Career Objective is always placed at the beginning of a resume. What’s the purpose? Does it more benefit to reader or application? Is it appropriate to tell reader what the applicant would like to have or to be? Shouldn’t it limit applicant’s opportunity to have an interview?
Unfortunately, a straight answer is not available. One circumstance cannot be perfectly applied to another. The drawbacks of stating the career objective must be carefully individually considered; some of which are as follows:
· Target position if stated too narrow will limit our opportunity for better position.
· The industry we’d like to concentrate may have nothing to offer.
· Our career profile and/or work responsibilities clearly explain our field, and thus stating the objective will be unnecessary or superfluous repetition; the unfavorable situation that can make us be valued inefficient.
· The prospective employer is only interested in someone with flexible responsibilities.
· Too firm statement of objective could be a reflection of our arrogance or inadaptability.
· Less rigid statement however may put us being judged lack of self-determination.
The disadvantages of career objective seemingly exceed the benefits, and we may then assume of removing such statement from our resume. But wait! What if our current career profile or work responsibilities do not satisfactorily explain who we are and what we plan to be? What if we lack of particular experience but are eager to concentrate in the field? What if we have a strong self-determination of specific career development? What if we are in true need of emphasizing our target?
In conclusion, a career objective may serve more an applicant’s interest rather than prospective employer’s, and a question of whether or not to state a career objective finally depends on the applicant himself. |
