Career & Professional Education

Writing Job Objectives

There are two reasons for including an objective on your resume:

1. To show that there is a match between the kind of work you are seeking and the position being offered.

2. To clearly state your job target for the employer who needs assurance that you have clear goals. Potential employers may be hesitant to take a risk on a candidate who is unsure of his or her career direction.

The ideal resume and objective are tailored to a specific position and employer. The savvy job seeker modifies a resume to emphasize different skills and experience for different opportunities. The myth that one resume will do for all positions is just that, a myth. Remember you can change your job objective each time you print a resume to more closely align with the position for which you are applying.

There are several types of objectives from which to choose:

1. A simple statement of a professional position
• Programmer Analyst, Biologist, Graphic Designer, Wellness Coordinator, News Reporter, Youth Counselor.
2. A statement reflecting your functional area of interest.
• A position in food systems management
• An internship in Human Resources
• A position in fashion merchandising.
3. A statement which notes your functional skills and may include preference for a particular sector of employment, size of organization, and/or geographic area.
• An administrative position utilizing fundraising and public relations skills.
• A marketing position with an emphasis on research.
• A fundraising position within a Western New York not-for-profit organization.

SOME TIPS FOR WRITING OBJECTIVES

1. Be specific! A vague objective makes you appear unfocused.

2. Avoid the use of trite terms, such as:
• "an entry-level position"
• "a challenging and interesting position"
• "opportunity for advancement"
• "dealing with people"
• "a progressive organization"

(To understand why, put yourself in an employer's place. They read hundreds of resumes. It can safely be assumed that each candidate is seeking a situation that can be described by the phrases above.

3. State only one functional area, e.g., Marketing as a single objective. Do not state "Marketing or Finance." You will need to create a different resume for each stated job objective.

4. Make your objective "work-centered" rather than "self-centered." An employer needs to know that the organization will benefit from hiring you. They don't particularly care to know how they can help you.

5. Don't count on your cover letter to do the work of an objective. Cover letters and resumes are frequently separated by employers who are overwhelmed with paper. As a result, employers will be unclear as to which position you are applying for if your job objective is not stated clearly on your resume.

Education Majors, take note

Job objectives are replaced by certification; therefore write out your certification and avoid using the traditional job objective. For example:

CERTIFICATION:

Candidate for New York State Initial Certification in Secondary English Education (7-12)

NYS Certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) with Middle Childhood Education, English (Grades 7-9)

Career & Professional Education