Career Objectives for Fresher – Sample & Writing Tips

Introduction

As a fresher, you must have appeared for a few interviews or might be preparing for the same. You might be aware that one of the most favourite questions of the interviewer is where do you see yourself in the next 5 or 10 years? This helps the interviewer to get an idea about the candidate’s goals and decide whether or not he would be an ideal fit for the company. It can sometimes be a make it or break it question during the interview. If you give vague answers, it can even leave a negative impression.

The above question is similar to the career objective section in your resume. When you send your resumes through email to apply for jobs, the recruiters go through your career objective and form a first impression based on the same. Therefore, it is necessary to have a defined career objective.

What is a Career Objective?

A career objective is a statement about your career goals, what you wish to achieve, how you will accomplish it, and why it is significant. It is a short pitch explaining your long-term or short-term career ambitions. Even though a career objective section is not necessary for a resume, it is advisable to include it because it helps the recruiter understand why you are applying for that particular role and what you wish to achieve in the long run.

Why is a Career Objective Important in Your CV?

Employers who hire freshers for a specific role and skill-set mostly look for a few particular qualities in the candidate. A crucial attribute they desire in the candidates is determination and clarity about the chosen career path.

Recruiters look for motivated candidates that have set goals and are working towards their personal and professional targets. They are less likely to hire somebody who is unsure of the role for which he has applied.

The purpose of an objective career statement in a resume is to help recruiters understand the candidate’s aspirations. It also gives a peek into the applicant’s personality and thought process.

Since HRs have to go through countless resumes each day, it is humanly impossible for the person to go through each resume carefully. They usually glance at your CV for 5 seconds. During this small timeframe, it is necessary that your resume appeals to the recruiter and aligns with the job requirements.

Since the objective career section is at the top of the resume, the recruiter will most likely go through it first. If he comes across a poorly written career objective statement, there is a high probability that he would straightway reject your application.

This is why an excellent career objective statement is vital for your resume, especially if you are a fresher.

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Tips for Writing Career Objectives for Freshers

Writing a career objective statement in your resume is always tough. It becomes even trickier when you are at the starting point of your career. Here are some of the vital tips that would help you draft an impactful career objective.

1. Be Precise

As already discussed above, recruiters do not spare more than five seconds on your resume. If you have written long paragraphs, they might not even go through the entire resume. Therefore, one of the most relevant tips for writing a career objective is to be as precise as you can be. The career objective statement should not exceed two-three sentences. However, to keep it short, do not cut down on meaningful words.

2. Add a Personal Touch

Have you been sending hundreds of applications each day and still hearing no response from the companies? You might be making the common mistake of setting the same resume for each job vacancy.

Since every organization has different job requirements and expectations from the candidates, you should not send the same resume for every job application.

A personalized resume works like a charm. It would help customize your resume for every job application to highlight only the relevant experiences that showcase your skills and leadership qualities.

Similarly, your career objective should not be a generic statement. It would help if you personalized it according to the company and the job description. For this, you need to do some research about the organization. Head over to its website, LinkedIn page, read about the projects they were previously engaged in or have currently undertaken, try to get an idea of the work culture, and write the career objective accordingly.

3. Add Keywords- Most employers these days use Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to filter resumes and CVs. Firstly, the ATS software processes and approves your application. Then, it goes to the recruiter’s mailbox. Therefore, you must use relevant keywords to make your resume ATS compliant. 

Also, it would help if you stuck to keywords that emphasize your strengths and skills and. Remember to avoid using heavy jargon in your objective career statement. The idea is to be simple and to the point.

Some common examples of keywords include Social media manager, business administration, logistics, marketing, and project manager.

4. Showcase Your Skills- This is another crucial tip that you must keep in mind. Your career objective should showcase your skills and experiences and how you would use them to the maximum to achieve your goals. Lastly, write a career objective that you believe. It is best to introspect why you wish to apply for a particular job before sending your application.

Best Samples For Career Objectives

Let us look at some of the samples of the best career objectives for freshers in various industries. It will help you understand how to add a career objective to your resume.

1. Marketing

• A self-motivated and creative individual looking for the role of a Marketing Executive that allows me to utilize my creative and communication skills to generate revenue for the company.
• I’m seeking a project manager designation that gives me a chance to make the best use of my leadership, communication, and strategic skills to boost the company’s sales.
• I am a hard-working and driven individual with robust data analysis and social media marketing skills seeking an entry-level marketing position to put my skills to use and gain fruitful experience.
• I am a versatile and motivated individual with digital marketing and advertising skills and am looking for a challenging marketing role to utilize and enhance my skills.

2. Finance

• I’m keen on securing an associate-level position in the finance vertical of your organization to use my analytical and critical thinking skills and take advantage of the opportunities for personal growth.
• I’m looking for a designation in your company’s finance department that would help me hone my financial analysis and strategic performance skills. 

Why Should the Career Objective Align with Your Skills?

In today’s time, one cannot emphasize enough the importance of skills. If you wish to pursue your career in a particular industry, it is necessary to have relevant skills. You have to upskill yourself from time to time to stay ahead of your competitors.

The majority of employers hire candidates that demonstrate exceptional skills. Since your career objective is interrelated to your skills, it becomes more important to add relevant skills to your career objective.

Getting a degree does not guarantee you a job until and unless you bring some extraordinary skills to the table. Therefore, your primary focus should be to learn and gain practical skills to help you move ahead in your career.

One of the best ways to upskill yourself is to take up specialization courses from recognized universities. With upGrad, you can pursue advanced courses and acquire the necessary skills within the comforts of your home. 

If you want to upskill yourself and want to be a better entrepreneur, check out the Swiss School of Business and Management course in association with upGrad. It is a Global Doctor of Business Administration that gives exposure to marketing, accounting, finance, supply chain management, innovation and chain management, strategic management, capstone simulation, etc. and is taught by industry experts. Through this program, one can interact with industry experts, receive feedback and improve themselves.

Conclusion

Career objective is the first section in your resume that leaves a lasting impression on the recruiter. Therefore, it is necessary to write a simple yet meticulously crafted career objective statement. A best career objective statement showcases your skills, achievements and also highlights your goals. Also, it’s highly rewarding to enroll in advanced courses, like the upGrad courses mentioned above, and acquire the latest industry skills.