Category: Resume Writing

50 Resume Objective Statements

To help you write a good objective statement, we listed 50 objective statements taken from a random selection of manager and executive resumes. Some are very descriptive and others are extremely vague and generic.

To help you write an effective objective, we have listed 50 objective statements from actual job seekers.  You can see what works, and what doesn’t.  A hiring manager will often read dozens, if not hundreds of resumes at a time.  There is no shortage of job seekers.  Reading through the list below can help you see the objective statements from the perspective of a hiring manager screening resumes.  These are actual objective statements from resumes and are unedited, and are provided to give you an idea of how a typical resume starts.

An objective statement on a resume can help you get a closer look from a hiring manager.  Often, the person screening resumes will have a number of different positions that need to be filled.  If it isn’t clear what your goals are, the screener may discard your resume without considering you for the specific job you seek.  This is especially important if you are trying to break into a new career field.

The object statements below offer a wide range of styles and content.  As you read these, consider a few best practices for objective statements. And check out How to Fix Your Resume Objective: 13 Easy Steps to learn how write an impressive, effective intro to your resume.

Three Keys to an Effective Objective Statement:

  • Keep it Short: A hiring manage does not want to read a book on want you want.  Make sure your objective is short and concise.  Often one short sentence is sufficient.  In the worst resumes, we have seen objectives that are in excess of 150 words.
  • WIIFT: Your objective is “What’s In It For Me,” but your resume is sales pitch to get you hired.  It needs to focus on “What’s In It For Them.”  Provide just enough information in your objective for a hiring manager to know what job you are seeking, and get back to selling your potential.  A good way to do this is by listing a key skill and how you have added value with the skill.  Start with a short one line objective, concluding with specific skill you want to utilize.  Then, after the objective statement, add three bullet points showing specific accomplishments using the skill.  Make sure the accomplishments have specific, quantified results.
  • Be Specific: Many of the objectives below do not say anything.  Almost any job would meet the objective.  If you are going to write an objective statement, it needs to be specific.  What job and industry do you want?  Saying you want to be part of a successful company, where you can utilize your skills and abilities, does not say anything.  Who wants to work for a failing company where they are unqualified and can’t do the job?  If you are going to take the time to put an objective statement on your resume, make it valuable.

Few of the objective statements below satisfy these best practices, and this is typical of most resumes.  Many are short, but that’s about all they have going for them.  Look for the ones that are specific.  Most are too general.  You do not need to pick a single objective that you use for every application.  You can and should change your resume to fit every employer and job you apply for.

50 Examples of Objective Statements:

  1. Objective: General Manager in an established and successful business.
  2. Position Targets: Director of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement Change Agent, Value Stream Manager, Lean Manufacturing Champion, Process Improvement Manager, Continuous Improvement Leader, Operations Manager and Management Process Improvement Consultant.
  3. OBJECTIVE: Obtain a challenging leadership position applying creative problem solving and lean management skills with a growing company to achieve optimum utilization of its resources and maximum profits.
  4. PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: To continue my career with an organization that will utilize my MANAGEMENT, SUPERVISION & ADMINISTRATIVE skills to benefit mutual growth and success.
  5. Objective: I am currently looking for a full time position in an environment that offers a greater challenge, increased benefits for my family, and the opportunity to help the company advance efficiently and productively
  6. Objective Director of Operations/General Manager
  7. JOB TARGET: My goal is to become associated with a company where I can utilize my skills and gain further experience while enhancing the company’s productivity and reputation.
  8. Objective: To secure a position with a stable and profitable organization, where I can be a member of a team and utilize my business experience to the fullest.
  9. Objective: To further my professional career with an executive level management position in a world class company. Seek to diversify my skills in another industry and as part of a larger organization. Relocation desirable.
  10. Employment Objective: long term consulting project or Permanent Position.
  11. OBJECTIVE: I am pursuing a career as an account manager with limited overnight travel. I am seeking to deliver my research, analytical, as well as presentation skills that will benefit in volume, growth, brand, and profits.
  12. OBJECTIVE: To contribute superior project and operations management skills and experience in an IT Service Management role.
  13. Objective: My objective is to obtain a position in a professional office environment where my skills are valued and can benefit the organization. Ideally, I wish to have a focus in marketing for a growing organization preferably dealing in commercial real estate and/or land acquisitions.
  14. Objective: Seeking a position as an engineering VP/director/manager in initiatives that utilize state-of-the-art, software and/or hardware components with a creative, technology-driven organization in an environment that encourages innovative thinking, recognition, and career development. Customer interaction is a plus.
  15. OBJECTIVE: To obtain a challenging position in a high quality engineering environment where my resourceful experience and academic skills will add value to organizational operations.
  16. CAREER OBJECTIVE: A challenging and rewarding Logistics / Distribution Center Operations Management position within the private sector where prior experience, personal ability, and a commitment to professionalism would be of value. Position should allow for continued personal and professional growth commensurate with achievements.
  17. Objective: Seeking a fulfilling position in the maintenance industry that offers growth opportunities and allows me to utilize my leadership skills and experience.
  18. Short Objective: Seeking position as System Engineer and support of all IT Needs.
  19. CAREER OBJECTIVE: Position as an engineer or related position which offers key participation, team oriented tasks, immediate challenges, and career opportunity.
  20. PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: Secure a responsible position in account management and serve as an account representative sharing my breadth of experience and abilities effecting mutual employee and employer growth and success.
  21. Objective: To obtain a New Business Development position by adding value through utilizing my superior knowledge, prospecting and selling abilities in the business to business arena.
  22. Objective: to acquire a challenging career with a solid company utilizing the opportunity to offer proven and developing skills within the company.
  23. Objective Expand leadership responsibilities, improve organizational ability to exceed corporate goals, and help honor all long-term commitments made to customers, stockholders, employees and the communities in which we live.
  24. OBJECTIVE: To work as an ophthalmic assistant or administrator in hospitals, or with professionals as surgeons or physicians with a specialty.
  25. Objective: Seeking Position in systems/ or network engineering / Team Lead
  26. OBJECTIVE: Seek to work in an environment that will challenge me further; while allowing me to contribute to the continued growth and success of the organization. Obtain a position that will provide me the ability to apply my sales and work experience to a growing industry. Look forward to working with a company that promotes quality products and services; and provides me with the opportunity to meet and exceed assigned sales goals. Consultative selling approach coupled with the energy and drive as an individual contributor with minimal supervision or team selling environment. Experience with quotas ranging from 15k per month to 800k per year with excellent attainment.
  27. OBJECTIVE: To lead, challenge and be challenged in a marketing strategy or business/market development position. Analyze and improve marketing, sales and operational performance. Develop products, markets and relationships.
  28. Objective: An able, enthusiastic, skilled, and reliable computer technician seeking a position that reflects my experience, skills, and personal attributes including dedication, meeting goals, creativity, and the ability to follow through.
  29. Objective: Seeking a position in Management
  30. OBJECTIVE: To Acquire A Challenging Position In An Environment Where I Can Best Utilize My Skills And Education.
  31. OBJECTIVE: To obtain a management position, in which I am given the opportunity to play a direct role in the unlimited growth and success of solid organization.
  32. OBJECTIVE: My goal is to obtain a dynamic, challenging opportunity that contributes to the outstanding success of the business via 15+ years Information Technology experience from various global industries.
  33. OBJECTIVE: To secure a position as a public relations / marketing professional in order to utilize my administrative, marketing, and interpersonal skills with accuracy and efficiency while maintaining a motivated, productive, and goal oriented environment for the entire professional team on board while maintaining extensive customer loyalty.
  34. OBJECTIVE: Seeking a sales position with a reparable company on a long term basis who is looking for an experienced, hardworking, detail oriented team player.
  35. CAREER OBJECTIVE: Looking at new opportunities to leverage my 20+ years professional experience in a New Business Sales capacity to have an immediate impact on new business revenue while increasing profitability.
  36. PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: To build upon my existing corporate finance skill set in both analytics and transaction execution, leading to increasingly responsible positions in treasury.
  37. OBJECTIVE: VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR. Travel/Relocate Internationally. Operating business philosophy: Amazing things can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.
  38. Objective: To participate as a team member in a dynamic work environment focused on promoting business growth by providing superior value and service
  39. PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: Position in Human Resources, providing opportunity to make a strong contribution by utilizing and expanding upon related education, skills, experiences and capabilities.
  40. OBJECTIVE: To further my experience and knowledge in the field of electronics and warehouse
  41. Objective: Position at a leading organization as a financial analyst or trader and continue my education in the financial field by obtaining the CFA designation.
  42. OBJECTIVE: Obtain a management, analyst or consulting position, in the Healthcare IT industry.
  43. OBJECTIVE: To gain long term employment with a company that is on or looking to be on the cutting edge, a company that puts value on people and the products they are promoting. Honest and Ethical, I am looking to call this company my family.
  44. CAREER OBJECTIVE: Exploring career opportunities in the to utilize Sales, Account Management and Public Interfacing abilities in a challenging Business Development/Senior Sales Management assignment.
  45. OBJECTIVE: To secure a responsible career opportunity, where I can fully utilize my training, human resource and management skills, while making a significant contribution to the success of my employer.
  46. Objective: To apply my expertise as ‘Marketing Director’ for a dynamic organization that encompasses hiring a marketing director is an investment. An investment that is crucial to the success of almost all aspects of the organization: Business Development, Sales, Customer Retention, Public Relations, Recruiting and Database Management.
  47. OBJECTIVE: I AM A CONSISTENT, HARD WORKING, HIGHLY MOTIVATED PERSON. I ENJOY WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC. I FEEL THAT I AM A FRIENDLY, OUTGOING AND DEPENDABLE PERSON. I FEEL IT IS CRUCIAL TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MY JOB DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS. I AM LOOKING TO IMPROVE MY POSITION IN THE WORK FORCE, EXPAND MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. I AM ALSO LOOKING TO ESTABLISH LONG TERM EMPLOYMENT IN A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
  48. Objective: Seeking employment in Transportation Coordination, Equipment Manager, but would enjoy discussing other available positions for which I am qualified.
  49. OBJECTIVE: IT Director – Information Technology Vice President (VP) – Chief Information Officer (CIO) Information Technology senior management, executive position in a leading multinational organization, contributing business value by developing and executing a strategic, long-term vision, while leading the firm to achieve measurable business results and growth, effectively managing the IT portfolio of investments. A strong desire to transform “as-is” organizations into “to-be” market and industry leaders. Additional interest in organizations looking to expand their global presence.
  50. Objectives Summary: My objective is to leverage my experience while continuing to be challenged. I have 20 years of experience working for service providers delivering marketing intelligence products and services. My background in Management, Account Management, Project Management and Technical Process Management represent a unique combination of disciplines. Personally, I have the drive and determination to consistently achieve success as a leader in all of the organizations that I have worked with in the past.

To learn more about writing objective statements, read our article, How to Fix Your Resume Objective: 13 Easy Steps. This gives practical, easy to follow instructions for improving your objective statement.

How to Assess an Objective

Yesterday, we looked at several of the elements of an objective statement.  First, the length should be one line, possibly two.  Second, the statement should be clear and specific.

Tomorrow and Friday, I’m going to provide 50 objective statements.  Each is from a resume I received from a job seeker.  I selected the objective statements at random, so they are not examples of what to do, or what not to do.  They’re just a selection of what’s out there. 

When you look at your objective statement, or the ones that I’m going list, ask the following questions:

  • Is the statement sufficiently specific?
  • Do you know what the job seeker is looking for?
  • Is the statement short and concise?
  • Would you read the entire statement if you had to screen 200 resumes?
  • Does the statement create a professional image?
  • Do you want to learn more about the job seeker?

The key to an effective objective:  It must provide information important to a hiring manager and it must create a strong positive impressive. 

Objective Statements: Elements of a Good Objective

The key to a good objective is to write a statement that adds value to the hiring manager.  Too many objectives are just fluff – nothing specific and nothing of value.  If you are going to have an objective statement, describe the position you are seeking.  Failing to do this will only make a poor impression on the reader. 

In our 2008 Resume Benchmarking Survey, we found the average length of an Objective Statement was between one and two lines, with the majority limited to one sentence. Although it is important to provide a specific objective with sufficient detail, an objective should also be clear and concise. With many hiring managers spending less than a minute reviewing each resume, a lengthy paragraph in an objective statement section is unlikely to be read.

For resumes with Objective Statements, only 29% described the industries preferred by the job seeker and only 54% described the specific job being pursued. This led to only 14% of all objective statements describing both the job and industry being pursued.

Objective Statements: Giving Your Job Search a Purpose

Many resumes start with an objective statement.  This can be a great way to start your resume, or it can make a very bad impression.  It all depends on what you write.  This week, I’m going to look at Objective Statements in detail.  Today and tomorrow, I’ll have a couple articles on how to write an objective, and later in the week, I’ll provide examples of actual resumes.

Do You Need an Objective

The first question regarding objective statements is whether you need one.  Objective statements are not a required element on a resume.  In our 2008 Resume Benchmarking Survey, we found that 56% of resumes have an objective statement.

If you are seeking a position similar to your current role, an objective isn’t important.  Most hiring managers will assume you want to do what you are already doing.

If you want to make a shift into a different role or industry, an objective will help.  The bigger the change you want to make, the more important an objective statement is.  If you want to change careers but don’t have an objective, it’s very unlikely that a hiring manager will see your background as a fit in a different field.  You need to get them thinking about suitability in the different role.

Tomorrow, I’m going to look at what makes a good objective statement.

 

Resume Work Experience

One of the bullets I see on a lot of sales resumes is very similar to what this sales person wrote:

Create relationships with all levels of personnel as well as cultivate relationships in the managed care arena.

The problem with this is that it does nothing to differentiate the job seeker. I would hope that a sales person would create and cultivate relationships. The added detail of “all levels of personnel” doesn’t stand out either.

The big problem is that the text is very general and appears on a lot of resumes.

Now, this is a candidate that received awards for their sales performance and was the leading sales person in their company. A little more detail would make a huge difference. For example, these bullets make a much bigger impact:

  • Created and developed client relationships resulting in ## new customers totaling $$$K in sales.
  • Maintained excellent customer relationships, with ##% repeat business.
  • Negotiated a contract for $$ million with the CEO of a new account

These bullets require a little more data on the job seeker’s performance.  This extra information makes a huge impact, though.  Not only do they help the job seeker stand out by themselves, they provide the background that validates and reinforces the awards that the job seeker had listed. 

Objective: One More Challenge

We received a resume last week with an objective statement that is almost humorous, except that it will probably hurt the job seeker’s chance to find a job.  Here’s the objective:

To utilize my technical and management skills acquired over the last 36 years for one more challenge.

Now, this objective misses the mark on a few counts.  First, it’s completely general.  It says the job seeker wants a job – not much more. 

Second, it highlights the job seeker’s age.  Will this hurt the job seeker?  I don’t know.  Discriminating on the basis of age is illegal and wrong, so hopefully this won’t hurt this individual.  If it doesn’t hurt, it still won’t help.  Stating that the job seeker has 36 years of experience doesn’t add much value (especially since it doesn’t say what the experience is). 

Finally, it conveys that the job seeker does not intend to have a lengthy tenure in their next position.  Stating that they are looking for “one more challenge” leaves me with the impression that they are biding their time until retirement and intend to have a short tenure.  Finding, hiring and training new employees are expensive and time consuming activities.  You should not give the impression that you are not going to stick around long enough for a company to recoup their costs.  Another individual, regardless of age or background that conveys an image of stability and loyalty will have an edge over this individual. 

Now, picture a hiring manager that is looking at two to three hundred resumes for a position.  They only have a limited amount of time – maybe an hour or two.  So they need to screen several resumes every minute.  It’s likely that this individual will get screened out after reading just the objective statement.  There’s nothing that will cause the reader to want to read more and there is a big signal that they job seeker will not stick around long.  No matter how good the rest of the resume is (and it’s pretty good) there’s a good chance it won’t be read.

Resume Language

An often overlooked element of every resume is the choice of verbs. Although most job seekers try to write a resume that will make an impact and have a strong impression, a large number fail at this. To maximize the effectiveness of your resume, you need to choose verbs with impact.

The typical bullets in the work experience section falls into one of three categories: No Verb, Weak Verbs, or Strong Verbs.

No Verbs

Some job seekers put bullets under their work experience that don’t have a verb. Typically, these are general responsibilities. Having responsibility for something says nothing about an individual’s success or potential in that role. Use of these should be minimized.

Examples:

  • Responsible for…

  • Ability to…

  • Strong experience with…

  • Accomplished at…

Weak Verbs

Passive voice and low impact verbs are slight step up from not having a verb, but they’re still not great. Typically, they focus on responsibilities and not accomplishments. The main problem with these is that they do little to differentiate one job seeker from another. Use of these should be limited.

Examples:

  • Charged with…

  • Reported to…

  • Interacted with…

  • Provided…

  • Monitored…

  • Oversaw…

  • Managed…

  • Assisted with…

Strong Verbs

Writing with strong verbs will do several things for your resume. First, it will sound better and less wishy-washy. Second, it will focus the reader on what you did, not what you were responsible for. Finally, it will force you to include examples of your accomplishments. Where possible, you should use strong verbs.

Examples:

  • Achieved…

  • Sold…

  • Designed…

  • Exceeded…

  • Implemented…

  • Streamlined…

  • Improved…

  • Saved…

  • Grew sales…

  • Reduced costs…

Try to use strong verbs and language that makes an impact. It will help your resume stand out. Just remember one thing, the choice of verb is only a component of writing an effective resume. Using a strong verb doesn’t guarantee that a bullet will make an impact. The key is providing examples of your success.

The Laundry List

At the top of a resume I received recently was a laundry list of “Areas of Expertise”:

Areas of Expertise

  • Operations / Manufacturing
  • P&L Responsibility
  • Business Plans / Operating Budgets
  • Business Development
  • Bid Estimates / Contract Negotiation
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Six Sigma Methodologies
  • Consolidation / Organization Development
  • Supply Chain / Purchasing
  • Market Research
  • Product Development
  • Outsourcing / Reverse Sourcing

This is something I see a lot. Job seekers listing keywords that they think will get attention. The problem is that it doesn’t set you apart. There is nothing here that says that the job seeker is good at at any of these.

Now, I’m a proponent of having a skills section that is a laundry list of keywords – so why is this bad?

The target audience for the skills section is a computer – specifically the database system your resume may have to get through with a lot of large companies. These databases look for keywords, so you better have them.

The problem with this resume is that they keyword list was at the top. The top of the first page of your resume is the most valuable real estate – far too important to waste on a keyword list.

Chronological or Functional

The structure of your resume can play a big role in determining how effective it is. In our 2008 Benchmarking Survey, we found that approximately one third of all job seekers make the wrong choice.

There are four main questions you need to answer to select the right structure:

  1. Are you new to the workforce?

  2. Are you changing careers or staying in the same career field?

  3. How many different jobs have you had?

  4. Are you in a highly technical field?

If you are just entering the workforce, a chronological resume isn’t an option. You don’t have a history to detail chronologically. What you can do is provide information on you education and experience. This could include school activities, volunteer work and internships. Organizing this experience around key skills (or functions) will highlight your potential.

If you are staying in the same career field, a chronological resume is usually the best bet. Your background should show a natural progression towards the position you are seeking. You want to highlight this progression.

If you are changing career fields, your progression will not as strong a selling point. Instead, your skills and potential will make you stand out. This is where a functional resume can really help.

The number of jobs you have held can play a role in your choice. Individuals with long careers, independent consultants, and individuals that move from project to project may find that there are too many positions to do each justice. In this case, a functional resume can highlight your career achievements.

Finally, individuals, in highly technical fields where technical proficiency is more important than anything else, may find a functional resume highlights their experience best.

Six Elements of a Strong Accomplishment

On Monday, I said that an accomplishment is an activity that demonstrates your skill, performance, aptitude or potential. The key is showing a hiring manager what you can accomplish for them.

A strong accomplishment has six elements that need to be present:

  • Clear – The reader needs to be able to understand what the accomplishment is

  • Concise – As we everything else in a resume, don’t expect the reader to read lengthy text

  • Specific – The more specific the accomplishment, the better

  • Your Role – What responsibility and authority did you have

  • How – What were the activities you did

  • Benefit – What was the benefit to your employer

The key to presenting an impressive accomplishment is meeting all six of these requirements. To do this, you need to include a little more information than is usually provided.

Most people provide accomplishments that are clear and concise. Although still common, being specific is an area of opportunity for some. Listing what the role of the person and the activities that they performed is usually missing. Finally, the benefit to the employer is often left since it is assumed to be clear. For some accomplishments, this is easy to see – saving a lot of money through process re-engineering implies you could save a lot of money for the company you are applying to. Other accomplishments may be less obvious and need more of an explanation.

Your Role and Activities

I see resumes all the time that make the mistake of not providing enough information with the accomplished. Delivering a dollar amount of cost savings, even if the amount is very large, doesn’t mean much in isolation. What did you do to achieve the results? Did commodity prices drop due to nothing you did and you’re taking credit? Expect the reader of your resume to be a little skeptical of any claims you make. Give enough detail that they want to learn the specifics.

Check back Friday for real examples of accomplishments with an assessment of each.