The first step to creating a high-impact resume is determining what you're trying to accomplish. With a clearly defined career objective, you can write a resume that conveys the experience, skills and training that best serve your overall professional aspiration.

Hiring managers are busy folks who can't afford to waste any time trying to figure out what your career goals are. They won't take the time to do this; they'll just move on to the next resume.

Do You Need an Objective Section?

While it's important for your resume to include a clear career goal, you don't have to convey it through an Objective section. The majority of job seekers may incorporate their career goals into a Qualifications Summary instead.

For example, a candidate led her qualifications summary as follows:

Talented and dependable secretary, skilled in all aspects of office management within nonprofit environments.

Her summary continued to relay her key qualifications for an administrative position, but her introductory line enabled hiring managers to immediately recognize her goal. If you are on a steady career track, incorporating your objective into a summary sends the message "this is who I am," rather than "this is who I'd like to be when I grow up."

When you build your resume on Monster, you can use the Objective field to present your qualifications summary.

When Is a Formal Objective Required?

Career changers and entry-level workers should consider incorporating their objectives into their resumes, because their goals may not be clearly defined by their work history alone. If you're targeting a particular position, add a formal objective statement and reference the job opening. The hiring manager will see you took time to customize your resume and the opportunity is important to you.

Sample Objectives

For Career Changers: Accomplished administrator seeking to leverage extensive background in personnel management, recruitment, employee relations and benefits administration in an entry-level human resources position. Extremely motivated for career change goal and eager to contribute to a company's HR division.

Entry-level Workers: Dedicated CIS graduate pursuing a helpdesk-support position.

When Targeting a Specific Position: Elementary teacher for ABC School District.

Tips for Writing Your Own

• Focus on how you would benefit the employer, not on how the employer would benefit you. Stay away from objectives that state your working preferences, such as "seeking a team-oriented environment that fosters professional development."
• Don't be vague. Steer clear from statements that say nothing substantial about your career goal (e.g., "seeking a challenging position with potential for growth and advancement").
• Keep it concise and targeted. Hiring managers often sort through hundreds to thousands of resumes to fill one job opening. Make it easy on them by keeping your objective short and to the point. The best objectives contain a desired job title or target.
• If you have more than one career goal, create a different resume version for each objective. Remember, you can store up to five resumes on Monster.