You have a limited amount of time to make an impact on the reader no more that 30 seconds to be precise therefore the effect has to be immediate. A personal statement is usually situated at the top of a cv under your personal information and is one of the first sections of a cv that the reader will come across. There are various formats and types of cv that are useful dependant on the job role or your skill set, however almost all include a personal profile. In addition generally most application forms will also include a personal statement section. so what should this heading or opening paragraph include? a brief overview of who you are and what personal qualities you have to offer. Reference to your skills ensuring they are specifically tailored to that of the position outline your areas of expertise and experience in addition it should entice the reader to want to know more and go on to read the rest of your cv or application form. There is no definitive answer providing the information is relevant and interesting, however generally a profile will consist of between 30 ndash 60 words.

Firstly you should think about compiling a list of descriptive words or phrases that you may wish to use when explaining the above mentioned bullet points. Some sample words approachable, analysed, caring, challenging, creative, diplomatic, experienced, flexible, helpful, influential, inspiring, motivated, organised, professional. Some sample skills effective listener, good at motivating others, training, writing, public speaking, completing forms, cooking, innovative thinker.

Your personal profile should be written in third person narrative, as written in first person will appear as only your opinion of yourself. Compile a few short sentences combining your pre selected words and key skills. It is recommend you have two versions of your profile, one which targets a specific job or industry sector and a general multi purpose version which you can adapt dependant on your requirements. You must feel comfortable in explaining and justifying the points included and be mindful of not sounding ldquo too good to be true rdquo. Set the tone appropriately and word in a positive manner that will help precondition the reader. Pigeon hole yourself to one type of person or profession unless your intention is to achieve one very specific objective. Include and information in relation to your life eg, married, single, age, how long you have been unemployed.

Go over the top, try were possible to keep it simple and do not include anything negative in this opening paragraph. example profiles a responsible, intelligent and experienced retail professional with an extensive background in fashion and children rsquo s wear both in large departments and small boutiques. Highly creative, adaptable and bright individual with an excellent eye for visual detail and design. A skilled and adaptable project manager, with experience in implementing and overseeing change. Has a proven track record of exceeding performance expectations, remaining customer focused and adhering to budgets and timescales. Ability to bring about the fundamental changes needed in response to changing commercial, legislative and financial factors. Strong strategic vision along with the ability to successfully deliver complex multi track projects.

An energetic, ambitious individual who has developed a mature and responsible approach to any tasks undertaken. As a finance graduate who also possesses three years rsquo managerial experience, now seeks a senior financial management role. Has the ability to organise people and systems in order to achieve objectives and is used to working under pressure and meet strict deadlines.

On many application forms you have to complete a section at the end called ‘additional information’ or ‘personal statement’. After you’ve filled in the sections on personal details, education and employment, this large, empty box is your chance to really impress a future employer.

what’s the purpose of this section?

the form should include instructions, usually something like ‘please use this section to explain why you feel you are suited to this job and what you can bring to it’ or ‘please include any further information relevant to the person specification, such as which skills, knowledge and experience you have’. The employer will have seen which qualifications and work experience you have in the previous sections on the form, so the purpose of this section is for you to show you’re motivated to do the job and that you have carefully considered why you feel you would be good at it.

how should i fill this section in?

you should provide answers for each of the points in the person specification. You might like to present them one by one with a heading, so the person reading it can clearly see to which point you’re referring.

why do i need to include examples?

it’s really important that you give examples because they provide clear evidence that you’ve got a skill and know how to apply it in real situations. For example, instead of making a simple claim like, ‘i’m great with money and adding up’, it would tell employers much more if you put, ‘i’ve been in charge of the stationery budget for two years and have been responsible for cashing up at the end of the day’.

what did you learn from your experience?

after providing an example, reflecting on the experience shows that you can learn from your experiences and are always trying to improve. For example, you could say that being in charge of the stationery budget taught you the importance of prioritising, planning ahead and keeping accurate records.

using similar examples and 'what if' situations

even if you haven’t got the experience to show that you’ve got a particular skill, you could say how similar experiences and skills would help you approach this area. For example, ‘my experience of learning how to use a spreadsheet from scratch shows i can pick up software packages very quickly, so i’m confident i’d be able to pick up x package….’ in addition to showing how you meet the person specification, you also need to show your enthusiasm for the job and what attracted you to the organisation. Try to use very positive language and describe what you could bring to the company. It will also impress employers if you show some knowledge of the company, such as what they do, what their strengths are and any latest development that might have been in the news.

Your ‘personal statement’ is the short summary of your key skills and experience that you should put at the top of your cv. It’s vital to spend time getting this right, as many employers will use this statement to decide whether or not to read the rest of your cv. It's what we look at first, when we are searching our database for interesting cvs on behalf of employers. a step by step guide to writing your personal statement: 1. keep it short! your personal statement should just be a few lines or bullet points, from 50–100 words. 2. the first sentence is the most important part of all – some employers won’t even go beyond this, if it isn’t what they’re looking for. The first few words should state your profession in a positive way, eg ‘experienced web designer with.

� 3. the statement should then describe your key skills and experience. Wherever you can provided it's true! use skills keywords that are mentioned in the job ad you're applying for. It’s also good to use figures to add credibility, eg ‘successfully managed budgets of over £1million’ or ‘…with over 12 years’ experience at blue chip pr agencies’. 4. when giving your key skills, use one or two adjectives to describe who you are as a person, so employers can get a sense of your personality and your strengths. Use words such as ‘creative’, ‘motivated’, ‘energetic’, ‘rigorous’. Make sure the adjectives are relevant to the job and always truthful, of course. 5. give employers an indication of your ideal next step, provided it's relevant to the vacancy.

For example 'i have experience of editing content for a website that won several awards' can be shortened to: 'website content editor for an award winning site.' 7. avoid using 'i' repeatedly, avoid cliches, and avoid vague descriptions of your strengths always tie them in with a specific achievement or area of expertise. 9. show it to a few trusted friends or colleagues for a second opinion. 10. remember to check over your personal statement every time you submit your cv for a new vacancy. You should always tailor it to emphasise those areas of your skills that most closely match the job advert.

a good example of a personal statement: 'a highly driven merchandiser with over 8 years’ experience at leading fashion chain retailers. Helped deliver increased team sales in excess of 10% per year over the last 3 years, despite challenging market. Particular expertise in new product development, contributing to packaging design of 3 new lines in current role. Valuable experience in developing ecommerce business alongside high street retail.' a poor example, because it's too vague: 'i am hard working, a good communicator and well organised. Also, i am a good problem solver, have a creative mind and think laterally.' another good example: a professional charity fundraiser with senior level experience spanning direct marketing and capital fundraising campaigns.

In last 2 years have initiated and launched a campaign that raised £6 million within 9 months, for a top 50 charity. Adept at using social media, tv, telemarketing and face to face fundraising methods. Now seeking to use my skills in a part time role at a smaller charity, to have more hands on input. More advice about how to write a good cv and adapt it for different job applications is available at the cv clinic run by award winning organisation women like us. Some jobs may require that applicants summarise career accomplishments within the personal statement, while others may ask applicants to describe specific personality characteristics. Before taking pen to paper, brainstorm about specific accomplishments, goals or impressive life challenges.