Career Objective - A statement that presents a vision, guiding principles and future career aspirations for the prospective candidate. It also sets the tone of the entire resume. It tells the reader who you are in a single concise way that encompasses the very essence of your abilities.

Everyone knows the standard resume needs a career objective. But why? Is it because everyone assumes you have to have one? Is it because hiring managers require it? What would happen if you had the most comprehensive and impressive career objective that others were measured against?

The Career Objective should not be:

1. A meaningless set of dribble to fake out the reader 2. A set of words that have no tie to the candidate's wants, needs or desires for their future. 3. A creation of disconnected terms and ideas that have no business being put together without internal assessment

Companies need to fill positions within their organization with the best qualified individual(s). Hiring managers will review hundreds of resumes with the first 30 seconds being crucial to getting to the second stage. The face to face interview.

What would the be the best career objective for your resume?

Your career objective is a one sentence character representation of who you are and sets the stage for the message you want to deliver. - "This is who I am, who I want to be and how I will make your company successful"

There are many ways to write a career objective that begins to set you apart from other candidates in the eyes of the reader...

Let’s examine a sample job description for a Computer Analyst:

Duties and Responsibilities:

Requirements for support specialist include:

Direct support services:

• Plan, create, and coordinate support services in response to office needs.
  • Responsible for testing, quality assurance, configuration, installation, implementation, maintenance of all related support services.
  • Design, document, develop, test, install, deploy, and teach end users on the use of new and updated support software applications.

Technical assistance services on the standard office applications

• Produce a variety of documentation materials that include tables, graphs and charts
  • Provide assistance to personnel in preparation of meeting presentations.
  • Provide technical support e.g. enlarging charts and photographs, duplicating tapes and videos, and marking exhibits.
  • Operate video editing and duplicating equipment.

These sample career objectives may come from a prospective candidates that may apply:

Technical (1) - To obtain a position within an organization that will allow me to utilize my technical skills, experience and willingness to help others.

Technical (2) - To acquire a position that affords me the opportunity to bring my technical expertise, problem solving skills and willingness to learn to make an organization successful.

Career objectives are the fundamental principles the candidate brings to the table. It enables them to promote their ideals, skills and abilities that an organization can utilize for the sole purpose of growing the company. The better a candidate can articulate the message the better the chances they will be invited to interview.