Don’t be fooled by people who tell you that resume objective statements are optional, or that you shouldn’t have one at all.  Their reasoning is usually that objective statements fence you in and limit your job-seeking focus.

I’m here to tell you that you need an objective statement on your resume.  Why?

• An objective statement tells me why I should keep reading the rest of your resume.

It’s advertising, basically.  It’s the teaser that will draw me in to reading the rest of your resume.  (The cover letter won’t do it.  Recruiters don’t generally have the time to read a cover letter–we go straight to the resume.  So, make sure the first few lines of your resume make me want to read more.)  Read about how to craft a compelling objective statement.  At it’s core, it’s about creating a statement that fits your capabilities to fulfilling the needs of the organization.  What are a few of your key qualities that will make you a good fit for this job?  Be careful that you don’t make this too generic (boring).

• An objective statement makes it easier for me to figure out who you are and what you want.

Don’t be vague:  Think of your resume objective as a Personal Branding Statement (thanks, Phil Rosenburg of reCareered).  It’s not only saying what you want, but it’s also indicating what problems you can solve and how you can bring value to the organization.  In that way, it’s tailored to the job you’re applying for.  Jessica Holbrook’s article on Career Rocketeer agrees:  Don’t start off by telling the hiring manager what you want, tell the hiring manager what you can do for the company.

Don’t worry:  a well-crafted, tailored objective statement won’t stop you from being considered for other jobs. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for the best candidate for the job.  If your objective statement leads them to read the rest of your resume to see what you can do (and what you have done), they’re going to think about you for other jobs you might be a good fit for because that’s what’s in their best interests.  You’ll be in a much better position than if you had written a generic objective statement that leaves them wondering (and maybe uninterested in) what you can do.

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