How to Write Objective and Skills on a Resume

Objectives and skills are important pieces of your resume.

Objective and skills are two small sections on a resume, but they help the employer focus on you. Skills showcase the assets you bring to the employer in a short, easy-to-understand format, while the objective lets them know why you want the position. Writing powerful objective and skills sections requires some thinking about the position so begin one to two days before you plan to send out the resume. While the objective should be changed for each position, the skills may remain the same when the jobs are similar in nature.

Instructions

Objective

1. Reread the job description before you write the objective to find out what the employer is looking for in an employee and what the daily job duties will be.

2. List the keywords in the job ad so you can connect to keywords in your objective and your skills. For example, paralegal keywords may include "legal research," "support a team of lawyers" or "greet clients."

3. Draft an objective statement that is specific and speaks to the keywords in the job ad plus. For example, "To find a paralegal job" is vague and does not draw-in the company. "To support the criminal law team in case prep-work and organization and further my legal research skills in preparation for law school" speaks to specific details about the position.

4. Reread your objective statement for typos or grammatical errors. Compare it to the job description again. Modify the objective to add more detail if you think it seems generic. If you could share the same objective with any employer, it's too generic. For example, modify your draft statement "To support Your Law Firm's criminal lawyers in case prep-work and trial organization, to uphold Your Law Firm's commitment to social justice and further my legal research skills in preparation for law school," to show that you know what sets off one potential employer from another.

5. Review your resume's work experience section and write down keywords that describe your work experience. Sample keywords might include "CPR certified," "copy editor" or "bilingual."

6. Think about which keywords from your work experience fit with the job description. For example, copy editing suggests attention to detail, which comes in handy in legal fields (and many other fields). Bilingual skills are valuable for many fields. But being certified in CPR will not help you get a paralegal job, and it takes up valuable real estate from other skills.

7. Draft your skills list to showcase computer or technology skills, skills directly applicable to your profession (such as familiarity with Lexis), language skills and volunteer or internship skills.

8. Proofread your skills list for typos and to ensure that you've chosen the most relevant skills from your list of keywords. Look back at the job description to ensure you have not overlooked anything. Substitute or add skills as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your resume to a friend or colleague before you send it out, then modify based on feedback.

References

• Purdue University: OWL - Resume Workshop
• Daily Writing Tips: 44 Resume Writing Tips
• Purdue University: OWL - Resume Workshop - Sections