It rsquo s fashionable for students and graduates to include a personal statement otherwise known as a career aim, profile or mission statement at the top of their cv. However, in many cases, a personal statement on a graduate cv is likely to be just a waste of space. Some graduate recruiters may even find generic personal statements irritating and off putting. Personal statements/career aims are intended to concisely: summarise a candidate rsquo s career goals highlight the candidates rsquo skills that are relevant to that career sector pick out key achievements ndash things that immediately signal to the recruiter that the candidate would excel in the sector. These statements are best suited to more senior people already on the career ladder. The personal statement gives them the chance to be very specific about their career goal, for example to specialise further in a certain area or move to a certain type of organisation within a sector. They can also draw upon achievements gained in the workplace to further suggest their suitability for the organisation/job they rsquo re applying to.

The average graduate in their early 20s who is trying to get their lsquo first proper job rsquo just doesn rsquo t have the necessary range of experience or knowledge to write an impressive personal statement ndash a careers adviser tells us that in four years of reviewing students rsquo cvs, he has seen fewer than ten good statements. Graduates rsquo personal statements usually sound bland ndash and one is very much like another rsquo s. They tend to be full of very broad statements that don rsquo t say anything unique about the candidate, such as: lsquo i am a friendly, organised, creative english literature graduate with strong communication and teamworking skills. Rsquo it rsquo s amazing how many friendly, organised, creative graduates with good communication and teamworking skills there are out there. As richard thurlow, graduate development officer at construction and engineering firm interserve project services, puts it: lsquo virtually every applicant lists the same attributes and career goals, meaning that no one gains a competitive advantage from doing so.

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Rsquo the other problem with having profiles on graduate cvs is that the career goals are too broad. For example, we receive a lot of applications for the targetjobs editorial internships from students who want to work in lsquo the media/editing/pr/marketing rsquo. To the candidate, this may seem fair enough: they want to try out different things to make up their mind about a career. But to us, this suggests that the candidate hasn rsquo t done enough research otherwise they rsquo d at least suspect that working as an editor is just that little bit different from working in pr or marketing and that they don rsquo t really want an internship in editorial: they rsquo d be equally happy in our marketing department. The rest of the application will have to work hard to convince us that they really do want an internship in editorial. The truth of the matter is that graduates should remove their personal statements and instead focus on fleshing out the other sections of their cv.

Lsquo explain final year projects, interests, or gap year experience in more detail, rsquo suggests steve rodgers, a talent acquisition manager at aecom. Lsquo these often provide good additional information to get a better overall impression of the applicant. Rsquo a good covering letter does the same job as a profile but much, much better. If you don rsquo t have the chance to submit a cover letter with your cv ndash so you don rsquo t get the chance to highlight your skills or motivations for applying ndash you should use a specific personal statement to introduce yourself. For example, when: posting your cv to a jobs board for employers to browse applying through a recruitment agency which won rsquo t let you submit a cover letter note: most agencies encourage you to write a cover letter. It could also be appropriate for mature students and/or career changers to include a personal statement if they have a good range of transferable skills and experience. If you do include a personal statement, you need to make sure it is very specific to the field or organisation you rsquo re applying for: highlight one or two key relevant achievements and skills and articulate your career aims clearly.

To do this, you need to steer clear of anything like: lsquo i want to take on new challenges and progress in my chosen career. For example, if a civil engineer was very clear that they wanted to work in the water sector at a consultancy, an example of a good opening sentence would be: lsquo a civil engineering graduate with experience of working for a contractor and a consultancy seeks a graduate role with a consultancy in its water division. Rsquo this career goal is very specific and clearly articulated ndash and by highlighting that they rsquo ve done work experience with both types of construction organisation, they are telling recruiters that they rsquo ve made a considered career choice. If, however, the civil engineer was posting to a jobs board and wanted to attract a greater number of employers and wasn't fussy about the division they worked in, they shouldn't state their career aim so starkly, but instead highlight their final year project and industry related work experience. five lines might not seem like much to sum up why an employer should hire you, but this little summary is your best chance to impress an employer from the start. rob bevan, a cv consultant with cv checker explains how to get it right your personal statement represents possibly the most crucial five lines on your cv. What you say here will determine whether the recruiter carries on reading about you, or whether your cv will be confined to the ‘no’ pile.

The idea is to create a summary about you, your skills, successes and achievements that will get an employer to buy into you from the get go. Here are four things to remember when writing your personal statement: 1. Never say ‘i’m a good team player’ don’t fall into the trap of using tired, old phrases.

Ban the following lines from your cv: ‘i’m a great team player’, ‘i have good communication skills’, ‘i use my initiative’. I have worked in cvs for a number of years and have yet to read a cv that says ‘i have terrible communication skills’! don’t state the obvious – we’ve all seen these phrases before. what you need to do is give us something that makes you stand out. It’s not the place to tell a story your statement should be in third person and written in an objective way. it needs to read like a sales or marketing brochure, all about you. What service are you selling? does it demonstrate who you are? what is your position in the marketplace? why are you the right service provider to do the job? keep it short and impersonal.

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For example, a project manager might write the following: highly experienced project manager with a track record of delivering projects successfully, on time and within budget. Familiar with all the latest innovations, working with a broad range of products 3. We don’t want to see your face we always advise that you don’t include a picture with your personal statement, unless you are going for a modelling job! if you use a picture you are opening yourself up to judgement because people do make judgements based on pictures. So, if they can find something negative on your cv, they will, and this could be your picture. Nine times out of ten your picture may be ok, but what if the one time where it’s looked on negatively is your dream job? it’s not worth giving people the chance to say no for any reason. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself there are so many applicants out there today that you need to make sure you stand out in the crowd.

It’s not just about having the capability to do the job anymore – out of 100 applicants, 80 will be as qualified as you. An employer will be looking for someone who can give him a good rate of return in his investment – he doesn’t just want anyone, he wants the best candidate. To show that this is you, you need to sell your achievements, your strengths and your successes. it’s not boasting, it’s simply being honest and not being afraid to shout about what you have done and what you can do. what is a personal profile statement? a personal profile statement is a vital part of your cv and it is a short statement outlining your personal characteristics. It tells the reader what kind of a person you are, the attributes and qualities that you posses and the experience you have.

be bold, be confident and talk about yourself in a positive way. your personal profile is not the place to be humble it is your chance to be noticed and tell the potential employer exactly who you ‘really are and what you can do for them. Personal profile example 1 – business management i have a clear, logical mind with a practical approach to problem solving and a drive to see things through to completion. I am eager to learn, i enjoy overcoming challenges, and i have a genuine interest in business management. Personal profile example 2 it i am an open minded individual with a proven track record in designing websites and creating databases.

I am eager to be challenged in order to grow and improve my communication and professional it skills gained through previous experiences in the it sector. Personal profile example 3 fashion i am a responsible, intelligent and experienced retail professional with an extensive background in fashion and childrens wear both in large departments and small boutiques. I am a creative, adaptable and bright individual with an excellent eye for detail and design. Personal profile example 4 – project manager i am an energetic, ambitious person who has developed a mature and responsible approach to any task that i undertake, or situation that i am presented with. As a graduate with three years of experience in management, i am excellent in working with others to achieve a certain objective on time and with excellence.

Personal profile example 5 – project leader i am an open minded, friendly and resourceful project leader with a sound and optimistic outlook on all things in life. I posses an excellent ability to motivate others, coupled with the ability to communicate comfortably at all levels, therefore ensuring an excellent working environment for all members of the team to perform at their bests. Personal profile example 6 – article writer i am an articulate, confident person who relishes challenges and working under pressure.

I have an excellent ability to write good quality content since more than 200 of my articles have been published by leading newspapers and magazines. Personal profile example 7 – sales person i am a mature, positive and hardworking individual, who always strives to achieve the highest standard possible, at any given task. I posses excellent communication skills and i have the ability and experience to relate to a wide range of people.