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Over the past few years, having a simple career objective on a CV has become optional, or even outdated. However, an objective statement for a CV could still be useful under certain circumstances.
Whether you are making a career change, or applying for your first internship, writing a career objective could help explain why you are qualified for the job and show your ambition in working toward your career goals for your CV.
In this article, you will read about what is an objective in a CV, how to write a professional objective for a CV, and examples of career objectives for different jobs and circumstances.
A curriculum vitae objective is a 1-2 sentence statement of your short-term career goals and your reason for seeking employment. It is often placed at the top of your CV to capture the hiring manager’s interest.
To write an objective in a CV, there are three main elements you could include in order to explain (1) who you are, (2) what relevant experience/skills you have, and (3) how you will bring value to the company.
Here are some examples of career objectives in a CV:
While featuring an objective in a CV might be optional, there are definitely situations where including it can bring you some advantages. Let’s first understand the pros and cons of having a general CV objective.
Having a career objective in a CV could help you get recognized quickly by the hiring manager. A concise objective statement of your key skills and career goals would help the recruiters quickly recognize you as a potential candidate from thousands of other applications.
The career objective in your CV also helps to emphasize your strengths. Recruiters typically scan a CV or resume for about 6-7 seconds due to a large volume of applications. They probably won’t remember every single strength you mentioned throughout your CV. Writing a career objective in your CV would then help them quickly grasp and/or recap your strengths.
Lastly, you get the chance to highlight ATS-friendly keywords in your CV career objective, which is placed at the very top of your CV. Many companies use ATS to scan resumes and CVs for specific keywords related to the job to determine if you meet the basic qualifications. Adding those keywords into your objective statement in your CV would help you pass the ATS scanner and move on to the next step of the hiring process.
There are 3 common situations in which people would need to have a career objective in their CV:
A curriculum vitae objective explains how your previous experience and skill set would help translate into the new field you are seeking.
For students with no experience or lack of relevant degrees, a career objective would help the reader focus on your personal traits, strengths, as well as your willingness to learn in a professional setting.
If you are looking for your first professional internship, having good CV objective lines would help you stand out from other candidates. It would help the recruiters understand your skills, education, and career ambitions at a glance
If none the conditions mentioned above match your purpose, you might want to include a CV summary instead. A CV summary dives deeper into your skills and qualifications regarding the position. It is best for job seekers with an accomplished career with lots of experience and skills to share.
As the introduction of your CV, a well-written objective will help you make a good first impression. Keep these tips in mind when composing an objective for your CV:
Customize your CV according to the job description and role title to attract employers’ attention. By using the same or similar language/keywords in your objective for CV, it shows that you know what the job entails and are competent for the role.
Here’s an example of how to tailor an objective statement for your CV to the job description:
In a job description:
“XYZ Inc. is looking for an Influencer Marketing Intern for its Canada branch. Preferred students currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, journalism, or communication studies. Requirements: knowledge in multiple social media platforms, strong written and communication skills, fluent in English.”
A CV objective with keywords:
“Senior student majoring in Marketing and Journalism at The University of British Columbia. Looking to apply my project management and copywriting skills for XYZ Inc’s social media by providing efficient external communication with influencers and following various standards for different platforms.”
In most cases, the recruiters will be scanning several resumes at a time to pick the candidates with the most potentials or clear specializations to move on in the hiring process. To make your CV objective brief and concise, don’t go over three sentences or use pronouns. Remove filler words such as “a,” “the” and “like” to keep it short.
Review your CV objective to ensure the information included is relevant to the position you are applying for. The same position name in two different companies may have completely different responsibilities, so make sure you mention your transferable skills and experience that align with the job.
Here are some curriculum vitae objective samples for entry-level job seekers to consider when crafting their CVs.
“Human Resources Management graduate seeking to leverage my knowledge of employee relations and internal communication in the HR department at XYZ Inc. Looking to further develop my experience in recruitment and help XYZ Inc. achieve their hiring needs.”
“Enthusiastic Mechanical Engineering graduate looking for an entry-level opportunity to apply my skills in research, data analysis, and product design in the automobile industry.”
“Detail-oriented recent graduate with a degree in Media Communications looking to join XYZ inc. as a digital marketing assistant. Seeking to utilize my skills in public communication and project management to improve XYZ inc’s online presence.”
“Highly driven new graduate with a bachelor's degree in Finance and Risk Management seeking a position at Deloitte where I can apply my financial modeling, reporting, and forecasting skills in alignment with the company’s financial goals.”
“Recent graduate looking to utilize my technical, database, and management skills to support the organization’s growth and maintain a high customer satisfaction rate.”
“Passionate and detail-oriented Civil Engineer with experience in assisting different phases of engineering operations. Hope to join your company to provide the best quality of services following all health, safety, and environmental protocols.”
“Innovative and aspiring software engineer looking to apply my skills in designing, maintenance, and troubleshooting software programs to satisfy clients’ needs.”
“Recent Finance graduate looking to provide excellent interpersonal and communication skills by performing great customer service and maintaining existing and new relationships for your organization.”
“Aspiring programmer looking to hone my coding and software design skills through an entry-level position at XYZ inc. Highly motivated to apply my expertise in Java, Python, and C.”
Still haven’t found what you are looking for? Below we have listed curriculum vitae objective examples for various roles.
CV Career Objective for Graphic Designers Example
“Creative graphic designer seeking a position in a marketing agency to apply unique ideas and design techniques in alignment with client goals and customer satisfaction.”
Architecture Career Objective Example
“Innovative and detail-oriented Junior Architect with professional communication skills and AutoCAD design experience. Seeking a position at XYZ inc. to assist with large-scale project design and preparation of construction documents.”
CV Fashion Designer Career Objective Example
“Passionate fashion designer with an extensive understanding of fashion trends, techniques, and design tools. Looking to utilize a decade of working experience in the fashion and textile business with insights into the latest trends to achieve the company’s goals.”
CV Career Objective for Content Writer
“Articulate graduate with a B.A. in Journalism seeking to apply my strong written and communication skills as a content writer at XYZ Startup. Experienced in writing articles for beauty and tech magazines with topics tailored to target audiences.”
CV Career Objective for English Teachers
“Dedicated English teacher with 5+ years of teaching experience at XYZ elementary school, looking for a position at ABC middle school to teach advanced English and Literature for students at the corresponding ages.”
CV Career Objective for Assistant Professors
“Experienced Assistant Professor relocating to Boston in July and seeking employment at a renowned University. Possess thorough knowledge of digital teaching software and experience in assisting the Head Professor.”
CV Career Objective for Lecturers
“Professional lecturer with 5+ years of experience teaching business school undergraduates. Looking to secure a position at XYZ University to develop creativity and high-order thinking skills that increase the performance of the students and prepare them for real-world applications.”
CV Career Objective for Bank Tellers
“Trustworthy, motivated, and reliable individual looking for a position as a bank teller at a renowned financial services provider to apply professional customer service and provide optimal care when handling account transactions.”
Example of Objective in CV for Accountants
“CPA-certified accountant with experience in financial record examination. Seeking to leverage 4+ years of experience at KPMG to help XYZ startup improve their activity-based accounting system as a managerial accountant.”
CV Career Objective for Accountant Assistants
“Recent graduate with an M.A. in Accounting looking to become a Junior Accountant at XYZ Inc. Excited to apply knowledge of financial and managerial accounting from data entry to client problem-solving. Proficient in all accounting functions in Excel.”
CV Career Objective for Doctors
“Skilled pediatrician with 3+ years of medical service in XYZ Hospital looking to provide exceptional service at XYZ Clinic. Committed to giving practical health care to patients while being a good listener to their concerns.”
CV Career Objective for Nurses
“Passionate and caring RN graduate seeking to help XYZ Hospital to provide high standard patient care with a strong work ethic. Experienced working in high-stress environments with exceptional communication skills and a good team player.”
CV Career Objective for Pharmacy Tech
“Result-driven and self-motivated individual seeking a position in a health care clinic as a medical receptionist to provide medical advice and professional support to patients and clinical staff members.”
CV Career Objective for Mechanical Engineers
“Enthusiastic Mechanical Engineering graduate looking for an entry-level opportunity to apply my skills in research, data analysis, and product design in the automobile industry.”
Electrical Engineering Career Objective Example
“Licensed electrical engineer with a solid safety record seeking a position to apply my skills in project management, system design, troubleshooting, and interpersonal communication.”
Example of Electrician Career Objective in CV
“Experienced electrician looking for a role to apply my knowledge in installing electrical systems, testing equipment, repairing malfunctions, and ensuring the safety of the users.”
CV Career Objective of Marketing Executive
“Accomplished leader in holistic marketing communications and brand management seeking a position as a marketing executive at XYZ inc. Hoping to bring in 5+ years of experience and industry insights to help achieve clients’ goals and perspectives.”
Sales Executive Career Objective Example
“Dedicated and ambitious sales professional with proven results in achieving high client satisfaction ratings and exceeding profit goals. Seeking a sales manager position in a fast-paced technology company to apply my skills in directing sales teams and working with multiple client accounts at once.”
Customer Service CV Objective Example
“Diligent customer support representative with 2+ years of experience working at a high-volume call center. Seeking to leverage a fast-paced work ethic with top-rated problem-solving skills to help DHL Express call center grow and meet future demand.”
Driver CV Objective Example
“Self-sufficient and trustworthy driver seeking a position of commercial vehicle driver to apply my skills in transporting heavy machinery and goods, monitoring vehicle operation, and providing proficient customer service. Holds all necessary driver licensure in the United States.”
Security Guard CV Objective Example
“Hardworking and reliable individual looking to be employed as a security guard at XYZ Apartment with experience enforcing regulations, preserving order, and contributing to systematic safety protocols to ensure a safe and positive atmosphere.”
CV Career Objective for Waiters
“Detail-oriented and hardworking individual with 3+ years of catering experience seeking to apply for the position as a waiter at XYZ Restaurant. Looking to provide excellent customer service and efficient problem-solving skills while thriving in a high-stress environment.”
CV Career Objective for Safety Officers
“Experienced security guard looking to obtain a position as a safety officer to apply my managerial and leadership skills to guide and overlook new security guards at XYZ inc, while ensuring all safety measures are met and problems are solved systematically.”
CV Career Objectives in Hotel Management
“Experienced hotel manager trained in Switzerland looking to apply my managerial skills in overlooking employee customer service and planning each aspect of hotel services in alignment with XYZ Resort’s goals and brand image.”
Flight Attendant Career Objective Example
“Personable and professional flight attendant with 5+ years of experience flying at an international airline seeking a position as a flight attendant with a larger commercial airline to provide superior customer support and services to passengers, and work efficiently with different teams.”
Lawyer Career Objective for CV Example
“10+ years of progressive experience in the legal industry seeking to secure a position as a lawyer at XYZ tech company to apply knowledge of government regulations, laws, and legal codes to deal with cybersecurity issues and risk prevention.”
CV Career Objective for Web Developers
“Quality-focused and results-driven professional seeking a leading web developer position where I can utilize my 5 years of expertise to enhance the user experience of your e-commerce website and applications.”
CV Career Objective for Network Engineer
“Strategically-minded network engineer with 3+ years of experience looking to join XYZ Corporation to help operate the company's data communications systems and develop new business solutions.”
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--- Originally written by Sandy Tuo ---