Objective Statements, A How To Guide

Objective (s) Statement

Although an objective statement is not for everyone, I have provided the basic information needed to decide, and if it's for you, to write an objective statement that will get you noticed. Wondering why not to use an objective statement? The answer is simple, with only 15 seconds to make a powerful impression on the interviewer would you rather tell them what you want, or what you can offer. I would venture to say that they probably are more concerned with what they need that what you want. It is unfortunate, but that is the climate of today's jobs market

No matter what format you choose for your resume, you often will want the first section to be titled, "Objective" or "Objectives." (But see the final paragraph in this section for an opposing viewpoint.) Naturally, after jumping through so many hoops, you may be tempted to just say that your objective is: "Get This Job." Well, if it makes you feel better, just type that and let off some steam. But naturally, don't leave it that way. What you really need to do, once again, is to get into the mind of the prospective employer. Ask yourself, "What is the employer looking for when he or she reads my resume." And ideally, the objectives you describe should closely match the objectives of the imaginary ideal person for the job.

Keep in mind that an objectives statement is essentially a summary of who you are in terms of what you want to provide to the prospective employer. If an objectives statement is appropriate for your resume, it will help you to communicate important information about yourself and about your appropriateness for the job. However, it does require the self-discipline for you to do the following:

1. Define Clearly what kind of position you are seeking.

2. Demonstrate Concisely what skills and abilities your "objectives" can provide to the prospective employer.

Here is where we should mention that there are opposing views among resume writing professionals. In fact there are sometimes heated debates regarding the benefits of using an objectives statement. Deciding whether or not to use one will ultimately be your decision; if the objectives statement seems fairly easy to compose - i.e., if you find that the words flow relatively easily when you start putting your objective in writing - then it's probably right for you. But remember: if you are going to do something, do it well.

Visit http://www.resumebuilderspro.com for a host of useful job search links.

Writing a Winning Resume Objective

Perhaps the area where most job seekers and applicants run into trouble with their resumes is in the wording of the resume objective. It seems like such a simple thing, and this is probably the assumption that leads people down the wrong path in their wording.

First of all, what exactly is a resume objective? A resume objective is a brief yet potent statement made in the first line of your resume, meant to inform the employer of what skills and usefulness you will bring to their corporation. However, too many aspiring employees make the mistake of focusing this statement on themselves; what they hope to get out of the job. This is not what the employer is looking for, nor is it what they want to see.

You need to focus on the employer and their needs. How will hiring you benefit them? That's what they want to know!
Wording your objective in the ways so common to most resumes is a mistake, and often one that can cost you an interview. For instance: "Seeking challenging position that will utilize my interpersonal skills, experience in sales and has room for advancement," reads to the employer like: " I want a job that is not too boring, where I can put to work for you the skills I choose and continue to get promoted and make more money."

Okay, not exactly, but you get the picture. Now, try a resume objective worded thusly: "Sales professional hoping to increase revenue in your company by implementing new ideas and strategies for improvement. Hoping to give 110% and become an essential member of your team."

That is an objective that is going to cause an employer to take a second, and maybe a third look.

Now, although it's important to get strong resume- objective -writing skills down pat, should you always include a resume objective? The answer is no. When to leave it out? When there is more than one position in the company for which you qualify for and are interested in. This would make it impossible to customize and strong and attention getting statement, so it is best to not include one at all.

It is going to be up to you to use your judgment on when to use resume objectives, but it's not as hard as it sounds. Familiarize yourself with all aspects of the process by doing Web searches, talking to professionals in the resume writing business, and reading any other articles you can find regarding the subject.

Before you know it you will be more comfortable than you even dreamed possible with the whole concept of resume objectives.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on resumes or for a samples resume checkout his recommended websites.

Grant Writing Tip - How to Write SMART Objectives

One of the most costly (and common) grant writing mistakes is writing unclear, unspecific objectives. No matter how clear the rest of your proposal may be, funding agencies want to know what measurable change or benefit they are paying for among a population. Unclear objective statements leave the reader wondering what exactly the grant program plans to achieve.

Successful grant writing includes SMART objectives: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound - hence the acronym SMART. Writing SMART objectives can make the difference between success and failure in a grant proposal.

SMART objectives are:

    Specific: Poor grant writing confuses objectives with goal statements. Goal statements are broad. Objectives are highly specific and more precisely define a broader goal. For example, a goal statement might read, "Increase students' academic achievement." An objective to support this goal might read, "10% of students who participate in the program will increase their standardized test scores in math by one level by the end of one year." Note: Since goal statements are broad, they should be supported by multiple objectives. In this example, the goal statement might be supported by objectives that measure specific gains in math, science, and English achievement.
    Measurable: Poor grant writing tends to mistake activity statements for objectives. Objective statements do not describe activities, methods, or what is to be done. Instead, they are statements that measure the outcomes of your activities. Funding sources want to know what measurable change their money will support. For example, if your objective is to raise the mean score of participants on an academic test, tell how many points the average score will increase. If your objective is to change teenagers' attitudes about drug and alcohol use, state what instrument you will use to measure this and what score increase on a post-test you expect.
    Attainable: SMART objectives are realistic and within reach. If you write that a proposed after school program will eliminate all juvenile crime in your area code - you will probably arouse skepticism. The grant money will more likely be awarded to a proposal to reduce the incidence of juvenile crime in its area by 20%. Remember that grant writing is persuasive writing and you must persuade the reader that your objectives are possible.
    Relevant: SMART objectives directly support the goals of the proposal, and relate to the measurable needs of the population served by the project. Your objectives must be relevant to the mission statement or priorities of the funding source as mentioned in the RFP (request for proposal) or on the funding agency's website.
    Time Bound: Funding sources not only want to know what measurable change they are paying for, but also WHEN they can expect it to happen. Tell the reader when your project will accomplish each objective in your proposal. Funding agencies know that objectives without deadlines are seldom met. Also, make sure your dates for meeting objectives fall within the funding period. If you offer dates that come after the grant period, you could be perceived as trying to avoid accountability for results. Funding agencies cannot hold your project accountable for deadlines that come after the funding period ends.

Now I would like to invite you to receive more practical, credible grant writing tips that will help you turn words into money for your organization.

For free, instant access to my "7 Golden Rules of Grant Writing," visit http://www.smartgrantwriting.com.

From Stephen Price, grant writing expert and co-owner of Educational Resource Consultants, central California's premiere grant writing firm since 1999.