Resume Objective Writing Tips
Searching for a new job can be a frustrating process. The 2007-09 recession caused mass layoffs, resulting in a lot of competition for openings, which are few and far between in many industries. Having a well-prepared resume is one way to catch prospective employers' attentions. Your resume's objective may be the first thing they read, so ensuring that it is clear and concise is essential.
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Tailor It for the Job
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Write a new objective for each job application you complete when you begin applying. You wouldn't want to submit the same objective for an executive position as you would an administrative one, and because the job market is tight, you may be applying for positions for which you're overqualified or that are outside of your past job field. You'll need a new objective for each job type. After you've applied for a dozen or so jobs, you'll have a group of go-to objectives that can be used for similar positions. Though you may use one pre-written objective for all administrative positions, for example, read it before you submit your resume to be sure it makes sense for the job you want and tailor it for that specific job. Mentioning the employer's name ("My objective is to work as an administrative assistant at Company Name") and discussing skills that the company has specifically requested will show the employer that you've taken the time to research the job.
Sell Your Skills
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Your objective gives you the opportunity to tell prospective employers what you're looking for, but also to tell the employer what skills you'll contribute to his company. In other words, your objective allows you to sell yourself. It's your chance to convince the employer to invite you for an interview instead of placing your resume in his discard pile. Now is not the time to be humble about your professional achievements. You might write something like "I will bring more than 10 years of customer-service experience and my keen sense of organization to this position." Use clear, concise, specific language.
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Feel Free to Skip It
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Including an objective on your resume is optional. If you're struggling to write one, can't squeeze everything you want to say into a sentence or two or if the ones you've written haven't resulted in any interviews, it may be best to omit it. It's better to turn in a resume with no objective than to turn one in that has a poorly written objective. Most job applications require you to submit a resume and a cover letter, so use the cover letter to say what you would have said in your objective, only in greater detail. Follow the same rules for writing an objective, such as being specific, selling your skills and tailoring it for the job, but give more detail about your past work accomplishments and what you will bring to the company.
Proofread
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Ensuring that your objective, and the rest of your resume, is free of spelling and grammar errors is absolutely essential. Your objective may be brilliant, but if it contains a misspelled word, your employer will wonder why you didn't take the time to proofread it. He may assume that you prepared your resume in a rush or simply didn't care. Read your objective out loud or to another person to be sure that it is grammatically correct, and use a spell-check tool before you send it.
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References
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