Introduction

What is a job objective? Why is it an important part of your résumé? Let's imagine for just a moment that you are applying for a new job as a lifeguard. You have sent in your résumé and have been called for your interview. During the interview, you quickly realize that all of the questions are concerning clean-up and janitorial duties and none of the questions are related to information that might be important for a lifeguard. A few days later, you receive a call informing you that you have been hired as the new janitor for the waterpark. You are very confused about how this might have happened, when your intentions were to be hired as a lifeguard. Since the waterpark was hiring numerous positions, one logical explanation for this miscommunication could be the omission of the job objective on your résumé. A good job objective informs the employer of your career goals and intentions.

If a job applicant can name a specific goal, the prospective employer can more readily decide whether there is a suitable opening available. In the last lesson, you learned that a Career Plan consists of three steps:

  1. Self-Assessment;
  2. Options; and
  3. Action.

You are now ready to work on the Action phase by learning to write a good job objective.

Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to...

  • Utilize research results to determine career and entrepreneurial opportunities, responsibilities, and educational and credentialing requirements.
  • Determine factors to be considered in developing an effective career plan and procedures for obtaining employment.

Enduring Understandings

  • A job objective is a very important part of the résumé.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Business Technology Applications standards: 12

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standards: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R10, W1, W2, W3, W4, W5, and W6