How to Write an Effective Objective Statement
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Posted By: Eddie Francis on November 25, 2015 An objective statement should not be a waste of space. As I read through resumes on a daily basis, it seems that writing an effective objective statement is a secondary thought to many job seekers. A study by The Ladders revealed that recruiters and hiring managers spend an average scan time of 6.2 seconds per resume review. Therefore, the way a job seeker "introduces" him or herself is very important. So, think of the objective statement as a hand shake. Consider the following objective statements taken from resumes I have reviewed: - "To obtain a position that will enable me to use my strong organizational skills, educational background, and ability to work well with people." - "To build a professional career by working with motivated and dedicated people in a very competitive and structured organizational environment." - "Seeking a marketing, or entry-level position where my education and experience will be fully utilized with the ability to grow with the company." None of these are bad statements but they don't grab my attention, either. Ask yourself if this the best use of space. What have you learned about these job seekers? Do any of these introductions motivate you to want to read more? Each of the statements above tells me that people want to work (we all do), they want to use their skills (we all do), they want to work with good people (we all do), and they want to work in places that encourage personal growth (most of do). Only one points out in which field the job seeker wants to work. Let's look at other examples: - "Experienced and accomplished sales associate with a background in microbiology and biochemistry eager to put my interpersonal skills and drive to make sales into action as a sales representative." - "Supply Chain Management position that requires strong communication skills & vast knowledge of inventory movement including, planning, purchasing, quality assurance, fulfillment demands, & logistics." - "Radio intern, graduating senior and student leader interested in news or entertainment broadcasting opportunities in television or radio. Articulate, energetic, humorous, resilient and open to relocation." These make me feel as if I have "met" the candidate. They tell me what they want, who they are and what they can do. But I lied about one thing... *evil grin* The third example is actually what my objective statement would have looked like if I could write it again as a college student. It gives my internship experience, my classification (especially for businesses looking for graduating seniors), what I want, and I even take the opportunity to brand myself, including people skills to attract the kind of employer that is right for me. SOME COLLEGE RESUME RULES OF THE ROAD: 1. Brand yourself and tell us what you want to do. Brag on yourself by telling us about your natural abilities, accomplishments and/or experience. Also, by telling the resume reviewer what you want to do up front, you may avoid getting calls about jobs you do NOT want to do. 2. Be succinct. Avoid using articles (a, an, the) and symbols to make your information easier to read. Focus on the most relevant information to try to limit your resume to one page (although that may not be a deal breaker). Don't be too succinct, however. DO spell words out as opposed to symbols such as &, @ or #. Avoid too many abbreviations, as well. 4. PLEASE use an acceptable email address. The best address to use is one that contains your name, giving us one more way to remember who you are. Addresses with objectionable content, however, WILL move your resume closer to the delete folder. This is about professionalism. 5, Make student leadership count. If you are active outside of the classroom, we want to know about it. This tells us how you develop important organizational skills such as communication, organization, leadership, team work, etc. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Eddie Francis
Founder & Principal, Edify Ventures, LLC Loyola Univ, New Orleans class of 1995 Member Since October 2008 |
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