Resume Objective: Should I Include One?
There are so many different formats you can use for a resume that it may seem a little stressful to try to pick the one that works best for you. Do you use a template provided by word processing software? Do you download a template from the internet? Do you borrow your friend's resume and just fill it in with your information?
You have a lot of questions, and an internet search might leave you feeling even more frustrated with the process. And after all that reading, you've probably come up with yet another question: should my resume include an objective?
Well, here's where you're going to get your answer to at least that question. Sort of.
You're probably looking for a simple "yes" or "no," but that's not what you're going to get here. Instead, you need to do a little thinking and a little reading, and then come to the conclusion on your own.
First of all, what kind of job are you looking for right now? Is it just a job to help pay the bills and keep you off the streets, or are you looking for a real career? If you're filling out an application for the local coffeehouse or a retail store so you can get some part-time hours, they're probably not going to care one way or another whether your resume includes an objective.
But if you're talking about a career, even if you're just applying to an entry-level position, a resume objective is a fantastic way to describe your skills and your aspirations when it comes to a particular job.
If you're just graduating from college or some other sort of educational program, an objective helps to bolster your resume, since it may not have much else on it.
Similarly, if you're changing careers, an objective will help explain to a potential employer why he/she should hire you, even if your job history does not seem to, at first glance, match the job for which you are applying. An objective helps to explain, for instance, why a person with 12 years' experience in construction suddenly thinks he/she is capable of being hired as a hairstylist.
And if you can make that one work, forget applying to that job. Just start hiring out your services as a resume writer, because you have a way with words, my friend.
