If you’ve been job hunting, there’s no doubt you’ve been working very closely with your resume. Your resume gives you the opportunity to showcase why you’re the best person for the job. Even though we recently provided you with a Resume Cheat Sheet, we didn’t touch upon one of the biggest resume questions that seem to pop up amongst candidates.
Is an objective important to have on your resume?
Just in case you aren’t familiar with resume building or objectives, first let’s talk about what the objective is. On a resume, the objective is a statement generally placed at the beginning of the document. In a few sentences, this statement should indicate: your qualifications, what you want to accomplish in your desired position, and why you’re the right person for the job.
Rich Cahill sees multiple resumes on a daily basis. He believes that “talking about your future plans and goals is phenomenal.” Rich is one of the Staffing Consultants at Pascoe Workforce Solutions who has decided to weigh in on this subject, and the consensus is clearly in favor of utilizing an objective.
Those who are just starting their career, as well as individuals considering a career change, should have a clear objective on their resume.
“Someone who has worked in the medical field for 10 years and decided to start an office career might put that in their objective,” said Amanda Fiske. “There are many times I find myself asking why people are applying to positions they have no experience in; this could have easily been answered with a 1-2 sentence objective.”
When you write your objective, be sure to show how your skills and drive would contribute to the company and fit their specific needs. Use language that would separate you from the crowd, and stay clear of vague buzzwords. Job Search Engine Monster stated that many hiring managers don’t want to waste time trying to figure out what an applicant’s career goals are.
Samantha Shrader suggests tailoring your resume to each job you apply for: “If you are going to include an objective in your resume make sure that it is tailored to the position that you are applying for and that it doesn’t come off as a generic statement… If you do it right- the objective can make the Hiring Manager feel that you have a genuine and sincere interest in the open opportunity.”
At Pascoe Workforce Solutions, we always want our job seekers to come to us with their best foot forward. Contact us today so we can help find the perfect career fit for you.