Good Resume Objectives: Do They Exist?
There's a chance that you've looked at a friend's resume, saw the "Objective Statement" at the top, and thought, "Man, that's cheesy. Obviously my objective is to get a job. Why do I need that?"
Many people share this belief, and end up leaving objective statements off of their resumes. And that's a fine choice to make, if you feel awkward and weird telling a potential employer what your objective is. You think that employer already knows your objective, right? Otherwise, why are you sending in the resume in the first place?
But objectives on your resume exist for a reason. For instance, if you are an entry-level employee, perhaps right out of college, a good objective on your resume will help an employer to know exactly what you are capable of, and what you're hoping to get out of a potential job. After all, your coursework from college or your high school job as a waiter are probably not going to provide the employer with enough reason to take a chance on you.
In that a case, a good resume objective would maybe highlight your coursework ("Recent business graduate...) and define the kind of position for which you are looking ("...seeking an entry-level marketing position.").
If you have a strong resume with a great deal of work history, but are in the midst of changing careers, this would be an ideal time for your resume to include an objective statement. Your work history may show that you have spent ten years in a certain field, but now that you are looking for work in a different field, you'll want to tell a potential employer right off the bat that you're switching gears.
So, explain your former career ("Experienced accountant...") and then explain how your qualifications will help you in this new field ("...seeking to use experience with software and platforms to pursue a career in IT.").
When in doubt, search the internet for examples of resumes other people in your field have written for similar positions. That will give you a good idea of what's expected and/or acceptable, and should help to get your creative juices flowing.
