What's a good objective to write on a resume for office clerical?

Question

Something good for general office & receptionist. Im really stuck on it. Please help thanx!

Answer 1

Selecting information for your resume

The best way to select information that belongs on your resume is to think like an employer. Ask yourself, "If I were hiring a person for this position, what training and experience would be related?" Give brief, specific, positive information that would be of interest to your next employer. Do not give unrelated or negative information.

A standard resume should include...

Contact information

Tell the employer your full name, street address, apartment number, city, state, zip code and telephone number (including area code).

Employment goal or job objective

Tell the employer the specific job you are interested in. Good examples are, "An entry-level clerical position", "A customer-service position in the retail industry", or, "A manufacturing position utilizing my five years of quality control experience."

Avoid vague statements like, "A position with growth potential", or, "A challenging position with a stable company." Remember, keep it simple and to the point.

Summary of Qualifications

Tell the employer your major selling points in 3-5 lines. Be brief, summarize, give facts — not opinions. (This section is optional)

Work Experience or Work History

Tell the employer about your work experience in one of two ways — either by job titles and dates, or by functions and skills. Later in the publication you will see outlines and sample resumes which will help you decide which way would work best for you.

Education

Tell the employer about any job-related training or education. List your most recent training first.

If you are a recent graduate with little work experience, you might want to list the following information before your work history: the name of the school, the degree or certificate received, dates, course titles related to your job goal, scholarships, honors, grades, and extracurricular activities.

If you have been working for over five years, you don’t need to give as much information about your education. Name the school, city, state, degree or certificate, or course work and dates (dates are optional).

Include your high school unless you have a higher degree. Never include your grade school or middle school.

Military Experience

Tell the employer the branch of service, your highest rank, type of discharge, and date of separation. List any special assignments, duties, clearances, collateral duties, and decorations that relate to the job that you are seeking. Technical military training can be listed under the Education heading on your resume. (A Military heading is only listed if you have military experience.)

Special Skills and Abilities

Tell the employer any other information you feel might help you. (This section is optional.) You might want to include information about knowledge of foreign languages, volunteer or leisure activities, memberships in professional organizations, special skills such as typing, computers, machines you can operate, licenses or certificates you possess. Do not provide personal information such as your age, s*x, marital status, or handicaps.

References

Tell the employer simply that, "References are available upon request," or, "References gladly furnished upon request." Do not list references on your resume. Instead, have them typed on a separate sheet of paper and have them available if the employer asks for them. You should have three to five references listed. They should be people who know you and your work — not your relatives. Be sure to get each person’s permission to use him or her as a reference.

Resume Outlines and Examples

The following pages have outlines and examples of two of the most commonly used basic resumes.

Example 1 lists each job separately, starting with your most recent job and working backward. Specific information is given about each job.

Example 1: Outline and resume

Example 2 lists the 3-5 skill areas or functions you performed that are related to your present job goal, briefly describing the work you’ve done within each area. Very little attention is given to when and where.

Example 2: Outline and resume

Cover Letter

Most employers prefer that a resume be mailed with a letter of introduction. This letter is called a cover letter. A cover letter should tell the employer which position you are interested in and why you are qualified for the position.

It should cover 1/3 to 2/3 of an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of paper and should be on the same size, grade, and color of paper as your resume. It is best to use a personal computer, word processor or typewriter to write your cover letter. Some information in your cover letter may also be on your resume; it is all right to have some overlapping information. Be sure your letter does not have spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors. Have another person proofread it before you mail it.

Example 3: Cover letter

Application Letter: An Alternative to a Resume

In some situations, a traditional resume might not be the best way to contact an employer. Depending on the employer’s preference, the field of work and your qualifications, you may want to use a Letter of Application.

This is a personal letter you write to an employer that tells which position you are interested in and why you are qualified for that position. It should fill 1/2 to 2/3 of an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of white or light-colored bond paper. It must be error free. Have another person look it over to make sure it is perfect before you mail it.

An outline and a sample for a Letter of Application follow.

Example 4: Application letter

Resume Checklist

Use 8-1/2" x 11" paper, 1-2 pages

Choose ivory, white, cream, buff or light gray paper

Use personal computer, word processor, typewriter or typesetting

Keep margins 1" wide at sides and bottom

Check for and correct any spelling, punctuation, typing or grammatical errors

Write short and to-the-point statements

Keep it brief; write a summary, not a life history!

Use short phrases beginning with action words to demonstrate accomplishments and results

Provide positive and honest information

Use a simple, professional, easy-to-read style

Have others look it over to make sure it’s perfect

Leave off personal information such as height, weight, age, s*x, marital status

Emphasize important information by underlining or using capital letters when appropriate, but don’t overdo it

Don’t list wages, company street addresses, references, salary requirements, personal problems

Provide examples of your qualifications

Look at your resume through the eyes of an employer and ask yourself, "If I were an employer, would I want to interview this person?"