All good resumes begin with a well-written career objective. This is your time to shine and grab the attention of the recruiters and hiring managers reading your resume. We all know how important first impressions are, and your career objective is just that, one of the first things your potential employer will read about you. In this guide, we’ll cover what a career objective is, how to write one, and then give you examples from a variety of occupations to give you a good idea of where to start.

How to Write a Resume Objective Statement

What exactly is a resume objective you might ask? As mentioned above, it’s a first impression and a formal introduction to your resume. Using a few key skills and reasons why you want the job, recruiters will get a snapshot of who you are and your career goals. It may seem challenging to try and sum up all that you have to offer as a professional in a few sentences, but you can easily write an effective objective statement if you lay a strong foundation:

Resume Objective Statement

  1. Write your resume first. It’s much easier to summarize what you already know, so get all of your education, experience, and skills down on the page first.
  2. Identify your most relevant skills. You know what kind of applicant a company is looking for by reading their job description. Choose 2-3 skills that best qualify you for the position.
  3. Keep the reader in mind. This is another chance to sell your talents to the recruiter or hiring manager. How can you make their job easier? How do your skills contribute to their success? Include the company name and the position you’re applying for.
  4. Get to writing. Start strong with your best character trait (collaborative, accomplished, disciplined, competent, etc.). Work in your 2-3 relevant skills. Define your career goals and how they will benefit the company. When possible, be sure to include specific data points and examples that support your relevant skills/experience (number of years, performance results, GPA, etc.).

To help you get a better idea of how you can craft your own objective statement, we’ve compiled a list of resume objective examples for 15 of the most popular US occupations. Although each statement is structured the same, skills and goals will naturally vary from job to job and person to person. Even if you don’t see your industry represented below, reading objective statements from other fields and positions is helpful in understanding how to write your own.

Retail salesperson

Highly determined sales consultant equipped with extensive apparel sales knowledge. Fluent in English and Spanish. Striving to surpass monthly sales targets and maximize profits as a retail salesperson at [Company Name] through up-selling products to meet customer needs.

Home health aide

Dedicated HHA-certified individual seeking full-time employment as a home health aide at [Company Name]. Committed to providing excellent patient care through compassionate medical management. Looking forward to using over ten years of experience in the personal care industry.

Cashier

Enthusiastic college graduate looking for a cashier position at [Company Name]. Developed strong communication skills during three years of drama club. Aiming to heighten the customer experience by professionally assisting customers at the point of sale.

Fast food worker

Skillful cook seeking position as a [Company Name]’s line cook. Looking to provide exceptional culinary skills and expertise to enhance customer satisfaction through proper food handling procedures and quality service.

Registered nurse

Recently licensed RN graduate hoping to use my empathy and outstanding bedside manner to elevate patient care. Learned the fundamentals of nursing as a student with a 3.8-grade point average. Aiming to assist the medical staff at [Company Name] as a Registered Nurse.

Manager

Seasoned shift supervisor with over 12 years of barista experience looking to advance to the position of store manager at [Company Name]. Improved training and implementation execution at five store locations. Confident in ability to lead a team of 15 employees after a temporary assignment.

Customer service representative

Diligent individual looking to secure a customer service representative position at [Company Name]. Seeking opportunity to exercise strong verbal communication skills and persuasion abilities to increase sales and credit line sign-up. Driven to put the customer first.

Freight, stock, or material mover

Reliable receiving associate looking to join an experienced team of professionals as a shipping and receiving handler for [Company Name]. Aiming to increase productivity through proper safety awareness and enforcement of industry regulations to create a safe work environment for all employees.

Office clerk

Detail-oriented clerical aide hoping to secure a position as office clerk. Seeking to leverage organizational skills to streamline all systems within the office. Passionate about joining the team at [Company Name] to provide excellent client service and contribute to team success.

Order filler

Efficient inventory technician looking to use my skills to improve order fill speed and accuracy by obtaining a position as order filler for [Company Name]. Outstanding time management skills led to repeatedly exceeding daily quotas. Trained an entire team of nine new hires.

Janitor

Self-motivated building custodian seeking to fill the job opening as a janitor at [Company Name]. Developed a cleaning system using non-toxic cleaning materials. Hoping to assist property management in saving time and money by keeping premises clean and organized as expected.

Tractor-trailer truck driver

Veteran CDL driver looking to use extensive transportation knowledge to secure a position with [Company Name] as a tractor-trailer truck driver. Aiming to increase customer satisfaction by delivering cargo on time while following appropriate safety measures.

Administrative assistant

Fully qualified department secretary seeking a job as an administrative assistant with [Company Name]. Proven ability to operate a wide variety of computer applications. Seeking to use problem-solving skills to find solutions to customer concerns and maintain a positive work environment.

Waiter

Highly coachable food server aiming to secure a role at [Company Name] as a waiter. Consistently maintained a 95% guest satisfaction rating over a 5-year period. Seeking the opportunity to use exemplary service skills and food order recall to increase OSAT scores.

Bookkeeper

Analytical individual looking for a bookkeeper position with [Company Name]. Desire to harness 12 years of bookkeeping experience to flawlessly manage the financial affairs of the company. Reorganized employer’s database and created an efficient accounting system to closely monitor deposits and withdrawals.

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

A resume should be a forward-looking value proposition that showcases your most relevant accomplishments for a target role — not a rear view summary of your previous roles and responsibilities.

Written by professional resume writers and loved by hiring managers

ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.