Writing your resume? What's your objective?

Lets' talk about the first thing you want to address when writing a resume. It should be a very simple statement about what it is your are going after. What kind of job do you want? Your objective is the answer to that question.

My favorite definition of the word objective is not what I found in Webster's Dictionary but instead, a definition I found in the Business Dictionary on line. It defines the word objective as "a specific result that a person or system aims to achieve within a time frame and with available resources. In general, objectives are more specific, easier to measure than goals. Objectives are basic tools that underlie all planning and strategic activities".

In summary, your Objective Statement gets your key message across,

1. Quickly
2. Easily
3. Up-front

It should be around eight words or less,

• Specific, not general
• Can be a job title
• Usually starts with noun
• Multiple objectives possible

As an example, my personal objective is a one sentence summary of my experience written in present tense.

Next time we'll talk about what your skills are.

Robert J Hebert II