How To Write A Resume Objective (With Examples)

In order to create an effective resume that will stand out from the competition, it’s essential to first understand all of the necessary components that should be included in a resume.

A resume, after all, should not be regarded merely as a timeline of your professional experience to date. It’s also the document that will provide a hiring manager with a glimpse into your individual skills and career goals.

In light of that, it’s become a common best practice for many job applicants to include a resume objective at the beginning of a resume. A resume objective, simply put, is a succinct overview of your primary professional skills, title, degree of experience, and career objective.

Opening your resume with a resume objective is a simple and highly effective way to communicate to a hiring manager that you have a concrete, specific goal which aligns with the hiring needs of their company. It’s also an elegant way to tie together various pieces of your academic experience and professional background in a manner that will demonstrate to a prospective employer that you are the right person for the job.

Kicking a resume off with a strong resume objective, in other words, can greatly increase your chances of being noticed and asked to participate in a job interview.

With those ideas in mind, this article will outline how to write a high-quality resume objective. We’ll also provide you with an up-to-date template and resume example that you can use as a guide to help get you started.

Let’s begin by taking a look at when you should consider including a resume objective in your resume.

When Should You Include a Resume Objective?

In general, including a resume objective is a great way to make a first impression whenever you’re applying for a job with a new employer.

If you’re applying for a new role with your current employer (that is, if the hiring manager that will be reviewing your resume is already familiar with your background), including a resume objective is probably superfluous. But if you’re seeking a position with an employer who has no knowledge of your background, then you should consider including a resume objective as a brief and informative personal introduction.

Including a resume objective can be especially useful if you don’t have a lot of technical experience in the department or position that you’re applying to.

For example, let’s imagine that you’re hoping to transition to a copywriting position, and that you don’t have any previous professional writing experience. By including a resume objective, you’ll have the opportunity to elaborate on any non-professional experience that makes you qualified for the role, as well as on why you’re uniquely motivated to succeed.

Tips to Help You Write a High-Quality Resume Objective

Here are four key considerations to keep in mind that can help you to craft a strong resume objective:

1. Tailor your objective to the specific role that you’re applying to . Just like a cover letter, a resume objective should never be duplicated for separate job applications. In order to maximize your chances of catching a hiring manager’s eye, it’s essential to customize your resume objective to the position that you’re coveting. Make sure you call attention to the specific skills, accomplishments, and areas of your experience that qualify you for that role.

2. Implement keywords and phrases . Every job posting will include particular keywords and phrases that are directly relevant to the job in question. For example, if the job posting for the aforementioned copywriter position states that it’d be ideally suited for an individual who’s “self motivated,” then that presents a great opportunity to mention in your resume objective that you are, in fact, self-motivated.

3. Make sure that the career goals that you include are directly relevant to your prospective employer’s goals . Calling attention to your ultimate career goals in a resume objective is only useful insofar as it aligns with the mission and purpose of the company that you’re applying to. If you’re applying for a position as a marketing copywriter, it’s best not to mention that you’re ultimate aspiration is to become, say, a screenwriter. You should focus on stating your career goals in a manner that will be maximally relevant and useful to a particular company.

4. Keep it short and sweet . Your resume objective does not need to be a comprehensive and detailed outline of your suitability for a role. That’s what a cover letter is for. In fact, your resume objective should not exceed one or two sentences.

Examples of Resume Objectives

Okay – now that we understand some of the basics, let’s put a finer point on things by walking through a few examples of what an optimized resume objective ought to look like:

• Looking for a position as a marketing lead where I can leverage my five years of project management, sales, and quality assurance experience.

• Copywriter seeking an opportunity to draw upon my skills in editing, graphic design, and content strategy to help increase company website traffic and drive B2B and B2C content engagement.

• Seeking a position as a Product Manager at Employer, Inc. where I can apply my highly-developed team-leading skills, as well as my seven years of experience as a creative director.

• High school counselor looking for a position with a public school that will allow me to make a contribution from my seven years of experience as a clinical child psychologist, as well as my eight years of teaching experience.

• Looking for a position as a copywriter, utilizing my communication and research skills, and drawing upon my five years of experience as an award-winning project manager with a prominent book publishing company.

Sample Resume With a Resume Objective

In order to give you a more complete picture of how a resume objective complements and fits within a resume document as a whole, here is a sample of a resume that includes an objective:

Alternative Options for Starting a Resume

Kicking off a resume with a resume objective is one of many ways to communicate your unique skill set to a hiring manager and to make your resume stand out amongst the crowd.

Here are three other options for starting a resume:

1. Resume headline. A resume headline (or “resume title”) is a brief statement at the beginning of your resume which mentions the major highlights of your work experience up to the present moment.

2. Summary statement. In contrast to a resume objective, a summary statement focuses only on how your skills will benefit the company that you’re applying to – it doesn’t mention any long-term career goals.

3. Branding statement. In a single sentence, a branding statement should list the major skills and professional achievements that will make you an asset at the company that you’re applying to.

The Bottom Line

Inserting a well-crafted resume objective at the top of your resume is a great way to provide a broader context of your professional history and your professional goals to a hiring manager.

It should be brief and concise – no more than a couple of sentences – and it should highlight the specific skills, qualifications, and personal goals that will make you uniquely suited for the role that you’re applying to.

If your resume is your sales pitch about why you deserve the job, then your resume objective is your opening statement. Be succinct, direct, and confident.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.