Competition can be fierce when you are applying for a job. Wouldn’t you just want to be able to simply tell them why you are the best candidate for this job, instead of sending a CV and cover letter and having to wait for the result? Unfortunately this is not (yet) how the job application process goes. But there is a way to include your elevator pitch into the job application by writing a personal statement or personal profile for your CV.
What is a Personal statement?
The personal statement on a CV provides a brief summary of your CV. You can highlight the crucial aspects of your CV in the personal statement. It gives a quick overview of your experience, education or your skills complemented with information about your personality or your career objectives. The personal statement, is your short sales pitch, it tells a recruiter in just a few lines why they should hire you. A personal statement on a CV is not the same as the personal statement you have to write for a university application. The personal statement on your CV is just a few sentences long, the personal statement for a university application is much longer and more detailed.
Why a Personal Statement on your CV?
Recruiters get to see a lot of CV’s. They often make a first selection after just a short scan of the CV’s. In the personal statement gives you have the chance to tell something about your personality and your ambition. This information is normally intended for the cover letter, but because of this quick CV scan selection process, it is possible that your cover letter will not be read at all. This makes your CV the most important document to make a solid first impression. The personal statement offers you the opportunity to immediately sell yourself and to stand out from other candidates.
Positioning, length and tone and voice
You should place the personal statement at the top of your CV. This can be at the very top or just below your contact details, but keep it before your work experience or education. The personal statement should be just short summary. Stay within 6 lines or below 120 words and keep your sentences short and to the point. Write your personal statement in a style similar to the rest of your CV and keep it professional. You can write your personal statement in the third person or in the first person, which is a bit more informal.
What to include in your personal statement
Job title, experience or education: depending on what is most relevant in the current phase of your career. When you are a fresher you might want to refer to your education and diplomas; e.g. you are a business school graduate. If you already have some working experience you can state your job title; e.g. you are a sales representative.
Industry: Include the most relevant industry or line of work that you have worked in.
Personality: The personal statement is a sales pitch to sell yourself. Include the personality traits that you have that you think will make you suitable for the job. Some of these personality traits can be found in the job description. But if you cannot find any, you can take some time to think about the job you are applying to and imagine what personality traits might be crucial for the tasks and responsibilities.
Objective: You can add an objective in your personal statement. In the past it was common to state a separate objective on the top of your CV. Today you can include your objective inside your personal statement. Most objectives we see on CV’s are very obvious, i.e. “I want this job and I want to grow my career”. You don’t have to write down a separate objective, but you can include some of your career ambitions in your personal statement.
Other relevant experience or special achievements: The key to writing a good personal statement is highlighting information that is relevant for the job you are applying to. This means you can also point to important details on your CV that are easily overlooked. For example older work experience or industries you have worked in. Special achievements can also be highlighted in the personal statement.
Do’s and don’ts
Do:
- Summarize your work experience, education, skills and personality
- Write your personal statement to clearly show that you are suitable for the job you are applying to.
- Look for keywords in the job description to use in your personal statement
- Only use relevant information
- Customize your personal statement for each job application
- Write in short sentences and to the point
- Use important details from your CV that are easily overlooked
- Use a tone of voice that suits the job and the company you are applying to
Don’t:
- Use buzzwords or clichés
- Boast or exaggerate
- Add irrelevant information
- Write too informal
- Try to stand out with a bold / quirky / extreme statement
- Use more than 120 words
- Forget to check your text for spelling and grammar
Example Personal Statements
“Ambitious and enthusiastic Marketing Manager with more than twenty years of marketing experience in multiple competitive industries. Target driven with a sharp eye for developing new business opportunities. Confident communicator and tactful negotiator with a strong strategical insight. Has been leading and motivating marketing teams (+10 FTE) for more than ten years. Looking for a new marketing management challenge for a high-end brand with a strong focus on business development.”
“Devoted and energetic primary school teacher with more than 10 years of class room experience. I have a sharp eye for the interpersonal dynamics between children and for recognizing special needs in an early stage. During my ten years in the class room I have been able to successfully adapt to changing teaching methods and implementing new technologies within the class room. I am looking for a new teaching challenge within an inspiring school environment.”
“I am a highly motived junior sales representative, with a bachelor degree in International Business. My analytical skills are excellent and I have an sharp eye for business opportunities. I have strong interpersonal skills and I enjoy new challenges. During university I have been working as a telesales representative. In this position I have proven to be target driven. I would like to take my sales experience to the field and further develop my sales management skills.”
“Ambitious business development manager with more than 20 years of extensive experience within the consumer electronics industry. Successfully initiated, implemented and management 4 new business units within an international business environment. Managed several teams with up to 60 team members. Excellent project management and leadership skills, eager to develop my personal skills and new business. Seeking a director role within the consumer electronics industry at a company looking for international growth.”
Most of our CV templates have a personal statement or personal profile section included in the CV format.
