Does you resume truly need to open with an Objective?  As no two job-applicants share the same exact career goals and work history, this is a question that candidates must answer for themselves.  However, here are some solid guidelines.

1. An objective is most beneficial if you are applying for a very specific, posted position.
2. If you are contacting the employer in an exploratory fashion, a targeted objective may work against you.  It may close the door against another position for which you are suited, and which may indeed be open, but which you had perhaps had not considered.
3. If the objective must be written broadly, be sure that it contains references to your skill sets and experience. Otherwise, the objective will come across as dull and self-serving.
4. If you decide to omit the objective in the resume, is it permissible to insert it somewhere else?  Certainly.  A cover letter is a sensible option, as is an email message accompanying your attached resume.
5. One caveat with Step Number 4.  As the cover letter and email message enable a longer discussion, if you will, be sure that you tell the employer exactly why you feel you are a perfect fit for the job.

Your ultimate objective, of course, is to secure the interview and land the job.  Help yourself to realize your goal with these tried and true tips.

The school of thought favoring the use of objectives in resumes advises that the statement serves to bring immediate focus to the resume.  For the candidate following a very well defined career path, a well-written statement of objective clarifies the nature of the position the job candidate is seeking.  If the candidate seeks a lateral move, the objective statement clarifies that fact.  Should the candidate be seeking a promotion, that too would be clearly indicated in an effective objective statement.

The other theory concerning development of an effective resume, however, is to exclude the objective statement from the document.  By excluding the objective, this school of thought postulates, the applicant removes certain restrictions from his resume.  An effectively written objective statement, as is its purpose, narrows the spectrum of potential positions for which a candidate might apply.  In order to maximize opportunities for which the resume is applicable, the exclusion of the objective statement and its replacement by a statement summarizing the candidate’s background and qualifications would make the document more relevant to more different types of opportunities.  Given the fact that the career paths of most candidates today is more serpentine than straight, beginning their resume with a summary rather than an objective makes more sense for most job seekers.

First, your resume objective should serve the purpose of headlining the resume. It should be the succinct opening salvo following your personal contact information that, in effect, titles and targets your resume.

Second, your statement of objective, like all statements on your resume, should be written as a phrase rather than a sentence. As such, it should avoid the use of personal pronouns. The subject of the resume objective is understood.

Third, your objective statement should be verb-driven. Like other statements on your resume, it should utilize action verbs to capture the attention of the reader.

Fourth, your objective should be specific. It should state the type of position and/or industry that you, as a job seeker, are targeting. For that reason, should you choose to include an objective statement on your resume, it must not be general. A generic objective statement, such as “to secure a position in which skills, experience, and education will have valuable application,” is largely meaningless and adds nothing of value to your resume.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, your resume objective should associate your qualifications with the nature and requirements of the position you are seeking. By doing so, it will entice the reader to seriously consider your candidacy for the position.

If you heed these resume writing tips in crafting your objective statement, you will create a resume objective that will stimulate reader interest and set the stage for the more detailed presentation of your qualifications that will follow.