the employer understand what kind of position you are looking for. Hiring managers will have numerous candidates applying for available jobs, and they have little time to spend reading resumes in detail to find qualified job seekers to interview.

• Adding a specific goal to the resume means that the employer can get an idea of the candidate's qualifications and experience quickly. A targeted job search is more likely to get results than when someone sends out resumes to anything they may be even remotely qualified for.

• Using a resume career objective if you are qualified for several positions with the company may mean that the employer won't consider you for multiple openings.

• If the statement is not specific enough, the employer may not be able to decipher what position the candidate is interested in. Rather than take the time to figure out what the candidate is trying to say, the resume may be discarded.

A career objective isn't the right choice for all job candidates, and if you decide not to include one, you still have other options available to you. If you want to give the hiring manager a snapshot of what you can do, you can choose to include a list of your skills or qualifications on the resume.

The qualifications summary would be listed directly below your contact information. You would choose a few points you want an employer to know about you and use bullet points to list them on your resume.

If you decide to share something about your working past, focus on your achievements. Tell the person scanning your resume that you were able to increase sales by a set amount or that through your efforts you were able to help your company reach its goals.

Another way that you can tell a potential employer what kind of position you are looking for is in the body of your cover letter. If you are interested in being considered for more than one type of work, you can list the kinds of opportunities you are interested in there.

The cover letter can also include a summary of your achievements if you would rather list them here than on your resume. You can use your past performance as a selling point to your next employer. Whether you decide to list your accomplishments in the body of the cover letter or not, you still need to explain why you would be a good fit for the position you are applying for and what you can contribute to help the employer reach its goals.

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If you decide to go ahead and include a career objective on your resume, make sure that it is well-written and very specific to the job that you are looking for. LoveToKnow has a number of articles that will help you write an effective resume career objective:

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