Your professional/career objective is an opening statement on your resume that is expected in the United States. It defines your ambition within the sector or job position for which you are applying. It is important that your career objective be clear, concise, and customized to the job you are applying for. The more specific your resume objective is the better chance you have of being considered for the job.
There are some who believe resume objectives are outdated and a waste of space on your resume. However, if you put time and effort into writing a good objective, then you can grab the attention of the reader and set the tone for the rest of the resume. Moreover, employers may not read your cover letter in great detail, so writing the career objective avoids this potential problem.
The professional/career objective
How to write an effective resume objective
- Identify yourself – let the reader know if you are an economics student, a geography graduate etc.
- Clarify the role you are applying for – an accountancy summer vacation scheme, a dentistry training course etc.
- Highlight relevant the skills you will utilise during the job – marketing, journalism, translation etc.
- Emphasise how your skills will help the company – to improve national awareness of an issue etc.
Examples of resume objectives
- “History graduate seeking to secure a position as the War Magazine Promotion Coordinator in order to utilise skills in marketing to strengthen community awareness of modern day warfare.”
- “Spanish student wishing to obtain a position at ABC Company where I can maximize my translation skills to improve the organisation’s international platform.”
- “Dentistry graduate looking for a position as a clinical practice assistant utilizing writing, research, and leadership skills to boost awareness of childhood tooth-brushing.”
US resume advice
If you would like to learn more tips about how best to write a US resume then consult our dedicated section. Alternatively, if you are looking for general advice about how to write a resume then Joblers has an exhaustive section on the resume as well.
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