How to Write a Career Objective Statement
A career objective statement reflects your employment goals with respect to the organization or industry. A career objective statement is more effective when tailored to the specific position type or organization. However, since this may not always be possible, it is also necessary to develop a more general career objective statement that is broad in essence while reflecting your specific strengths and accomplishments.
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Instructions
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Determine what type of career path you envision for yourself and what skills, qualifications and experience you possess that make you the right candidate for the job. Summarize this in three parts; namely, the type of position you seek, the skills and accomplishments that give you an edge and how selecting you would benefit the employer. Write down the answers to these three questions. This is the draft of your career objective statement.
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Crystallize the elements of your career objective by using one or two relevant adjectives to describe yourself. The job listing or position description may provide crucial hints. Do they seek a self-motivated team player? Or a multitasker who can work under pressure? Pay attention to what the employer sees as important qualities and tailor your career objective to reflect your strengths accordingly. You don't have to match the exact terms, but if you possess a specific quality that the employer seeks, do not fail to stress that. If your career objective statement is not employer specific, then research what employers in the industry look for in candidates. Scan job listings in the industry or job type you are interested in to narrow down the specific skills and traits that would put applicants at an advantage. This will help you start out your career objective statement. Examples of key phrases include "a self-motivated team player" or "an out-of-the-box sales professional."
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Choose the type of job or specific position you are interested in. In order to appeal to a broad range of employers and organizations, you need to find the balance between focusing on a specific position and expanding the scope of your career objective to a more general job category. For example, your career objective statement could mention that you're seeking a position in direct sales, or it could specify a certain strength and direction, such as "a seasoned sales professional seeking a supervisory role." However, if you do know the specific position you are applying for, then tailor your career objective and resume title to match that role. This indicates to the employer that you have done your research, know what position you are applying for, possess the skills to match and have the confidence to say so. One example is "experienced and versatile multimedia copywriter seeking a position as senior web copywriter."
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Describe how you and your skills would benefit the organization. This entails that you present your skills and experience in a manner that reflects not only what you are capable of but also the ways in which they would prove advantageous to the employer. Translate skills into benefits. If you bring with you over 10 years of copywriting experience in the pharmaceutical industry, then that translates to "a copywriter with a thorough grasp of healthcare, its audience and market trends." If you are capable of multitasking, that translates to "handling multiple projects with a proven track record of delivering results in a deadline-driven environment."
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Create your career objective statement with the three essential components described in the above steps so that it flows well, is structured well and does not consist of long, winding sentences. Break it down into two or more sentences if necessary, but ensure that the career objective is clear and focused. Remember that the career objective statement is probably the section that will determine whether the rest of your resume even gets read. With that in mind, write your career objective in such a way that it leads you to the next step, landing an interview.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid mentioning your long-term ambitions or career goals of climbing up the ladder or being promoted to ABC position at the organization, even if that is your eventual goal. Ensure that your career objective is impeccably written with every word spelled right and no grammatical errors or typos. Do not create a career objective statement that you do not believe in or cannot live up to. The statement should reflect your actual abilities and career goals.
