How to
Write A Good Job Objective
1. Avoid
job titles
Job titles
such as "Secretary" or "Marketing Analyst" can involve very different
activities in different organizations. The same job can often have different
titles in different organizations and using such a title may very well
limit your being considered for such jobs as "Office Manager" or "Marketing
Assistant." It is best to use broad categories of jobs rather than specific
titles, so that you can be considered for a wide variety of jobs related
to the skills you have. For example, instead of "Secretary" you could
say "Responsible Office Management or Clerical Position" if that is
what you would really consider - and qualify for.
2. Define
a "bracket of responsibility" to include the possibility of upward mobility.
While you
may be willing to accept a variety of jobs related to your skills, you
should include those that require higher levels of responsibility and
pay. In the example above, it keeps open the option to be considered
for an office management position as well as clerical jobs.
In effect,
you should define a 'bracket of responsibility' in your objective that
includes the range of jobs that you are willing to accept. This bracket
should include the lower range of jobs that you would consider as well
as those requiring higher levels of responsibility, up to and including
those that you think you could handle. Even if you have not handled
those higher levels of responsibility in the past, many employers may
consider you for them if you have the skills to support the objective.
3. Include
your most important skills
What are the
most important skills needed for the job you want? Consider including
one or more of these as being required in the job that you seek. The
implication here is that if you are looking for a job that requires
'Organizational Skills,' then you have those skills. Of course, your
interview (and resume) should support those skills with specific examples.
4. Include
specifics if these are important to you
If you have
substantial experience in a particular industry (such as 'Computer Controlled
Machine Tools') or have a narrow and specific objective that you really
want (such as 'Art Therapist with the Mentally Handicapped'), then it
is OK to state this. But, in so doing, realize that by narrowing your
alternatives down you will often not be considered for other jobs for
which you might qualify. Still, if that is what you want, it just may
be worth pursuing (though I would still encourage you to have a second,
more general objective just in case).
Finalize
Your Job Objective Statement
Look over
these sample
job objectives to see how others have written them. Some are very
brief, providing just a job title or category of jobs, while others
are quite long and detailed. Use your best judgement for what is right
for you.
The most
important part here is that you can clearly state what sort of a job
you want and know what kinds of skills and experiences are needed to
do well in that job. Even if you decide to change your job objective
later, it is very important that you decide on a temporary one now.
From the book
titled, "The Very Quick Job Search," by J. Michael Farr. Copyright
1996, published by JIST Works, Inc.,
Indianapolis, IN. Used with permission of the publisher. Additional photocopies
strictly prohibited.