"What is your career objective?" Many students go blank when they hear this question. Do you know why? Because they copied the line from someone else.
I see this often. A student finds a friend's resume, likes a beautiful line about "synergising professional skills with organisational growth", and puts it in his own resume. Then the interviewer says, "Please explain your objective." And the student has no idea what it means.
In my book I say that such students pay a heavy price for this foolishness. Let me tell you how to avoid it.
Keep it to two or three lines
A career objective is not a paragraph. It is two or three sentences and it should not take more than three lines. It is like a starter before the meal. It makes the reader hungry to read the rest.
Put it just below your name, address and contact details.
Write it for the employer
This is the point most students miss. The employer is not reading your resume to help you. He wants to know what you can do for him.
In the book I say it plainly. What the employer wants to know is what you can do for him and not what the job can do for you. So avoid phrases like "honing my skills" or "to get an opportunity to interact with". They put the focus on you.
Also, do not write what kind of company you want to work for. Do not write "a big MNC with a good working environment". Do not mention fame or pay scales. That tells the employer what you want from him, not what you will bring.
Simple is better
I give two examples in the book. The first says, "A position in bio-informatics that will provide an opportunity to make a strong contribution to organizational goals through the continued development of my professional skills." It is correct, but heavy. The person who wrote it must have excellent language skills.
The second says, "I am looking for a position where I can help the company achieve its targets by developing my professional skills and acquiring new ones." It means almost the same thing, but it is simpler. And when the interviewer asks you to explain it, you will find it easier to explain.
So the test is not which one sounds better. The test is which one you can explain, in your own words, without a pause.
For people with experience
If you have worked before, your objective can be a little more specific. It combines the position you want, the skills you wish to use and the kind of company. For example, the book gives this for a civil engineer: the position of a project engineer with a successful construction company that requires skills in field engineering, cost controlling, planning, scheduling and estimating.
For a software salesperson: a position in software sales with an organisation aiming at multiplying its customer base, with a goal to exceed sales targets while keeping excellent relations with customers.
Notice how each one speaks of what the person will deliver.
One more rule
You may put your objective in the cover letter instead of the resume. But do not put it in both. Choose one place.
Today many people call this section a "profile" or "summary". The name has changed, but the rule is the same. Short, clear and about what you will give.
Try it now
- Write one sentence on what you want to do for the company. Use the actual skill, like "apply my training in network security to protect the company's data".
- Write one sentence on how you will grow, such as "while learning new tools and taking up greater responsibility".
- Read both aloud. Cut every word you would not use while speaking to a friend.
- Give it to a friend and ask him to explain it back to you. If he cannot, you have not been clear.
If you do not feel confident of your language, take help from a friend who is better with words. But make sure the final lines are things you truly mean. They are about your aspirations, not someone else's.
This is one chapter from my book Get That Dream Job.
