How To Write A CV Objective For Nigerian Job Seekers
Over time, the purpose, language, and structure in which we write our CVs has largely stayed the same. However, the only clear exception is in the resume objective.
Nevertheless, some people see the CV objective as being a very unnecessary detail and would instead replace it with a career summary.
Also, it has been noted that job applicants do not find excitement in writing these objectives while the hiring managers do not create time to read them either.
At the end of the day, we are here to let you know that a resume objective actually aids in your search for a job. Note that, the CV/resume objective vividly states all of your career goals.
Additionally, the CV objective can show how far you have come in your career and where you are headed.
Bear in mind that, a CV objective that places its target on your abilities and skills can aid in the improvement of your resume as it convinces employers that you are aware of all that you want to do, plus you have the required skills that they need.
What Is A Resume Objective?
In simple terms, the CV objective refers to the statement of all your goals for employment. It is commonly listed at the top of the CV. Also, this objective is usually a sentence or two long and not a full page.
In other news, it is a short statement placed at the top right corner after all of your vital contact details. It aids in summing up the exact place you are with your career and the next step you are looking forward to.
You can think of the CV objective as a part of the elevator pitch to get you hired and not just a literal statement needed for your job search.
As it stands, the CV objective is taken as the kickoff to your intriguing campaign to convince employers why they need you in their company.
While you are interested in standing out from the crowd with your objective, you must be cautious to note that the resume summary statement is way different from the CV/resume objective.
Like we have clearly stated, the resume objective is a statement of all your detailed goals for employment.
When To Use A CV or Resume Objective
So many people have asked the question that pertains to when exactly they are meant to make use of a CV objective in their CVs.
Although, there are career professionals that find them outdated, nonetheless, there are times when they are highly needed.
The resume objective can be made use of when you need to let the company know that:
The resume objective will aid in explaining in detail why you are the one qualified for a job even if sometimes, you may not have the necessary experience.
Keep in mind that, a resume objective that has a great impact will aid in blurring the lines drawn between the normal resume objective and the resume summary statement.
You can make use of it when you need to tailor your CV for the ATS; Applicant tracking system. So many recruiters commonly use it. Moreover, these objectives present an organic chance to state the job title clearly you will be applying for.
Another time to make use of the resume objective is when you are changing careers or changing companies.
In such situations, a powerful CV objective can be utilized in explaining how you plan to make use of the skills you have developed in your previous job into the new job.
Match Your Objective To The Job
One of the most highly effective objectives is the one that is neatly matched to the job you are about applying for. It aids in stating the type of career you are searching for and the skills or experiences you have to offer.
Those who may have read on different types of resume advice must have come across some recommendations that suggest matching your objective to the job being applied for.
While you may want to skip it just because it will take some bit of your time, it will actually aid in making a huge difference in the number of companies that will invite you for an interview.
Additionally, matching the objectives you have in mind to the job is actually not as difficult as it is made to sound. To match your objective, you should:
An important part of making your resume seem appealing to a company is to match your objectives with the job description. You can make use of the job description to have an idea of what the company needs, and what they prioritize.
You can look out for the responsibilities they mention, the needed requirement or qualification, etc.
After getting a clear understanding of what the company is after, the next thing to do is to match your CV to the description by matching all the vital things you find in the description with the clear areas that are on your resume.
Endeavor to make the first set of bullet points under every previous job to be as vital as possible. The resume employment history is among the first places these recruiters as well as hiring managers to take a look at.
Also, if the job description emphasizes leadership, do not start talking about your personal accomplishments all at once. Rather, place a bullet point that mentions any leading you have actually done such as supervising others or taking leads in projects
It does not matter how small your leadership experience might have been; you should ensure that you find a way to demonstrate all of this leadership before listing out your personal accomplishments.
Even if the leadership position you held was just ten percent while the personal accomplishments take up ninety percent, you should mention the leadership position first of all.
In matching your objective to what is written in the company's job description, you can, first of all, re-order your bullet points as well as the information you have. You should place the most important experience at the starting of every section.
While for the less important experiences, you can place them at the bottom. All you are doing here is to copy and paste your various pieces; you do not have to write anything.
The next step to take is to write some new bullet points. You may find something on the description that you never mentioned on your CV, but you have some experience in it. That is what you will add.
Finally, you can now successfully skim the cream. Here, you are picking out the most relevant qualifications and skills that you have.
How To Write A Strong CV Objective
In writing a strong CV objective, you will have to begin with a powerful trait, put in about two to three skills, give a detailed description of your career goals and finally, say all that you hope to do for the company when they hire you.
Also, you should write out the position in which you are applying for and make use of the company’s name. Remember to keep it short to about two to three sentences. Note that, thirty to fifty words count is ideal.
Furthermore, you should avoid the use of first-person pronouns. Also, bear in mind that you cannot simply write one resume objective and make use of it in all jobs that you apply to. The employees will have an idea that it is generic.
What this means in simpler words is that you will need to match every CV/resume objective to the description of all the job offers.
Additionally, you should be particularly clear about all your goals. The sort of objective that can apply to just anyone or any job will not be helpful in any way.
Also, place the needs of your employers first and at the same time, make sure you highlight all of your strengths.
Sample CV/Resume Objective
An example of a resume objective goes thus:
“Sales manager trained in Lagos. Looking to apply my 6+ years of management experience in PWC company by ensuring that the sales representative team is fully staffed and follow quality standards, aiding PWC to increase its revenue as well as market share in the process”.
This sample will be rated good because it basically sums up all your work experience. Even more, you have mentioned the abilities that make you stand out from the crowd, such as being educated and trained in Lagos State.
From the sample, it is clear that you have an understanding of the responsibilities and role the position demands and you have described how you can successfully achieve them.
Furthermore, your language is not the only objective, it is down to earth as well. This shows that you actually care about every goal of the company.
Statement
The resume summary statement is a shortlist or let us say a few sentences placed at the top of the resume that clearly highlights all your qualifications for a job offer. It is also called a summary of qualifications or a resume profile.
The statement practically gives all hiring managers, a glance at the synopsis of your expert qualifications.
When you are writing your statement, you should ensure that you include very concrete data on how much value you have added to all the companies you have previously worked with and how you aided them in transforming their organization.
It will aid in showing the hiring manager that you will be a valuable asset to the company. Note that, a great resume can capture the full attention of a hiring manager or even a recruiter.
Other Options For Starting A CV
In starting your resume, there are different formats that you can follow. These formats are highly beneficial for various people who have diverse objectives and backgrounds. Nonetheless, the three most common formats include:
This type basically lists all of your work experience in a reverse chronological manner, and it starts with your most recent position, which is placed at the top. This type of resume starts in this order:
Note that it is an ideal choice for anybody whose history of employment shows a consistent and improving career path.
This type focuses more on vital skills than your work history. While the chronological format basically highlights your work experience, including an in-depth summary of your achievements, this format targets your skillset.
It begins in this order:
It is best used if you have diverse gaps in employment, and you are moving careers with almost no or little experience in the company you are applying to.
This begins as a blend of both the functional and the chronological resume types. It enables you to emphasize greatly on both your vital skills and work experience.
It begins in this order:
It is much more flexible. Hence, you can either list your skills or your work experience first. Everything relies on whatever you consider much more vital for the job role.
How To Add An Objective Or Headline
Similar to the objective we have dwelled on, the resume headline can successfully aid your resume in standing out from that of all other applicants. This is because it can draw attention to the majority of your impressive skills and achievements.
Furthermore, it is a short sentence that is positioned on top of the document, and it tells the recruiter or hiring manager who exactly you are and shows why you are the ideal person for the job role.
If you want to add it to your resume, note that the headline goes straight under your contact detail. Since it is situated at the top of the page, the resume headline you are to use will likely be the first thing the recruiter sights.
Also, when adding it to your resume, keep in mind that it does not have to be a full sentence. It is not called a headline for nothing. You should select words that carry the most powerful skills in a small space.
Additionally, you should endeavor to capitalize all the verbs, nouns, and the long words you will use on the headline.
To Wrap It Up
This article is a detailed sketch of not only what a resume objective is all about, but it also gives you a sample you can follow and the different resume formats you can use to begin your resume.
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