A resume objective ensures your document stands out, provides value to the reader, and meets the target job’s requirements. Strong resume objectives ensure proper keywords are identified by the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and recruiters. This article includes proven resume objective examples with targeted keywords.
A resume objective alerts the ATS or recruiter to your intent for a job and your specific area of expertise. It also informs the reader about your goal for seeking a specific position.
Keep it succinct, targeted, and focused. The resume objective is easy to read and directly tied to the target job. A resume summary is different. It describes and details the overview of your areas of expertise related to the resume objective.
To craft a captivating resume objective, use these steps:
1. Tailor the objective to the job
Customize the resume objective for each job application. If you have two areas of expertise, e.g., software development and security management, and are applying for software development, the resume should not focus on security management. This will confuse the reader and an ATS. If you have two areas of expertise – develop two resumes with separate resume objectives.
2. Use keywords and phrases
Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description. Remember to back up keywords and phrases with an application, e.g., describe how you apply your expertise to the job. Detail your experience, scope, and breadth of knowledge rather than making a string list of keywords. If you are detail-oriented, explain how.
3. Highlight skills and measurable accomplishments
Showcase key abilities and notable achievements. Explain your scope of knowledge directly related to the target job’s qualification requirements. Suppose the job announcement states that you must have at least one year of experience and manage over 100 computers as a cybersecurity specialist.
In that case, your objective will be to leverage these skills and expertise: Cybersecurity specialist with 18 months of experience managing over 500 computers. Currently learning vulnerability assessments to best support help desk operations, end-users, and the enterprise.
For recent graduates or those with little experience – you may benefit from using the job title directly in the resume objective with an explanation of why you are targeting the position. Resume objectives are well-suited for entry-level applicants. For example:
Objective:
Recent Graduate
A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, specializing in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Seeking a position with Starlight Automotives to work at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology.
For job seekers making a career transition – there is a benefit of combining previous experience and transferable skill sets that match with the current position and any new skills, education, or credentials that may match with the current job. For example:
Objective:
Career Change
A military veteran with eight years of experience in logistics and supply chain management. Seeking a logistics coordinator position with Henderson Manufacturing to transition from a military career to the private sector.
Below are industry-specific resume objective examples. Review the target job and use the keywords from the announcement to customize your objective and resume.
Objective:
Counselor/Social Worker in a Hospital Setting
My study of counseling is driven by my desire to assist others in succeeding in life and work. I will apply my leadership and coaching career in human relations to focus on patient needs.
My areas of specific knowledge and interest include counseling (individual and group), mediation, psychotherapy, training, psychoeducation, and intervention treatment.
Recent MS in Counseling | Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC)
Objective:
Software Developer and Software Engineer
10 years of experience as a software developer and project management professional
Thoroughly experienced in the full lifecycle of developing and implementing advanced software systems solutions, working within a wide range of development environments and application domains to support your company’s client-server systems, cloud, and cybersecurity requirements.
Objective:
Social Media | Web Products | Viral Marketing and Communications | Financial Services
Pioneer of business-to-business (B2B) sales and marketing with expertise in growing businesses by leveraging technology and creating online social networking marketing and communication campaigns
Let me attract search engine traffic and repeat visitors and stimulate content sharing among visitors for your company. I did this by quadrupling fees after transitioning a brick-and-mortar business into a global web-based entity with a viral presence.
Objective:
Logistics Management and Operations | Turnaround Strategist
Stand up new operations or turnaround flailing organizations in record time. Offer a broad range of operations acumen: local, national, and global logistics, inventory control and supply chain management (distribution and warehousing), personnel movement, and customer service for varied industries: laundry operations, retail, construction, and finance
Let me contribute to your bottom line and profit and loss (P&L) success.
Vague language or clichés will not score well with ATS or recruiters. Strings of keywords without value or impact to the reader or company are unnecessary. For example, if recruiters see a list of keywords without application – they can see right past the “fluff.”
Resume objectives that read like, “I am an independent, detail-oriented, people-oriented, successful, hardworking, team player,” mean nothing to the recruiter. They most likely received many other resumes with similar keywords. Instead, justify the keywords with the application. Your resume will stand out in that case:
“As a people person, I communicated with supervisors, the financial team, and the CFO to troubleshoot and correct a financial discrepancy worth $700,000.” Use specific examples and numbers to justify the application of expertise.
Objective: Seeking entry-level pediatric nurse position at St. Luke’s Hospital. Recent Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and registered nurse (RN) who completed a 10-month internship at a pediatric clinic.
As a recent college graduate, use any projects, capstone papers, and internships as experience gained to your advantage to develop the resume objective. Don’t forget to claim classwork and course titles. Describe your professional goals. The University of Baltimore Career and Internship Center uses a six-step guide to build a resume including an objective statement.
As a direct correction to the job announcement, tie your mid-career experience, skills, and credentials to the resume objective.
As an executive with many years of high-level experience, incorporate numbers that have a high-value impact on the prospective employer.
Resume.org offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.
A resume objective informs the recruiter of a job seeker’s intent to obtain a specific job. It also helps the reader understand the job seeker's main area of expertise tied to the target job announcement very quickly. A powerful resume objective captures the reader’s attention.
A resume that does not include an objective may miss the opportunity to use more keywords directly related to a job announcement. Resume objectives help the reader tie expertise and goals to the target position.
The resume objective is found at the top of the resume. This is about the value a job seeker offers an employer, not about what the employer can do for the job seeker. It should be short, simple, and impactful, providing the scope and depth of expertise the job seeker offers.
