As a job seeker, you know getting a job isn’t easy. Even with the increase in salary information, thanks to new pay transparency laws, finding a job that suits your talents is challenging.
Now it’s time to start writing your resume, which means deciding if you’ll add optional sections like an objective statement. An objective can add valuable information, but knowing when to include one is tricky. Plus, a career objective is often confused with a resume summary.
We’ll tell you the differences between the two, and we’ll help you write an objective that highlights the best parts of your resume. Whether you’re currently building your resume or wondering where to start, we’ve got the answers you need to write an amazing objective.
Resume Objective in a Nutshell
First: What is a resume objective? Well, it’s basically a snapshot of your best and most relevant expertise, given the position you’re hoping to snag. The primary purpose of your career objective is to quickly highlight your relevant skills and alignment with the specific company’s values and/or goals.
You want to ensure that any recruiter or potential employer sees why it would be ridiculous not to hire you! Your objective should hook the reader, persuading them to continue reviewing your resume—and, ultimately, shoot you an email or a phone call.
How do I know the difference between a resume objective and a summary?
Don’t worry if you’re confused about whether an objective or resume summary is the best choice for your resume. They’re pretty similar, and their contents can overlap quite a bit depending on the applicant, so there’s no need to overthink it! Still, there are a couple of differences to keep in mind if you’re struggling to decide:
Resume objective:
If you’re either switching careers or just starting in your field, then an objective statement could be the perfect intro to let employers know you’re the right pick. Resume objectives should stay between two and three sentences and focus on your short-term career goals and how you’re qualified to start pursuing them.
Resume summary:
A summary, which is also two or three sentences, usually best fits folks with more experience within their career. This statement summarizes a candidate’s extensive skills and work history. The resume summary could be your ideal option if you want to progress in a career where you’ve already experienced success.
Do I Need a Resume Objective?
To start, consider whether you need an objective at all. Any stellar resume will fall at a page, and you’ll need to make every bit of space count. So, it’s essential to consider whether your objective will add value to your resume or just waste space.
An objective generally suits those who are entry-level or are changing careers. This statement summarizes a candidate’s most relevant, job-specific skills and identifies why they want to work for a target business.
Adding a resume objective could be wise if you want to break into a new career, show the employer you genuinely desire to work for their business, or resourcefully fill up a little extra white space.
Resume objectives can add value if:
- You’re an entry-level candidate
- Your work history is light
- You’ve decided to make a career change
But when should you discard the objective statement entirely?
Keep in mind that, on average, hiring managers spend just over seven seconds reviewing your resume before determining whether they’ll take a closer look. That’s a narrow window, so if your resume errs on the side of generic or bland, omitting it is best.
How to Write an Objective for a Resume
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, especially if this is your first time writing your resume objective statement. Luckily, seeing samples of how others have handled similar obstacles can help—just remember to inject your personality and make each objective statement as unique as you are. And while comparing others’ statements to your own, ask yourself: “Which of my achievements look the most impressive?”
Plus, we’ve got a fantastic formula for you that will further uncomplicate things:
The process is as easy as X + Y + Z = Eye-catching resume objective!
X = Your characteristics and personality traits
Y = Years of experience and quantified success/results
Z = How these results apply to the specific job role
Keep this formula in mind, and you’ll surprise yourself with professional and engaging results like the objective below:
X = Ambitious, adaptable, eager, self-motivated, and efficient
Y = 2 years of intern experience within the field, learned skills/experience
Z = Technical and soft skills tie in with forging strong teams and client connections
7 ingredients to resume objective success
Not sure where to start? Check out these seven tips on how to add the maximum value to your resume objective and launch yourself into the top 20 percent of job applicants who actually get interviewed for a single job:
Don’t worry if this is a little overwhelming at first glance! Many job seekers linearly work through their resumes, but save your objective for last, even though it appears first. Once you fine-tune other sections, it’ll be easier to pinpoint choice details to fill in the formula and complete your perfect objective. (And who says you have to nail your statement the first time you write it?! Go through as many iterations as you need when you outline your resume.)
1. Inject your personality
Bonus points if you tie your personality traits in with the company’s values through skillful word choices! No one wants to read a bland resume objective that doesn’t connect the person with the company—they want to know who they’re hiring.
2. Lead with strengths
These strengths could be notable projects or extensive educational background for entry-level applicants or graduates. For anyone changing careers, include successes like past work projects that demonstrate overlapping skills/values with the role you’re currently seeking. Mention relevant certifications in your objective, too!
3. Minimize personal pronouns and contractions
Details like these may seem inconsequential and even helpful when trying to save space, but they can make your resume too informal. Also, referring to yourself instead of your skills can make it seem like you’re only interested in what the company will do for you.
(Hint: Gauge the company’s tone in its job description and website. You can get away with contractions more readily with informal companies).
4. Keep it at two or three sentences
Again, resume space is invaluable! Make the most of this real estate by ensuring your objective is long enough to provide eye-catching value but short enough that it won’t get skipped. Save the details for writing a cover letter. Critique it visually, too—how does it look on the page?
5. Talk about your relevant skills
Revisit the job listing for crucial skills that match your expertise and leverage that in your objective statement.
6. State why you’re interested and why you fit the role
Other skilled applicants undoubtedly applied for this same role—so what makes you the right fit? Mentioning why you’re interested in the position and how you’re a good match will help you stand out from the crowd.
7. Use a resume template that gives you the option to include an objective
Why reinvent the wheel? All our free Google Docs resume templates have space for your objective. Take advantage of a resume template (you can edit the one just below!) already laid out for your specific needs rather than dealing with the frustration of a template breaking because you tried to add one.
Middle School History Teacher Resume
Common resume objective roadblocks
If you’re struggling, remember that starting in the wrong place is a common but avoidable pitfall: many applicants try writing their objective first, only to find they don’t know where to begin. Lessen your stress by drafting the rest of your resume first. Writing a quality resume objective will become easier once your qualifications are laid out on the table.
Since your objective needs to take up so little space, get selective while skimming the cream of the crop from your resume bullet points. What previous roles resulted in your most impressive contributions to a company? Put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes and think of what they’d want in their next hire, then write your objective based on your most dazzling selling points.
Return to our objective samples in this post anytime you need some inspiration. You can also better prepare with a resume outline. Planning out the arrangement of your background and skills will simplify filling out your resume when the time comes.
Resume objective knockouts, hopefuls, and wannabes
To give you some examples of what we’ve been talking about, let’s look at a mock job description for a data scientist and compare three resume objective statements to see what passes muster.
Data scientist job description example:
Currently seeking a remote data scientist for Infinity Solars who is self-starting, innovative, and skilled with various data tools to design/create predictive customer behavioral models. Must be able to translate data for all levels of communication to support leadership groups, give team members actionable business insights, and lead machine-learning algorithm development. Must exhibit exceptional critical thinking skills by gauging the effectiveness and accuracy of data quality and mining techniques.
Now, let’s see how these example resume objective statements stack up:
Wannabe
I can definitely talk to people since I just got out of college for biology. I’m good with group projects and know a lot about computers.
Why it’s not a winner: Leave out bland objectives like this one, which lacks the valuable info necessary to justify taking up space. What kind of job is this even for?
Hopeful
I love solar power and could use my background in data analysis to help your company. I’m also a big team player and have plenty of qualifying technical skills.
Why it’s just okay: At least there’s some personality here, although it’s a little informal. This candidate should also specify skills that would benefit the specific company.
Knockout: Check out our example!
Why it’s great: Nice—personality traits and skills that align with the job description! We also see years of experience with well-rounded skills that would benefit the company, presented with compelling and enthusiastic word choices.
3 Resume Objectives That Are General but Not Generic
Keeping a few general (but not generic!) resume objective statements nearby enables you to customize your resume at any time quickly! Take a look at these general examples and note how to make them specific to you:
Make resume objective #1 specific to you by:
- Speaking to the exact obstacles the company mentions in its job ad
- Mentioning the company name
Make resume objective #2 specific to you by:
- Mentioning your relevant educational or professional background
- Connecting your goals with the company’s
Make resume objective #3 specific to you by:
- Mentioning a notable company from your extensive experience
- Presenting your abilities as solutions to company obstacles
7 Resume Objective Examples by Career Stage
The current stage of your career journey is crucial regarding the tone of your resume objective—a senior-level candidate who’s changing careers, for example, should sound different from a fresh graduate.
See what we mean?
1. Entry-level resume objective
Entry-level resume examples >>
2. No experience resume objective
3. Internship resume objective
4. Changing locations resume objective
5. Student resume objective
Graduate student resume examples >>
College student resume examples >>
High school student resume examples >>
6. College graduate resume objective
College graduate resume examples >>
MBA resume examples >>
7. Changing careers resume objective
20 Resume Objective Examples Tailored to the Job Description
Now that you’ve made it this far, we’ve put together 20 more resume objectives—specific to various professions—so you can see how they exemplify our tips and tricks from earlier!
1. Accountant resume objective
Accountant job description key details:
- Critical thinking and adept organizational skills, especially concerning client information and records
- Information gathering and the ability to handle large data sets
- Strong ethics and integrity with sensitive personal information
Accountant resume objective:
Why this resume works
- This candidate addresses skills emphasized in the job description while injecting personality and enthusiasm for the role.
- They also make up for their limited background experience by focusing on the skills that will make them great accountants while demonstrating an eagerness to learn.
Accountant resume examples >>
Accountant cover letter examples >>
2. Attorney resume objective
Attorney job description key details:
- Ability to handle fast-paced and high-stress settings
- Compassionate and caring
- Logical and creative
Attorney resume objective:
Why this resume works
- Applicant leads in with necessary and location-specific qualifications and knowledge.
- The objective mentions compassion and determination to find justice, tying these values with the organization by name.
Attorney resume examples >>
Attorney cover letter examples >>
3. Business analyst resume objective
Business analyst job description key details:
- Analyze, evaluate, and improve business processes
- Incredible communication and listening skills
- Detail-oriented, innovative, and technically competent
Business analyst resume objective:
Why this resume works
- This candidate uses language from the company site to exhibit relevance despite having limited professional experience.
- Applicant quickly provides experience and desirable skills that mirror the job description.
Business analyst resume examples >>
Business analyst cover letter examples >>
4. Customer service resume objective
Customer service job description key details:
- Critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving abilities
- Flexible and adaptable
- Dependable team player
Customer service resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The candidate shows efficiency by quickly laying out experience and applicable skills.
- This resume objective responds directly to the company’s mission statement in both phrasing and qualification choices.
Customer service resume examples >>
Customer service cover letter examples >>
5. Data analyst resume objective
Data analyst job description key details:
- Exemplary analytical and data gathering skills
- Ability to translate large data sets into actionable points
- Monitor KPIs and generate reader-friendly reports
Data analyst resume objective:
Why this resume works
- This candidate may not have traditional work experience but leverages freelance work to prove knowledge and impact.
- It’s a good idea to tie your qualifications to the company’s mission statements, just like this applicant shows how their skill set will benefit the organization.
Data analyst resume examples >>
Data analyst cover letter examples >>
6. Data engineer resume objective
Data engineer job description key details:
- Mine data via modern tools and programming languages
- Ideas for innovative and creative solutions
- Teamwork and strong collaboration skills
Data engineer resume objective:
Why this resume works
- Work culture and environment are casual here, so the candidate matches this tone.
- The candidate emphasizes teamwork and other skills emphasized in the job description.
Data engineer resume examples >>
Data engineer cover letter examples >>
7. Data scientist resume objective
Data scientist job description key details:
- Understanding of how to apply scientific methods to data analysis
- Ability to translate large data sets into actionable points
- Use algorithms KPIs to generate business insights
Data scientist resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The applicant doesn’t have tons of experience, but they dive right into their educational and technical qualifications to make up for it.
- The tone of this resume objective mirrors that of Barilla’s company culture, and it pulls in some unique phrasing from their website.
Data scientist resume examples >>
Data scientist cover letter examples >>
8. Graphic designer resume objective
Graphic designer job description key details:
- Creativity and technical ability
- Strong understanding of how to captivate customers with visual media
- Ability to think outside of the box and implement new ideas within the creative team
Graphic designer resume objective:
Why this resume works
- While the candidate’s field is creative, Felicity’s tone is professional, so the objective statement reflects this.
- We see qualifications right out the gate, followed by a strong tie-in with company values.
Graphic designer resume examples >>
Graphic designer cover letter examples >>
9. Human resources (HR) resume objective
Human resources (HR) job description key details:
- Policy adherence, problem-solving, and conflict resolution
- Super communication while educating employees and handling paperwork
- Hiring and intake process
Human resources resume objective:
Why this resume works
- We immediately see language pulled from the company site and key skills from the job description.
- The candidate then brings in personal traits that make them an ideal fit for the role.
Human resources (HR) resume examples >>
Human resources (HR) cover letter examples >>
10. Nursing resume objective
Nursing job description key details:
- Checking, recording, and reporting patient vitals
- Compassionate and caring bedside manner
- Resilience during long shifts and difficult situations
Nurse resume objective:
Why this resume works
- This candidate covers all the key points from the job description perfectly.
- The applicant also explicitly mentions the job setting by name.
Nursing resume examples >>
Nursing cover letter examples >>
11. Operations manager resume objective
Operations manager job description key details:
- Increase profits by improving efficiency
- Leadership and administration
- Strategizing and problem-solving
Operations manager resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The applicant establishes a personal connection with Hilldrup and provides valuable skills.
- This candidate may not have much experience to share, but they demonstrate specific abilities from the job description and reference the company mission statement.
Operations manager resume examples >>
Operations manager cover letter examples >>
12. Product manager resume objective
Product manager job description key details:
- Ensuring congruence between products and company strategy/goals
- Ability to oversee all functions and aspects of a product’s lifecycle
- Communication, collaboration, and facilitation
Product manager resume objective:
Why this resume works
- All the key “skill categories” are covered! This candidate sounds well-rounded and capable.
- The applicant also references the company vision and specific nuances from the job description.
Product manager resume examples >>
Product manager cover letter examples >>
13. Program manager resume objective
Program manager job description key details:
- Leadership, delegation, and coordination abilities
- Planning, guiding, and driving projects to enhance the company’s portfolio
- Policy adherence and optimization
Program manager resume objective:
Why this resume works
- This applicant may be an intern, but they nail the ideal attitude of a confident program manager.
- We see plenty of key terms from the job description with a little spark of personality from the company site.
Program manager resume examples >>
Program manager cover letter examples >>
14. Project manager resume objective
Project manager job description key details:
- Ability to work cross-functionally with multiple departments
- Planning, guiding, and driving projects to enhance the company’s portfolio
- Policy adherence and optimization
Project manager resume objective:
Why this resume works
- Applicant makes up for limited-to-no professional experience by diving into powerful, relevant skills.
- Key phrasing from goals on the company site also makes an appearance.
Project manager resume examples >>
Project manager cover letter examples >>
15. Recruiter resume objective
Recruiter job description key details:
- Interpersonal skills and an eye for talent
- Strong decision-making and organizational skills
- Ability to guide new hires through onboarding
Recruiter resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The soft skills are strong here and immediately tie in with other impressive qualifications.
- The candidate references the company’s name, goals, and mission statement.
Recruiter resume examples >>
Recruiter cover letter examples >>
16. Sales resume objective
Sales job description key details:
- Team leadership abilities and ability to self-motivate
- Ability to research and analyze market trends
- Familiarity with software as it applies to customer assistance and troubleshooting
Sales associate resume objective:
Why this resume works
- We see relevant personality traits, skills, and experience immediately.
- The candidate ties personal abilities and past experience with a brand-new role and the company vision.
Sales resume examples >>
Sales cover letter examples >>
17. Scrum master resume objective
Scrum Master job description key details:
- Ability to serve as the point of contact for external communication
- Results-driven personality and ability to pinpoint areas for improvement
- Adaptability while teaching and adhering to Agile/Scrum values and empowering team members
Scrum master resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The applicant’s personality shines through as they highlight personal skill growth.
- The tone of this resume objective is ambitious and knowledgeable.
Scrum Master resume examples >>
Scrum Master cover letter examples >>
18. Social media manager resume objective
Social media manager job description key details:
- Ability to strategize, plan, and execute ad campaigns
- Knack for keeping up with market trends
- Increase target audience reach via analytics and targeting
Social media manager resume objective:
Why this resume works
- This candidate gets straight to the point, citing an impressive metric and relating it to the company.
- Worthington’s company vision also makes an appearance. Nice!
Social media manager resume examples >>
Social media manager cover letter examples >>
19. Software engineer resume objective
Software engineer job description key details:
- Engineering mindset applied to software development
- Analyze, enhance, and test existing software and code
- Creativity while engineering new programming solutions
Software engineer resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The candidate mirrors the conversational, storytelling tone of the company site and pulls specific phrases from its vision statements.
- Technical skills and a go-getter attitude make up for a sparse professional history.
Software engineer resume examples >>
Software engineer cover letter examples >>
20. Teacher resume objective
Teacher job description key details:
- Fantastic communication and listening skills
- Ability to pleasantly keep control of the room
- Organization and record-keeping abilities
Teacher resume objective:
Why this resume works
- The applicant leads with a robust set of personal qualities that demonstrate the ideal archetype of a caring teacher.
- The candidate highlights how their skills will benefit people at the school where they apply.
30 More Job-Specific Resume Objectives
While you look through these next 30 resume objective samples, imagine they’re tailored to a specific job description—and look for ways you can do the same while writing your own.
1. Account manager resume objective
2. Barista resume objective
3. Chef resume objective
4. Computer science resume objective
5. Construction worker resume objective
6. Consulting resume objective
7. Dentist resume objective
8. Electrician resume objective
9. Front desk receptionist resume objective
10. Full-stack engineer resume objective
11. Hostess resume objective
12. Medical assistant resume objective
13. Network engineer resume objective
14. Personal trainer resume objective
15. Pharmacist resume objective
16. Product owner resume objective
17. Programmer resume objective
18. Real estate agent resume objective
19. Truck driver resume objective
20. Web developer resume objective
21. High school student resume objective
22. Stay at home mom resume objective
23. Server resume objective
24. Nanny resume objective
25. Data entry resume objective
26. Marketing resume objective
27. Teacher assistant resume objective
28. Caregiver resume objective
29. Social worker resume objective
30. Dental assistant resume objective
On a resume, your objective is your goal. Where do you want to be in your field, and what qualifying skills, personal traits, or experiences will help you get there? How does the next step in your career journey relate to the job description? How do your professional goals benefit the company you’re connecting with?
A good objective statement tells readers why you want the job and how you can contribute if you’re hired. Your objective should also forge your first link with the company by connecting over mutual values or goals. You also want to keep things concise and avoid repeating yourself later in the resume: Keep everything fresh!
Your resume objective should state that you want the job and then make your reader want to give it to you by supporting your qualifications with a few skills. Connect with the company to demonstrate thoroughness and ambition! If you have an example of how you align with the company or have overcome one of their current obstacles, include it briefly if you have room.
It’s almost always effective to open your objective with a few skills that demonstrate your understanding of the job. (“Given my background in networking and my extensive knowledge of MongoDB, . . .”).
Then, you can segue into how your skills align with the job description of the company you’re applying to. You can also open with your personal connection to the organization’s values.
Your career objective should just be a few concise, skillfully crafted sentences! You don’t want to use too much page space, and you want recruiters to get to your attention-grabbing credentials and experiences quickly. Show your written communication skills by limiting your objective to around 30 to 50 words.
The purpose of an objective is to help entry-level candidates (or others with limited experience or a career switch on the horizon) sum up how their personal professional goals align with the company’s. Your objective should express enthusiasm for the core mission of the job role and demonstrate that you’re a strong candidate with examples.
Resume Objective Takeaways and Your Next Steps
We know it’s easy to get lost amid so many details and tidbits of information: But don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees. Refer to the above objective examples and take inspiration from our 1,000+ resume examples.
And when it’s time to write your resume objective statement, take a step back and don’t forget about our easy formula:
X + Y + Z = Eye-catching objective statement!
X = Your applicable personal characteristics and traits
Y = Years of experience and/or quantified success/results
Z = How these results (or other relevant and comparable qualifications) apply to the specific job role
This formula will be your resume objective statement’s lifesaver! If you don’t have experience yet, try to balance that out with your previous achievements or character traits that align with the company and its vision—these will show you’re a desirable hire even if you haven’t had the chance to prove it just yet.
Lastly, remember that we have plenty of other helpful tools to ensure the rest of your resume is as stunning as your objective statement! Stop by and check out our resume builder and handy resume tips. You’ve got everything you need to get started—so get ready to let yourself shine!
