Resume objective statement – examples and writing tips

A resume objective statement at the top of your resume is an excellent way to showcase your skills and competencies that align with the job requirements. A resume objective can also highlight your professional goals and how the position fits with your long-term career plans. A thoughtful resume objective statement should be customized to align with the job you’re applying for while setting you apart from the competition.

What is a resume objective statement?

A resume objective statement — sometimes referred to as a career objective statement — is a brief overview at the top of your resume outlining your short-term professional goals and why you’re seeking employment. They are typically one to three sentences long and fall in the section directly under your contact information. A well-written objective statement should capture the recruiter or hiring manager’s attention and clarify your career focus.

Some argue that an objective statement should no longer be included on a resume – they’re no longer needed or they’re considered outdated, or both. However, a solid resume objective that highlights your abilities and career goals can enhance your resume – it can convince employers to grant you an interview because you have the right skills and career focus.

When do you include a resume objective statement?

Some resumes will have a resume profile or a resume summary instead of a resume objective. There are a few instances where a resume objective is beneficial.

Entry-level or new to the job market

If you’re new to the working world, as in straight out of high school or college with little to no previous work experience, then a resume objective statement could prove useful. Including an objective statement helps the hiring manager understand how your current and future career plans match with the open position.

Making a career change

If you’re choosing to make a career change and the position for which you’re applying doesn’t match your career experience, an objective statement is an option to clarify your goals and why you’re looking to make a change. An objective statement is a perfect way to explain why you’re qualified for a job, even if you don’t have much related work experience.

Relocating or moving to a new market

If you’re moving to a new city or market, your current address might throw the hiring manager off. Including your relocation plans in your resume objective can keep you from being eliminated for living out of town.

Resume objective statement tips

Be specific

Your resume objective should be specific to the job you’re applying for, so it’s a good idea to write a new objective for each job you apply for.

Be concise

By making your objective statement short and to the point, you’re more likely to hold the reader’s attention. Remove filler words like “the,” “like,” and “a” where possible.

Use keywords

Incorporate keywords from the job listing into your objective statement. This will help you get past the company’s applicant tracking system bots, while also catching the eye of the recruiter by emphasizing the required essential skills.

Align it to the position

The most effective objective statements are tailored to the positions being applied to. Yours should state the type of career you’re seeking, along with the skills and qualifications you have that meet the requirements listed in the job posting. By taking this step, you’re more likely to hold the reader’s attention, so they’ll dig deeper into your resume.

Share career goals that match

Avoid stating career goals that aren’t possible to reach in the organization to which you’re applying. For example, if you want to be a team leader at a marketing firm and you’re applying for a position within the marketing department of a business, aim for that – then focus on the growth you can achieve within the company.

Lead with your strongest attributes

Lead with strengths that are relevant to the job, as well as the ones you are most proud to highlight. For example, use “detailed and focused,” “dedicated and team player,” or “inspirational leader.”

Include key training, licenses, and certifications

It’s true that your education and training will be listed at the end of your resume. However, including significant training or certifications that are key to the position could capture attention faster. It’s vital to include such information when you’re changing careers, changing industries, or are an entry-level applicant.

Share how you will add value

When a recruiter or hiring manager interviews you, they want to know if you’ll add value to the organization. The first answer to this question comes in your resume. Thus, your objective statement should note how and why you’ll add value to the organization.

Concisely stating your value proposition at the top of your resume improves your chances of holding the reader’s attention. Note your work ethic, unique skills, past successes, and ambition to speak to the value you’ll add.

Resume objective statement examples

Here are some resume objective examples broken down by category:

Entry-level recent graduate

Highly driven recent psychology graduate seeking a full-time position in research where I can lend my knowledge of research practices and human behavior to help your organization assess peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Dedicated team player and aspiring talent scout with proven communication skills and an eye for talent. Seeking to work for a company where I can help grow the talent pool to support client projects and initiatives.

Career or industry change

Accomplished leader with 20+ years of proven management, social media, content development, and marketing experience in the financial sector. Seeking an opportunity to apply my experience in the energy sector.

Communications manager in the retail sector seeking an opportunity to use my communication and management skills to improve marketing efforts for the oil and gas industry.

Seeking a position as an elementary school teacher for a private school, utilizing my 5+ years of innovative teaching, compassion, and leadership skills in the public sector.

Accomplished human resources professional in the entertainment sector with 8+ years of experience. Seeking to leverage extensive knowledge of benefits, employee relations, policy development, and salary administration for an innovative HR consulting firm.

Seeking advancement in the industry

Seeking a data analytics supervisor position where I can apply my 7+ years of data science and business analytics skills and experience. I’m eager to improve business intelligence for Company XYZ in a leadership role.

To obtain a managerial-level position that will enable me to utilize my solid communication skills, career coaching certification, ability to work well with teams, and employee relations background.

If you believe including a resume objective is the right move for your resume, use these guidelines to help. Or you can opt to work with a free resume writing service to guide you!