Reasons to Include Objectives in Resumes
The objective on a resume can be a tricky matter. It is not one of the areas that is expected to always be on a resume, like work history or education. What that means is that adding an objective can help your resume stand out. Unfortunately, if you don’t craft a good objective, it can make the resume stand out in a bad way.
The argument against the objective on a resume is that everyone is applying for the same job, so why would you tell the potential employers something they already know? Everyone’s objective is the same, so why put it down? That’s where the mistake is. It’s true that it doesn’t do you any good to put “an entry level position in computing” as your job objective, but a well-crafted objective will not be the same as everyone else’s.
The mistake most people make in writing their objectives is to put what they want to get out of the company. They say they want an entry level position, or that they want to be a part of a professional company. They want to grow themselves, increase their knowledge, etc, etc. None of that tells the company what you can do for them. A really good objective will highlight your specific special skills and sell your abilities by telling the company what you want to do for them.
Objectives are always best when they are specific. Depending on your work history and other experience, you may not be able to be as specific as is desirable. But consider for the moment the difference between these two objectives. 1: “To increase my computing skills in a professional work environment.” 2: “To use my award-winning web-weaving talent to increase the amount of hits to [the company’s] website.” As an employer, which would peak your interest more?
It’s completely acceptable to use experiences that you write about later in your resume in your objective. Think of your objective as one more place to highlight your special skills. Those experiences and talents you have that you think set you apart from the competition. Writing a good objective will not only be a place to highlight those certain skills again, but it will also show your potential employer that you are a contributor, and that you have the ability to better the company.
All employers have their own personal preference for resume and cover letter formats. If at all possible, you should try to find out from someone in the company whether they prefer resumes to have objectives or not. But if you can’t find out for sure, it may be worth the risk of including one, especially if you have the skills to craft an exquisite resume objective, it can help you stand out from the pack and secure yourself an interview.
