Using Resume Objectives to Grab the Job Interview
Resume objectives can be a great way to make your resume stand out in a huge pile of resumes, all clamoring for attention.
Remember, your resume has about 10 seconds to grab the reader's attention enough to get put in the 'consider' pile and not thrown out, never to be read again.
When you are targeting a job or career that is very specific with what you want out of a career, resume objectives can jump off the page and scream, "you have to read me!" And that's exactly what you want.
There are differing opinions on whether or not resume objectives on a resume will help you. Some feel it's important, others say it's not necessary or even counterproductive. I say it depends. What do I mean by that? I feel the determining factor in whether to use a resume objective is the position for which you are applying.
The more the position matches your skills and what you are looking for in a career, the more likely resume objectives will help you. This is an important concept to understand. Let's use an example.
Let's say you are a financial advisor and you are looking for a financial advisor position with a Fortune 500 company that will give you the opportunity to grow with the company, take on more responsibility and eventually become a manager with a team of financial advisors under you.
If you find a Fortune 500 company that is looking for someone like that, by all means you should use an objective in your resume!
However, if you that's what you really want, but you've been out of work for awhile and you are applying to any openings that slightly resemble your experience and career goals, you might want to stay away from resume objectives.
Hopefully, you are in a position to send resumes and cover letters to positions that you would really like to learn more about. In this case, you'll be using objectives in your resume more often than not.
In your objective, you need to state your intent, ie, let the employer know exactly what you want. State the position you are seeking. The rest of your resume - skills, experience, education, should be tailored around this objective, supporting what you've stated in your objective.
While some recommend it, I feel that you should stay away from general resume obejctives, such as:
Try something more along the lines of:
OBJECTIVE: Seeking a position within Operations Management where a proven record of success will be utilized and further developed.
Remember, the purpose of an objective in your resume is to get the reader's attention enough to be put in the 'consider' pile, garnering a further, more detailed look. To do this, your resume must capture the reader's attention immediately. And then the rest of your resume must support what you've stated in your resume objectives.
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