A personal statement is an important part of your CV. It allows you to showcase your unique skills, experiences, and qualities to potential employers in a short paragraph. Your personal statement should grab the reader’s attention in the opening sentence and leave them with an impression of who you are by the closing sentence. Here are some tips for writing an effective personal statement that will highlight why you are the best candidate for the job:
First, know your audience. Consider the type of role and industry you are applying for and tailor your personal statement to that audience. Mention any relevant industry terms, skills, or experiences you have that directly relate to the job. Make it clear right away how well you match what the employer is looking for.
Begin with an engaging opening sentence that captures the reader’s interest. You only have a few seconds to grab their attention before they move on, so make your first sentence count. Some options could be stating a relevant achievement or experience, highlighting a key skill or strength, or posing a thought-provoking question. Avoid generic openers like “I am a motivated individual seeking new challenges.”
Keep your personal statement brief at 3-5 short paragraphs. Employers do not have time to read lengthy statements, so be concise and get right to the point. Each paragraph should highlight a different strength, skill or experience. The overall statement should be between 150-200 words.
In the second paragraph, give a brief overview of your relevant academic background, qualifications and career history. Mention any awards, honors or notable successes. Quantify achievements where possible with numbers, stats or metrics to emphasize impact.
The third paragraph should focus on highlighting your top 2-3 key strengths, skills or experiences that are most relevant for the job. Provide concrete examples to illustrate them in action. For soft skills, quantify them when you can. Avoid generic terms like “team player” – be specific.
In the fourth paragraph, discuss your future career goals and why this role would help you achieve them. Explain what motivates and drives you in your work. Relate it back to how you can add value to the company or organization.
End powerfully in the closing paragraph with a call to action. Restate your key qualifications and passion for the role. Thank the reader for their consideration and express your enthusiasm for discussing the opportunity further. Finish with a question or comment that leaves them wanting to learn more about you as a candidate.
Have other professionals review your statement to catch any errors or areas for improvement. Get feedback on whether it effectively highlights your strengths in a compelling manner. Revise and refine it until your personal statement stands out from other applicants.
Tailor your statement for each application, as employers can detect generic statements copied and pasted. Use different words to describe similar experiences so it seems fresh. Adjust the statement based on the job description and company to ensure the best person-role-company fit is communicated.
The key things employers want to know from your personal statement are: Why are you interested in this role/company? What experience and skills do you have that are directly relevant? What value can you add? How will you fit into the organization’s culture? Your statement is a chance to make a great first impression – use it wisely to market yourself as the ideal candidate. With the right personal statement, you are sure to stand out from the competition.