How do you write an objective for a resume

An objective on a resume (also called a career objective or objective statement) is a resume introduction that addresses a specific job ad, acting as a career mission statement by introducing the skills and qualifications you can bring to a position.

How do you write an objective for a resume

General Resume Objective Example for Multiple Jobs

How do you write an objective for a resume

You can skip ahead to the 54 other resume objective examples we have to show you, or keep reading to learn how to write one:

How to write an objective for a resume (with examples for students and recent graduates)

In the following video our resident expert and Certified Professional Resume Writer, Aaron Case, breaks down everything you need to know about how to write an effective resume objective (but if you’d prefer to read about it, keep scrolling):

To write a good resume objective, first research the company and think about how your personal background (experience, skills, education, and interests) makes you the best fit for the role. Why should the specific company hire you for that job opening? What makes you better than other applicants?

Tip

If you want to save time, you can also have an objective written for you by using an online resume maker.

Once you determine which of your information is most likely to stand out to the employer, summarize it in three sentences, like this:

  • First sentence: Self-introduction where you mention your years of relevant experience (if any) and degree or level of education
  • Second sentence: Your most job-relevant hard and soft skills
  • Third sentence: The role you’re targeting and how you plan to help the company achieve its goals

Here are example resume objectives written for a college graduate resume, a college student resume, and a high school resume. They’re color-coded to show how each sentence aligns with the writing guidelines above:

Recent college graduate resume objective example

Recent college graduate with a BA in English Literature and six months of international internship experience. Dedicated worker skilled at data entry and taking dictation. Seeking to leverage acquired academic knowledge and work experience to effectively fill AZZ Inc’s open Office Clerk position.

College student resume objective example

Motivated college junior with 2+ years’ experience volunteering as an ESL tutor. Became the most-requested tutor at the ESL center thanks to my ability to quickly identify students’ needs and develop efficient solutions. Excited to bring these skills to College Prep Corp’s part-time Tutor position.

High school resume objective example

Hard-working student (3.5/4.0 GPA) with proven leadership and organizational skills, and strong attention to detail developed in multiple AP classes. Team player who can be relied upon to help with administrative and customer service tasks. Seeking to apply my abilities to fill the internship role listed on Bauble Inc.’s website.

The sample resume objectives above include details like relevant coursework, volunteer work, and GPAs to make up for a lack of professional experience. If you’re writing a resume to begin your career, you can also include that information and other extracurricular activities in your resume objective to compete with more experienced applicants.

Tip

If you’re stuck and need help coming up with a resume objective, try experimenting with our resume summary generator to get a good idea of what your introduction should look like, and then adjust it as necessary.

54 Resume Objective Examples

Looking for job-winning resume objective examples to take ideas from? We provide 54 resume objective examples below organized by:

  • Experience level
  • Role (entry-level, supervisor, manager)
  • Life situation (career changing, high school, college, internship, part-time job)
  • Job title

Tip

If you’d like to see the full resume for any of the following resume objective examples, we link to them and other related resumes under each objective.

Resume Objective Examples Based on Experience Level

Your resume objective should feature different information depending on your experience level. Here are examples of good resume objectives for inexperienced and experienced applicants:

Resume Objective for Job Seekers Without Experience

If you’re writing a resume objective for your first job, focus on your job-specific skills and training to show employers what you’re capable of, like this:

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume Resources:

  • Resume with no experience
  • Resume for your first job

Resume Objective for Experienced Workers

If you do have relevant work experience, emphasize your accomplishments and job-ready skills in your resume objective to catch the hiring manager’s eye. Here’s an example of a resume objective written by an applicant with a little work experience:

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Mid-career resume

Resume Objective Examples Based on Role

Here are resume object examples for four different roles within a company: entry level, supervisor, and manager:

Entry-Level Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Entry-level resume

Supervisor Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Supervisor resume

Manager Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Manager resumes

Resume Objective Examples Based on Life Situation

Sometimes you need to write a resume to match your situation in life (e.g., a resume for an internship). Below are five resume objective examples for different life situations:

Career Change Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Career change resume

High School Student Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • High school student resume

College Student Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • College student resume

Internship Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Internship resume
  • Grad school resume

Part-Time Job Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Resume for a part-time job

Resume Objective Examples Based on Job Title

Looking for a resume objective example for your specific job title? We’ve got resume objective examples for positions in the following job categories:

  • Academic
  • Administration & Office Support
  • Banking & Finance
  • Beauty
  • Childcare
  • Customer Service & Retail
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Food & Food Service
  • Healthcare
  • Information Technology (IT)
  • Legal & Law Enforcement
  • Manual Labor & Skilled Trades
  • Sales & Marketing
  • Writing

Academic

Looking for a resume objective example for an academic CV or resume? Here’s a research assistant resume objective example that you can adapt for your purposes:

Research Assistant Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes and CV:

  • Research assistant resume
  • Teacher assistant resume
  • Lab technician resume
  • Science CV

Administration & Office Support

If you’re seeking an office-based role, look at these resume objectives for inspiration as you build your resume.

Administrative Assistant Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Administrative assistant resume

Executive Assistant Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Executive assistant resume

Office Assistant Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Office assistant resume
  • Office manager resume
  • Receptionist resume
  • Secretary resume

Banking & Finance

Applying for a job in the banking and finance industry? Here are resume objective examples for an accountant, bank teller, and financial analyst:

Accounting Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Accounting resume
  • CPA resume
  • Staff accountant resume

Bank Teller Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Bank teller resume
  • Personal banker resume

Financial Analyst Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Financial analyst resume
  • Entry-level financial analyst resume
  • Finance resume

Beauty

To showcase your skills in the beauty industry, follow the example of these resume objectives:

Esthetician Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Esthetician resume

Cosmetology Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Hair stylist resume
  • Cosmetologist resume

Childcare

Look at the below example to get an idea of how to write a resume objective for your childcare resume:

Babysitter Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Babysitter resume
  • Childcare resume

Customer Service & Retail

Below are examples of resume objectives written for customer service and retail jobs:

Customer Service Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume Examples and Objectives:

  • Customer service resume
  • Technical support resume
  • Customer service resume objective examples

Call Center Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Call center resume

Cashier Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Retail sales associate resume
  • Grocery store cashier resume
  • Retail manager resume
  • Store manager resume

Education

School hiring managers look for your teacher skills on your resume. Let employers know immediately that you can lead the classroom by listing your most relevant teaching qualifications in your resume objective like these educators do:

Preschool Teacher Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume Example and Objectives:

  • Elementary teacher resume
  • Math teacher resume
  • Special education teacher resume
  • Teacher resume
  • Teacher resume objective examples

Substitute Teacher Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Substitute teacher resume
  • Tutor resume
  • Librarian resume
  • Library page resume

Engineering

Whether you’re a soon-to-graduate engineering student or an experienced engineer changing your industry focus, you can use these resume objective examples for inspiration:

Civil Engineer Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume Samples:

  • Civil engineer resume
  • Engineering resume

Mechanical Engineer Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Mechanical engineer resume

Food & Food Service

Looking for work in the food and food service industry? Highlight your relevant skills like the applicants do in these resume objectives:

Bartender Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Bartender resume

Food Service Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Food service resume
  • Server resume

Line Cook Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Line cook resume
  • Prep cook resume
  • Chef resume

Fast Food Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Fast food resume
  • McDonalds crew member resume

Waiter Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Waitress resume
  • Bartender resume
  • Server resume

Healthcare

Providing medical care to patients requires good carer skills. Learn how to show hiring managers you have these skills by using these resume objectives to learn how to write your own:

Medical Assistant Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume Samples and Objectives:

  • Medical assistant resume
  • Physician assistant resume
  • Medical assistant resume objective examples
  • Caregiver resume

Nursing Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume Examples and Objectives:

  • Nursing resume
  • Nursing resume objective examples
  • LPN resume

CNA Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Certified nursing assistant (CNA) resume

Phlebotomist Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Phlebotomist resume

Information Technology (IT)

If you work in IT, you already know software and hardware skills are essential. But you might not know how to write a compelling resume objective. Here are some examples to show you how:

IT Project Manager Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • IT project manager resume

Data Entry Clerk Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Data entry resume
  • Clerical resume

Software Developer Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Web developer resume
  • Software engineer resume

Here are resume objective examples for a paralegal and police officer:

Paralegal Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Paralegal resume
  • Lawyer resume
  • Legal assistant resume
  • Law school resume

Police Officer Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Police officer resume

Manual Labor & Skilled Trades

Attention to detail and technical abilities should be at the top of your resume if you’re a blue-collar worker or skilled laborer. Learn how to showcase these skills by looking at these sample resume objectives:

Construction Worker Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Construction worker resume
  • Laborer resume
  • Welder resume

Housekeeper Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Housekeeper resume
  • Hotel housekeeping resume with no experience
  • Hospitality resume

Custodian Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Custodian resume

Janitor Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Janitor resume

Security Guard Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Security guard resume
  • Firefighter resume

Truck Driver Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Truck driver resume
  • Delivery driver resume

Warehouse Worker Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Warehouse worker resume
  • Security officer resume

Sales & Marketing

Marketing is an ever-changing industry, so show employers you’re adaptable and open to new ideas in your resume objective. Below are three examples of well-written sales and marketing resume objectives:

Sales Resume Objective (College Graduate)

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Sales manager resume
  • Operations manager resume

Sales Resume Objective (No Degree)

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Sales resume
  • Retail sales associate resume

Marketing Assistant Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Marketing assistant resume
  • Marketing resume

Social Media Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resumes:

  • Social media marketing resume
  • Social media manager resume

Fundraiser Resume Objective

How do you write an objective for a resume

Related Resume:

  • Fundraising resume

Writing

As a writer, you need a standout resume objective to show hiring managers that you have the writing skills they’re looking for. Here’s an example resume objective for a journalist resume that you can follow:

What is a good objective to put on a resume?

General career objective examples.
To secure a challenging position in a reputable organization to expand my learnings, knowledge, and skills..
Secure a responsible career opportunity to fully utilize my training and skills, while making a significant contribution to the success of the company..

What are some examples of objectives?

An Objective has to be quantitative to be effective. For example, 'Make a lot of Money' can't be objective, whereas 'Increase Profit by 20%” is an effective objective as long as it is time bound..
Increase customer retention by 80-90%..
Reduce distribution costs by 10%..
Seize into the Gartner Magic Quadrant..