"Career Objectives"

Civilian_Target

More and more frequently I'm coming across a box in application forms labelled "Career objectives," which seems to me like a vague invitation to spout bull**** about yourself. While I'm quite adept at answering similar questions in an interview (where do you see yourself in 5 years time), this box still baffles me. I'm applying for graduate work and in todays application form I filled it in with:

My professional objective is a position as an IT specialist with strong theoretical knowledge and practical skills to provide stable, secure, effective and high-performing solutions to relevant problems.

but this feels a bit lacklusture to me.

I'm sure many of you have had to fill this box before. How would you complete it? In fact, how much would you even write?

ixus

hmm..When I've done an interview I try and put the following across to them -

Objective 1.
- Get my foot in the door : I'm happy to do anything in the company, for the company. I understand that for the first 3/6 months in a new job I'm very much on trial and I'm prepared to "do my time" like any other "apprentice".

Objective 2.
- Through the door : After this trial period I expect that I've shown that I'm capable of driving a project, any project, and that I'm a valuable asset to the company. I don't like to sit still in a job, I work better under pressure and want to be the guy that the bosses "go to" when a difficult / urgent task comes up.

Objective 3.
- The main man : Having shown what I can do in 2, I'd be hoping to take the next step (further down the line), that of helping decide the direction which the company should go and leading projects for the company.

What do you think of that?
I've used similar material to that and afterwards was told I pretty impressive, so, if it ain't broke.......

CarolLorraine

Your quote sounds bull****ty enough alright to get you by.

Though shouldn't the proper English be "My professional objective is to gain a position as an IT Specialist" or something similar rather than "My professional objective is a position as an IT Specialist" as your goal is usually put in terms of a verb like "My goal is to get/win/have etc."

Civilian_Target

I'm not really referring to what you'd say about career objectives in an interview, because much easier to explain yourself at that point, I'm referring to the application form....

Kinetic^

You could also put down what sort of qualifications you wish to pursue in order to progress in your field of work.

Kernel32

It's a not a bad idea to include something about contributing to the success of the company you want to work for. Companies do business and in order to stay in business they must make money. Companies want every employee to be aware of this fact. Make it known every possible place that you can that you understand that fact. IT in particular is a cost centre for many companies, its not a revenue generator but it does service revenue generating activities. You not only want to provide effective solutions, you want to provide cost effective solutions.