Career Objective: Definition, How To And Examples

Updated 27 July 2023

By including a well-written career objective in your resume, you can increase your chances of being selected for a job interview. These objective needs to cover your skills, work experience and career goals with clarity. Think of it as a brief pitch to make your resume stand out and seem more compelling to job recruiters.

In this article, we explain the meaning of a career objective, describe how you can write one and give a few examples that you can use as a reference to write your version.

What Is A Career Objective?

A career objective gives a brief overview of your career skills, experience and aspirations. It is generally only two or three sentences long. While it is not a mandatory feature of a resume, you might benefit from including it in your name and contact details section to catch the attention of the job recruiter.

Most job recruiters are busy dealing with a high volume of resumes. As a result, they can spend only a few seconds to scan through each and select the ones that look promising. By placing the career objective at the top, you can get them to notice it at once. If you make it memorable enough, they might be more likely to choose you.

How Do You Write A Career Objective?

When writing a career objective, you are required to customise it to match the job requirements. To begin with, read the job description carefully and note down the keywords. You can use these keywords and the language style in your career objective to catch the recruiter's eye and persuade them to read the rest of the resume.

You can write your career objective by following these steps:

1. Customise it to the job

When you customise the career objective to the job, you make it more noticeable. A job recruiter is more likely to read a career objective that seems relevant to their purpose.

2. Write brief sentences

Job recruiters are busy people and make their resume selection decision within seconds. So, keep your sentences brief and your career objective easy to scan through.

3. Include keywords

Note the top keywords in the job advertisement and use them to write your career objective. Including keywords in the career objective would make your resume stand out and persuade the recruiter to read further.

4. Include requirements

Each job position requires specific educational qualifications and work experience. Check what these are for the job you are applying to, and mention your credentials to show you are a good match.

5. Mention your skills

By mentioning skills that are relevant to the job, you may be able to convince the recruiter that you are qualified for the position. Some of the skills that might make your resume noticeable include good communication ability, solid business acumen, good team player, critical thinking ability and strong leadership qualities.

6. Stress your value

The job recruiter might pick your resume if they can see at a glance that you would be a valuable asset to their company. Mention what you would bring to the table. Explain how your skills, knowledge and experience are likely to benefit the company.

7. Mention your work expectations

Including your expectations can help to align your career goal with the requirements of the job position. You want the recruiter to know that you are willing to fulfill the company's work expectations and more.

Examples Of Career Objectives

The following examples from different industries would help you to write your own career objective:

Mechanical engineer career objective

A well-qualified, hardworking person with extensive engineering knowledge and proven ability in designing, developing and evaluating mechanical devices. Capable of conducting quality checks on electromechanical products to verify that they are safe and fit for sale. Seeking a mid-level position in a reputed company to research, design and fabricate mechanical products.

Architect career objective

Skilled architect with a master's degree in architecture and 12 years of experience in drafting scaled construction and zoning documents for residential and even commercial projects. Proficient in AutoCAD and Adobe Photoshop, and with strong project coordination, problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. I am seeking a position in a progressive firm that can fully use my skills.

IT system engineer career objective

Certified IT system engineer with four years of experience in a hardware company, seeking to work with new and emerging technologies in a challenging and energetic work environment. Have outstanding technical, time management and communication skills. I possess strong knowledge of Cloud Computing, SaaS, IaaS and Azure fundamentals and am competent in C, C++, Java and JavaScript.

Marketing manager career objective

A creative, detail-oriented marketing professional having an MBA in marketing management. I specialise in branding and e-commerce and am well-versed in various marketing strategies. Along with excellent writing and verbal communication skills, I have extensive experience in utilising advertising sources, implementing social media campaigns, planning media promotions and arranging sponsorships.

Medical assistant career objective

Well-organised, highly-motivated person with strong medical knowledge seeking position as medical assistant in a community hospice. Equipped with superior clinical and administrative skills to ably maintain records, arrange patient schedules, take blood samples, record blood pressure, provide medication and complete insurance paperwork. Sincere in the desire to assist the medical staff in providing optimum care to patients.

Legal assistant career objective

Experienced and efficient legal assistant with an LLB degree and excellent knowledge of the legal procedures, drafting of legal documents and maintaining legal files and documents. Have strong communication and clerical skills. I want an administrative position in a fast-paced tax law firm to provide reliable organisational support and assist lawyers in conducting legal research and resolving complex legal issues.

Senior manager career objective

A dynamic, enthusiastic and trustworthy senior manager with extensive experience in devising business strategies, monitoring business trends and evaluating investment opportunities. Efficient in team handling, preparing presentations for clients and implementing new projects. I want to work with a growing company and play a direct role in achieving maximum profits.

Bank teller career objective

Professional, highly-focused and trustworthy bank teller, with a graduate degree in economics. Have excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills. With experience in cash handling, cash management and processing transactions, and with strong computer and maths skills. Attentive to detail and capable of interacting efficiently and courteously with other banking staff and multiple customers.

Sales executive career objective

Enthusiastic, motivated and goal-oriented sales executive with a stellar track record of more than 10 years in achieving successful B2B sales. Possess exceptional persuasive, negotiation and customer interaction skills and have extensive industry contacts. Good team player and willing to travel to seek new business opportunities, achieve sales goals and increase company profit margins.

Real estate broker career objective

A reliable, enthusiastic and professional real estate broker specialising in commercial and residential brokerage and experience in land investments. Have a strong understanding of property acquisition, lease processions, land valuation, contract law and real estate development. Possess excellent communication skills and have an exceptional ability to develop client relationships and anticipate their needs.

Journalist career objective

Highly-motivated and talented mass communication graduate with three years of experience in covering and reporting current news for a reputed local newspaper. Have excellent writing, editing and proof-reading abilities, and also strong verbal and interpersonal skills. Capable of meeting strict deadlines, coordinating with a team and open to working on weekends and doing night shifts.

Teacher career objective

A qualified, resourceful and creative teacher with an MA in education, a positive attitude and advanced instructional abilities. Have a good understanding of behavioral learning, student engagement and class management techniques. Passionate about empowering students and helping them understand the value of learning. Capable of curriculum development and in-person and online teaching.

Accountant career objective

Experienced accountant with a graduate degree in finance and accounting and seven years of experience in working with a leading accounting firm. Specialises in marketing and sales accounting and knowledgeable about product accounting, property accounting and intercompany accounting. Have excellent communication, time management, organisational, critical thinking and analytical skills. Expertise in Word and Excel, and capable of working independently and even with a team.

Hotel manager career objective

Professional and highly-motivated hotel manager with a graduate degree in hotel management and 12 years of experience in the hotel industry. Responsible for managing various hotel operations and departments, including the front desk, housekeeping, customer service and food service areas. Excellent communication, staff management and expense management abilities, and capable of adhering to regulations. Can make quick decisions to resolve issues and maintain a high level of customer service.

Registered nurse career objective

A resourceful, motivated and compassionate registered nurse. With eight years of work experience in a challenging hospital environment. Have in-depth knowledge of medical technologies and capable of taking and monitoring patients' vitals, administering medication, explaining medical procedures and providing direct care. Together with excellent communication, organisational and critical thinking skills, am capable of staying calm and performing well in high-pressure situations.