Accounting Resume Objective: Is It Necessary?
The old school approach has always suggested an “objective” at the beginning of your resume, stating your desired job and field.
I am not a fan of this. Let me explain.
3 Reasons Why an Accounting Resume Objective Wastes Valuable Space in Your Resume
1. No Need to State the Obvious
If you are joining a standard program such as those offered in Big 4, or management trainee program in the Fortune 500 companies, stating the objective is not necessary because, well, there isn’t much to say other than you are interested in joining that particular program.
There is no point saying the obvious and wasting valuable space in your resume.
2. You Said What You Want, But What’s Your Value-Add to the Company?
If you are contacting a recruiter for general positioning in the accounting department, then it *might* be helpful to say what you are looking for. Examples:
- Seeking a job in financial accounting to utilize my audit experience from Big 4
- To obtain an internship to gain experience in governmental accounting where I would like to specialize in
The problem is, while you state what you want from the company, you are not telling the reader why they want you. The recruiter only cares whether you are a good candidate for the company, not vice versa. That’s why I don’t think an objective statement will do you any good.
3. It’s Pretty Lame Anyway
It’s pretty hard to make an accounting resume objective sound impressive no matter how you frame it (because, again, it is a self-centered statement). If you can’t wow the recruiter, don’t bother.
Final Note
I understand that in some culture / country it is customary to put in such an accounting resume objective on your CV. If so, it’s totally fine; but if you are looking for a job in the US, I’d recommend that you skip it.
A cover letter is a much better way to express your interest to the firm. We will go through this in the next post.
About the Author Stephanie
I am the author of How to Pass The CPA Exam (published by Wiley), and I also passed all 4 sections of the CPA Exam on my first try. Additionally, I have led webinars, such as for the Institute of Management Accountants, authored featured articles on websites like Going Concern and AccountingWeb, and I'm also the CFO for the charity New Sight. Finally, I have created other accounting certification websites to help mentor non-CPA candidates. I have already mentored thousands of CPA, CMA, CIA, EA, and CFA candidates, and I can help you too!