Are you about to apply for the job of your dreams?
The secret to landing the perfect job is applying as early as possible. Getting your application in while you are still in college helps you get ahead of the pack. The main issue with applying for a job when you are still a college student is a lack of work experience. Fortunately, creating a strong and attractive resume objective can help make for this.
So, let’s take a look at some Top College Student Resume Objective Examples and tips on creating a great opening statement.
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How To Write A College Student Resume Objective
A resume objective is a short statement that appears underneath the contact information on your resume. It is your way of introducing yourself to the hiring manager and showing them why they should employ you. So, let’s discuss the steps needed to make your resume objective as compelling as possible.
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Carefully read the job posting
The first step is making sure you understand the role you are applying for. You need to check out the job requirements as well as the duties that go with the job. It is also a good idea to research similar positions and focus on what they involve.
Choose your most convincing skills
Take the time to work out which skills are likely to be the most valuable to the hiring manager. Make a shortlist of your strongest skills and decide how they are connected to the job you are applying for. Now select the strongest skills and work them into your resume objective.
Make it dynamic
Choosing action verbs to describe your personality and skills makes your resume objective more compelling. These words help to show exactly how you approach work and interact with other people. Words such as organized, built, led, contributed, developed, and managed, tend to leap off the page and spark curiosity.
Focus on the first sentence
Your resume objective should only consist of two or three sentences. The first sentence is particularly important, and you need to lead with your strongest attributes. This is likely to be your college degree, as well as a couple of skills that relate to the job.
Mention your degree
Highlighting the degree that you are working towards shows that you have commitment and discipline. Of course, the degree should be directly linked to the role you are applying for in some way. You can also mention any relevant extracurricular activities that have helped you to develop desirable skills.
Edit carefully
Because your resume objective will be so short, any spelling or grammatical errors will stand out like a sore thumb. You need to take the time to reread your resume objective and look for errors. It is also a good idea to remove any filler words and unnecessary information.
Top College Student Resume Objective Examples – Mistakes To Avoid
Before you start creating your resume objective, it is important to know which errors to avoid. The hiring manager is sure to see certain mistakes time and time again and will be hyper-aware of them. Here are some that you need to avoid at all costs.
Creating a generic resume objective
The hiring manager needs to get the impression that you are genuinely interested in the specific role. While creating a single resume objective for every application may save time, it is unlikely to be very effective. Lifting words directly from the job description shows the hiring manager that you understand and meet the needs of the role.
Being too informal
While you are using your resume objective to introduce yourself, it is important to remember this is a formal document. You need to maintain a formal and business-like tone when presenting your skills and qualifications. Being too informal will serve to make you look unprofessional.
Being too vague
It should be very clear in the resume objective who you are and what you want. It is important to provide specific examples of the skills and other aspects that make you a strong candidate. Time the time to think about the demands of the role and how you plan to meet them through your work.
Not being concise
It is important to limit your resume objective to three sentences that are packed with information. If the resume objective is too long, there is a good chance that the hiring manager will skip it. As a result, you run the risk of your resume being rejected altogether.
Not adding any value
The hiring manager ultimately wants to know how your skills and education will help the company. Your resume objective should make it clear exactly what you have to offer. There should be details of why you are the best candidate for that specific role.
College Student Skills To Highlight
Even if you have never had a full-time job before, you are sure to have certain valuable skills. Highlighting the right skills can go a long way to making up for work experience. Here are some skills for your resume objective that are sure to appeal to hiring managers.
Customer Service Skills
Many entry-level roles involve interacting with customers to some extent. Customer service skills help create customer satisfaction and loyalty and are very valuable to most companies. If you have experience interacting with customers at some level, make sure you highlight this skill.
Leadership Skills
Highlighting this skill shows that you can take the lead on projects when necessary. Most hiring managers actively seek people who are strong leaders who can motivate other people. This is a valuable skill to highlight that is sure to make the hiring manager sit up and take notice.
Technologically Capability
Most roles involve working with a computer and other types of technology at some level. If you have used a computer to write your thesis and do research, it is reasonable to highlight this skill. If you have experience using special software and platforms, mention any that are directly related to the organization.
Teamwork Skills
It is important to be able to work well with your colleagues to make sure work is completed efficiently. Even if you don’t have any work experience, you are sure to have collaborated with other students on projects. Highlighting teamwork skills shows hiring managers that you are likely to be a good fit for their team.
Office Skills
Remember all that time you spend working on your thesis and printing out documents? If you have ever used a printer, sent an email, and used a photocopy machine, you have office skills. Highlighting these skills is a good move if you are applying for a job in an office.
Impressive Personal Traits
When reading your resume objective, the hiring manager wants to get a feel for your personality. This will help them to determine whether you will be the right fit for the company culture and team. Here are some personal traits that will make your resume objective particularly attractive.
Hard Work
If you are a college student or have recently graduated, you are sure to understand the importance of hard work. Employers find this attribute very valuable and often reward employees who work hard. Highlighting this personal trait can go a long way to making up for a lack of work experience.
Flexibility
This personal trait shows hiring managers that you can adapt to different situations. When something goes wrong, you need to be able to keep a cool head and find an effective solution. Flexibility also shows that you are willing to take on different tasks when needed.
Influence
If you are applying for a role where sales are involved, influence is a good skill to highlight. This implies that you can turn on the charm when talking to customers about products and services. This skill can also be very useful in a wide range of other industries.
Imagination
Being able to think outside of the box and express yourself creatively is a valuable skill in many industries. If the job you are applying for involves some form of creativity, describing yourself as imaginative is a good move. Alternatively, you could make this personal trait more dynamic by describing yourself as innovative.
Top College Student Resume Objective Examples
When creating your resume objective, you need to make the first sentence as strong as possible. The way you choose to do this will depend on many different factors. Here are some examples of strong college student objectives for different situations.
Resume objectives that highlight your qualifications
If your degree is directly connected to the role you are applying for, it makes you a strong candidate. Announcing your degree and other connected education helps you to stand out.
Here are some natural ways to begin your resume objective with your qualifications.
- Recent graduate with B.S. in Accounting with excellent attention to detail and drive seeking a bookkeeping and data entry role.
- Bachelor of Science student majoring in computer science student with a talent for computer programming and information systems analysis.
- Approachable and adaptable recent college graduate with a passion for childcare, boasting CPR and First Aid certification and strong references.
- Mechanical engineering student with strong technical skills and the ability to design engineering systems and components.
Resume objectives that highlight your experience
You may have gained some work experience before you started college or during the term breaks. If this work experience is connected to the role you are applying for, it is a good idea to lead with it.
Here are some ways to make sure your valuable experience does not go unnoticed.
- Dedicated and customer-focused college student studying hospitality, bringing four years of barista experience and shift management.
- Resourceful final year accountancy student with excellent attention to detail and four years of experience working as a cashier and shift supervisor.
- Recent graduate with four years of customer service experience looking for an entry-level clerical position that will utilize my interpersonal and organizational skills.
Resume objectives that highlight your skills
Some jobs require special skills such as knowledge of certain software and programming languages. If you already have these skills, it will indicate to the hiring manager that you will need less training.
Here are some ways to make sure your specialist skills are not buried in your resume.
- Bringing excellent customer service and a deep understanding of business practices, including office management.
- Progressive and devoted team player with extensive knowledge of design software and tools as well as aesthetic design concepts.
- Highly-motivated recent software engineering graduate with the ability to write code in HTML5, JAVA, and CSS3.
- Performance-driven marketing student with the exceptional ability to provide valuable insights that can optimize a company’s daily activities.
Resume objectives that highlight personal traits
When you think about certain professions, particular personality traits are associated with them. Highlighting certain personal traits also gives the hiring manager an insight into the way you will perform your duties.
Here are some natural ways to show who you are in your resume objective.
- Adaptable and responsible student with excellent communication skills, currently pursuing a degree in early childhood education.
- Hardworking and focused computer science student with excellent attention to detail and the ability to learn quickly.
- Punctual, hardworking, and responsible college student with a team-oriented attitude and excellent customer service skills.
- Performance-oriented student with exceptional interpersonal skills and strong communication skills.
Resume objectives that show what you want
Hiring managers often seek out candidates who know exactly who they are and what they want. Taking this approach at the start of your resume objective can make it particularly strong and compelling.
Here are some natural and impactful ways to demonstrate what you want in your resume objective.
- Current English major seeking a role as a library assistant, bringing a detailed understanding of the library system and an interest in library management processes.
- Bachelor in Media student searching for a part-time role in media offering deep knowledge of social media platforms and marketing techniques.
- Dedicated professional with Bachelor’s degree in marketing seeking a challenging entry-level human resources position to hone my strong organizational skills.
- Recent graduate with a degree in hospitality looking for a concierge role with the potential for career advancement.
Resume Objective Guides For Your First Job!
So, you’ve finally graduated and are applying for your first job? Congratulations! Don’t be nervous, because with Landing A Job Interview: How To Attract The Hiring Manager’S Attention: Resume Objective Statements, or perhaps the best Skills To Put On A Resume: How To Write A Successful Resume: How To Write A Resume Objective, and Resume Objective Statements and Professional Summaries, you’ll have a great CV in no time!
Of course, that’s not all! I also found how to Build Your Resume: How To Make Your Resume Look Impressive To Your Employers: Job Objectives For Resumes, and the Branding Strategy For Job Application: How To Write An Impressive Cover Letter For A Resume: How To Write An Impressive Objective In A Resume, all available online in 2023.
Lastly, I highly recommend perfecting The Correct Way To Write A Resume: Tips To Avoid The Common Pitfalls, and The Pitfalls Of Resume Writing: How To Have Fun With The Resume Writing Process, or maybe you’d like to know Why Your Resume Isn’t Working: And How You Can Fix It NOW (Make it Work).
Final Thoughts
Hiring managers are often charged with reading hundreds of resumes in a short period. In most cases, they will quickly scan the resume objectives to see if it is worth continuing reading. Therefore, it is essential to make your resume objective as strong as possible.
It is important to understand the demands and requirements of the job you are applying for. Therefore, all of the information you present in the resume objective should be directly linked to the job. Most of all, you need to find creative ways to show the hiring manager that you have the most desirable skills and other attributes.
Good luck in getting your very first job!