Resume Objective Samples: Writing for Just a Job, or for a Career?
Regardless of whether you're applying to your dream job, or just something to tide you over until you make it big, you'll want to put a little effort into your resume. After all, your resume is the only part of you that an employer will see prior to an interview, so you need to treat it as your introduction to him/her. And the introduction to the resume is your objective statement, should you choose to include one. So it's important that you understand what you're doing with the objective, which is the introduction to your introduction.
Even if you are looking for "just a job," perhaps in a field that doesn't interest you for the long-term, you still want your resume to stand out to an employer. You want the job, even if you don't think you want it for the next 30 years, so you'll want to make the effort.
The key is, no matter what kind of job you're trying to get, to be honest. If you're applying for a position in a field that you know will not be your ultimate field, then don't write in an objective that you're attempting to secure a position that will lead to long-term potential. That's dishonest, and if anything, you should consider what happens when you need this employer for a reference for the "real" job you want down the line. If you start off by telling him/her that you want to spend the rest of your life working for the company, and then leave in six months, you're burning a bridge that you may not be able to afford to burn.
That doesn't mean, however, that you should write in your objective that you intend to leave as soon as a better offer comes along. Walk that fine line between lying about staying forever, and showing that you're ready to kick the door down the second you get the chance.
If the job you are trying to obtain is, in fact, in a field where you can see yourself thriving forever, it is a great idea to mention that in an objective. If you're starting with an entry-level position, use your objective to indicate that you want to learn the business from the ground up, so that you can succeed for many years to come. If you have some job experience in the field, and want to continue your career, long-term, at this new company, indicate that your previous experience will help you as you learn the new company and grow with it in the coming years.
Whether you're talking about a long-term or short-term job, the point of a resume objective is to let an employer know your skills and how they apply to the position for which you are applying. Be honest, be succinct, and your resume objective will go a long way to showcasing exactly who you are to a potential employer.
