Career Objective

A well-developed career objective helps you determine your next career move.

• Your objective and summary statement set a tone for the rest of your resume. Try to keep them short.

• Your objective is your employment goal. You should develop an objective even if you choose not to include it in your resume. Write the rest of your resume with this focused objective in mind. Remove any statement that does not reflect your objective.

• Employers may look at your resume before your cover letter. A well-written career objective catches an employer's interest and channels this attention to the details of your resume.

• The career objective summarizes your expectations for pursuing your desired career. These expectations should include what an employer should expect from you as well as target skills that you can bring to the company. Some objective statements refer to specific positions within the hiring organization. Consider broadening the statement to include other potential opportunities available.

• A good objective may improve your chances of winning an interview. Avoid vague descriptions, as they are meaningless to employers.

• A good objective mentions a specific job category, such as "office position" rather than "data entry clerk." Being too specific may eliminate you from possible openings within a company. You may also mention an industry, such as "the communication industry" tailored to that of your potential employer. You may want to highlight some of your specific skills that are of interest to the hiring party. Focus on what you have to offer a potential employer, not on what they can do for you.

Example:

Career Objective     To obtain an entry-level office position where my word-processing computer skills and attention to detail may be fully utilized.