Objective statement: Mistakes that can cost you the interview!

The career objective is a powerful statement that defines your overall resume, but job seekers very easily fall prey to trying to include too much in too little space or missing out the most crucial pieces of information.

Using merely one or two sentences, a career objective can convey a lot about you, your work experience and your career aspirations. Crafted effectively, the objective statement can talk about the qualifications and experience you hold, the position you are seeking, the type of organisation you aim to work for and the value you can add towards its growth.

A powerful statement that defines your overall resume should include the above points, but job seekers very easily fall prey to trying to include too much in too little space or missing out the most crucial pieces of information. Read on to know how an objective statement in your resume can lose its objectivity and more crucially your chances of being shortlisted for an interview.

All about you

You are applying for a particular vacancy since the work that the job entails matches your career profile, and will be a good move for your career graph. Well, a common mistake that candidates make is to create a glorified summary statement that gives little or no head start to the recruiter over ‘why’ they should delve deeper into your resume.

Read the job description carefully and along with customising past work experience to the vacancy requirements, orient the objective statement too towards the company’s requirements.

Making it too specific

While it is a good idea to match your career objectives with the requirements of a particular job, being too specific can also narrow your chances with openings on job portals by restricting the number of recruiters that find your profile. In such a situation, point out some key career skills in the statement.

Keeping it too general

Avoid redundant and general statements like ‘looking for a rewarding/challenging position in your esteemed organisation’. Rather than the hiring manager trying hard to figure out which role you fit in, bring clarity to the statement by including phrases like ‘Seeking senior accountant position..’.

You may also include some past experience or skill to show how you would add value to the organisation. Example: ‘Seeking Senior Accountant position to utilise auditing and project management skills and enhance profitability to company.’ Avoid generalised, ambitious phrases like ‘Seeking xyz role to further my skills and career.’ that only occupy space on resume without adding much weight to your application.

The objective statement is the opening line that must convey to the recruiter what you have to offer to the company. Create an impactful summary of your professional profile and increase your chances of securing that much awaited interview.