Resume Objective Statements
Writing a resume can often seem like a daunting task, particularly if you've been unemployed for any length of time. Things can get extra stressful, and that's without the added stress of trying to write the perfect resume that will get you that perfect job and solve all your problems.
So, let's take it one step at a time. Though there are many different formats for a resume, many of them have one thing in common: the objective statement.
An employer knows you're sending in a resume to get a job. So, obviously that's your ultimate objective. But when an employer is sifting through hundreds of resumes to find that perfect employee, it helps when he/she can home in on some keywords that illustrate an employee's worth. And if you do the job correctly, your objective statement will contain those keywords.
Objective statements make your resume look like it was written specifically for a certain job, even though you're likely sending out dozens per day, for perhaps many different types of jobs. But a fresh statement for each one will indicate your enthusiasm for that particular job, which makes an employer all the more interested in you.
The key is to make an objective statement that is catered specifically to the job description itself. If an employer is looking for someone knowledgeable in a particular area, make sure to include that in the statement. That will be one of those keywords the employer uses to sort through all the resumes he/she receives. Don't repeat the job description word-for-word in your objective statement; that will look too obvious. Instead, try to frame it in a way that sounds like it matches the job description, without being verbatim.
Search the internet to find examples of objective statements for your field. If you're applying to a teaching position, use "teacher resume objective statement" as your keywords, for example.
Above all, remember that a resume objective statement is not a cover letter. This is not the paragraph in which you detail all your hopes and dreams about getting this job. This is simply a place where you highlight the fact that you are looking for a certain type of position and-what do you know-this employer's job description just happens to match that perfectly.
