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How to Write a CV Personal Statement [20 Examples Included]

By Jeffrey Stromes

10 min read

When applying for a job, it’s critical that you immediately grab the recruiter’s attention . Otherwise, you’ll remain unnoticed, even though you may be a real gem in the pool of candidates. But how are you supposed to arouse the hiring professional’s curiosity right off the bat? The answer is hidden in these three words: a CV personal statement.

While writing a curriculum vitae is somewhat straightforward, creating a persuasive personal statement may be a challenge. Luckily, we’re here to end your struggles and teach you how to craft an eye-catching one, so keep reading to learn more!

Key Takeaways

As a highlight of your professional history, a CV personal summary aims to spark a recruiter’s interest and make them read your CV .

A personal summary is beneficial for all candidates, regardless of their experience, as it will allow a recruiter to learn more about them .

To write a compelling personal statement, you should tailor it to the job you want to apply for, highlight your experience and skills, and include your career goal.

What Is a CV Personal Statement?

Also referred to as a personal mission statement or career summary, a CV personal statement sums up who you are and what you may bring to the company . Its primary purpose is to spark a recruiter’s interest in you.

Located at the top of your curriculum vitae, a CV personal statement consists of two to four sentences that describe:

Mandatory CV Personal Statement Information

Who you are

How you’ll benefit the company

What your career objectives are

So, in other words, this part lets you show your greatest strengths and career goals . As such, it can be of great help if you’re starting out or seeking a different career path.

Here’s an example of a nicely crafted CV personal statement:

CV Personal Statement Example

As a dedicated Registered Nurse with five years of experience, I bring a proven track record in delivering compassionate and high-quality patient care. Proficient in diverse healthcare settings, I excel at assessing and addressing patient needs while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. I am seeking a role where my skills and passion for excellence can contribute to the Houston Medical Clinic.

Why You Should Have a CV Personal Statement

By emphasizing your unique talents and skills and demonstrating why you’re the right fit for the job, a CV personal statement can help you stand out from other candidates . It will entice a hiring professional to continue reading and discover more about your skills, qualifications, experience, and achievements.

While a personal statement can help seasoned professionals with solid experience land a new job, it is also beneficial for job hunters seeking their first jobs. A CV personal statement for students allows high schoolers or undergraduates to get the job they want by summarizing their relevant academic achievements .

How to Write a Personal Statement for a CV

Here’s how to write a CV personal statement and pitch yourself to a hiring professional:

#1. Introduce Yourself

The very first sentence of your personal statement should indicate that you’re a serious candidate for the position. Describe yourself and your work experience using strong adjectives and action verbs .

The simplest way to introduce yourself is to ask, “Who am I professionally?" and an eye-catching answer will pop out immediately.

#2. List the Skills Relevant to the Position

After you’ve introduced yourself, highlight two to three skills relevant to the position . Check out the job description and look for the required competencies; select a couple of them that refer to you, and then list them in your personal statement.

By doing so, you’ll not only tailor your statement to the role; you’ll also pass the pre-screening process carried out by an ATS hassle-free.

#3. Include a Specific Goal You Want to Achieve

The next step is to add an objective you’d like to accomplish . However, make sure that the goal isn’t solely yours; it should be in line with the company’s as well .

Mentioning a specific goal that also aligns with the company’s will make a hiring manager consider you a valuable addition to the team. 

#4. Mention Your Previous Experience/Background

Having relevant experience is a one-way ticket to the next stage of the hiring process. Hence, if you possess it, mention it right away.

To do it effectively, go over the job ad again and peruse the duties and responsibilities that will await you in this position. Try to remember similar activities and experiences from previous roles and list them.

#5. Quantify Your Achievements

Listing accomplishments along with experience indeed adds some value to your personal statement for a CV. However, supporting it with measurable results gives it more credibility .

You can back up your achievements with growth percentages, value increases, budget savings, customer happiness , etc. Such quantifiable results will show a hiring professional how you can contribute to the success of their company as well.

20 CV Personal Statement Examples

Here, we’ll list 20 CV personal statement examples that you can use either to get inspiration or as personal statement templates.

#1. Recent Graduate CV Personal Statement

Here’s a personal summary example for a budding computer scientist CV:

Computer Scientist CV Personal Statement Example

As a recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, I am enthusiastic about applying my academic knowledge in software development. I am eager to embark on a career where I can use my technical skills and bring a fresh perspective to contribute to a dynamic development team. 

And here’s an example of a personal statement for a digital marketing graduate:

Digital Marketing CV Personal Statement Example

Having recently earned my Bachelor of Arts in Marketing with a specialization in Digital Marketing, I am eager to launch my career in the fast-evolving digital landscape. I am now eager to contribute my energy, fresh perspective, and dedication to excellence in a professional marketing environment that fosters continuous learning and growth.

This is an example of a law graduate personal statement:

Law Graduate CV Personal Statement Example

As a recent law graduate, I bring a comprehensive understanding of legal principles and a passion for justice. My academic journey has equipped me with strong research, analytical, and communication skills. I am eager to embark on a legal career where I can apply my knowledge to contribute to the pursuit of justice.

#2. Career Change CV Personal Statement Example

Check out an example of a CV personal statement for a transition from finance into data analytics :

Data Analytics CV Personal Statement Example

As a dynamic professional with a successful track record in finance, I am now eager to use my skills to start a new challenge in data analytics. My goal is to use my financial and newly acquired data analytics abilities to contribute to a forward-thinking company seeking to optimize its operations through actionable insights.

Here’s an example of a personal statement for a civil engineer seeking a career change :

Civil Engineer CV Personal Statement Example

After a successful decade in project management within the construction industry, I am excited to redirect my career toward sustainable development and environmental management. Armed with a Master's degree in Civil Engineering, I am eager to bring my proven leadership and technical skills to contribute to a sustainability-focused company looking to drive positive change.

Take a look at the CV personal statement of a software developer transitioning into web design:

Web Design CV Personal Statement Example

With a decade of experience in software development, I am seeking a career change that merges my passion for technology and web design. Having technical experience in coding and a deep understanding of web design trends, I am eager to apply my analytical thinking and technical skills to build attention-grabbing and highly functional web pages.

#3. Internship CV Personal Statement Example

This is an example of a CV personal statement for a marketing internship :

Marketing Internship CV Personal Statement Example

As a highly motivated and creative individual, I am seeking an internship in marketing where I can apply my strong analytical skills and passion for brand promotion. Proficient in social media marketing and content creation, I am eager to contribute fresh perspectives and innovative strategies to enhance the company's online presence. 

Check out a personal statement example for a cyber security internship personal statement:

Cyber Security Internship CV Personal Statement Example

As a dedicated and detail-oriented computer science enthusiast, I am actively seeking an internship in cyber security to apply my strong understanding of network security and information protection. Eager to expand my knowledge of cyber defense strategies and contribute to safeguarding digital assets, I am excited about the prospect of contributing to a dynamic cybersecurity team during my internship.

Check out the CV personal statement of a psychology student:

Psychology Student Internship CV Personal Statement Example

Enthusiastic Psychology student with a deep interest in understanding human behavior and emotions. Through coursework in cognitive psychology and research experience, I've developed analytical and critical thinking skills. Actively involved in campus organizations focused on mental health awareness, I am now seeking internships in the field of counseling or research to apply my academic knowledge to real-world situations.

Here’s what a CV personal statement of an environmental science student looks like:

Environmental Science Internship CV Personal Statement Example

Passionate Environmental Science student dedicated to sustainability and conservation. Through my coursework, I acquired a strong foundation in environmental science. I am actively engaged in campus projects focused on reducing carbon footprint. Eager to contribute my knowledge to real-world environmental initiatives, I am seeking internship opportunities to apply my skills to sustainable practices and conservation efforts.

#4. Experienced Professionals CV Personal Statement Example

Here’s an example of a seasoned finance professional personal statement: 

Finance Professional CV Personal Statement Example

As a seasoned financial analyst with over 10 years of experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling, I am proficient in optimizing financial processes. I've successfully led cross-functional teams to achieve cost savings of up to 15%. With an MBA in Finance and a proven ability to drive profitability, I am eager to bring my strategic financial expertise to a leadership role.

This is what an experienced marketing executive CV statement should look like:

Marketing Executive CV Personal Statement Example

Accomplished marketing executive with a demonstrated history of driving brand growth in competitive markets. Over 12 years of experience, I developed and executed comprehensive marketing strategies, resulting in a consistent 20% annual increase in market share. I am now seeking a senior leadership position to apply my strategic vision and foster innovation in an innovative company.

 Take a look at the CV personal statement example of an IT project manager :

IT Project Manager CV Personal Statement Example

A seasoned IT project manager with PMP certification and a commitment to staying at the forefront of tech trends. I have a track record of reducing project timelines by 25% and enhancing system efficiency by 30%. Ready for a leadership role, I'm excited to lead a team in overcoming the next technological frontier.

Here’s an example of a human resources director personal statement:

Human Resources Director CV Personal Statement Example

With a decade of experience sculpting positive workplace cultures, I created and implemented HR programs that enhanced employee engagement and retention. Initiatives I've led resulted in a 20% improvement in employee satisfaction and a 15% reduction in turnover. Armed with an SPHR certification, I am excited to bring my strategic HR leadership to a company committed to fostering a positive workplace culture.

#5. Student CV Personal Statement Examples

If you’re a business administration student, this is what your personal statement should look like:

Business Administration Student CV Personal Statement Example

As an ambitious Business Administration student specializing in marketing, I offer a combination of academic achievements and practical skills developed through internships. Eager to apply my knowledge in a dynamic business environment, I am seeking opportunities where I can use my skills and passion for marketing to drive tangible results.

Here’s a graphic design student personal statement example:

Graphic Design Student CV Personal Statement Example

As a Graphic Design student with a creative flair and technical proficiency, I bring a unique blend of design skills acquired through coursework and hands-on projects. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and experienced in translating conceptual ideas into visually appealing designs, I am eager to embark on a career in graphic design and apply my artistic talents to contribute to innovative design projects.

#5. Entry-Level CV Personal Statement Examples

Check out a CV personal statement for an entry-level paralegal :

Paralegal CV Personal Statement Example

As a dedicated and detail-oriented recent graduate with an Associate degree in Legal Studies, I am eager to launch a career as a paralegal, bringing strong research, organizational, and communication skills. I am excited to contribute to a dynamic legal team where I can use a solid understanding of legal procedures and a commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards.

Here’s an example of a virtual assistant CV personal statement:

Virtual Assistant CV Personal Statement Example

Tech-savvy and highly organized professional seeking an entry-level virtual assistant position. With proficiency in office software and platforms, I am well-equipped to handle administrative tasks such as managing calendars and coordinating meetings efficiently. I am eager to contribute my multitasking abilities and proactive approach to help streamline operations and enhance overall productivity in a virtual work environment.

This is what a good entry-level office manager personal statement should look like:

Office Manager CV Personal Statement Example

An enthusiastic and detail-oriented professional with a degree in Business Administration and a strong foundation in office management and administration. Through internships, I demonstrated the ability to coordinate daily operations, manage office supplies, and ensure a smooth workflow. Eager to use my organizational skills and proactive mindset to contribute to a positive and efficient work environment through effective communication and problem-solving.

Take a look at an example of a personal statement for a nurse CV:

Nurse CV Personal Statement Example

A compassionate and dedicated medical professional with an Associate degree in nursing. Through my coursework and clinical rotations, I gained a solid foundation in medical procedures as well as hands-on experience in patient care, medication administration, and treatment planning. I am seeking an opportunity to apply my knowledge and commitment to providing high-quality care.

Final Thoughts

To compel a recruiter to read your curriculum vitae to the very end, you need to grab their attention immediately. The best way to do it is by including a CV personal statement.

Though a bit tricky to write, this brief section of your CV is well worth the effort. Hopefully, our guide will ease the struggle and help you create an eye-catching personal statement and land that dream job!

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How to Write a CV Personal Statement: A Guide

Your CV personal statement is a powerful tool for persuading employers you’re right for the job. It provides an introduction to your CV and summarises your skills, experience and ambitions. The aim is to grab the reader’s attention and briefly outline your credentials, to encourage them to read on. In this article, we discuss how to write a CV personal statement that makes an impact and increases your chances of job application success.

Key Elements of a CV Profile

Picking the right balance of elements for your CV profile is crucial to making it concise, engaging and readable. Your personal statement should reflect your skills and experience, indicating that you have what it takes to do the job. However, it should also showcase some unique characteristics and strengths that set you apart from other candidates.

An effective, engaging CV summary should include a concise summary of your qualifications and mention relevant skills and experience. It should also demonstrate a track record of success and achievements. In addition, it provides a chance to showcase a unique value proposition to make your application stand out from the crowd.

The ideal CV personal statement is no longer than two to three sentences. It can be a challenge to distil your qualities, achievements and experience into such a short paragraph, but it can prove a useful exercise in economy, requiring you to succinctly summarise your unique selling points for employers.

Benefits of Including a CV Personal Statement

Your CV personal statement offers various benefits that can help your chances of success. Because hiring managers tend to spend so little time reviewing each CV, it’s crucial to capture their attention quickly. Your CV summary provides the opportunity to do this with a short, easy-to-read paragraph. If your CV personal statement is interesting and engaging, the reader is much more likely to continue to study your CV in depth.

Your CV summary or personal statement allows you to focus on what you consider to be your greatest strengths and qualities. Whether these are your qualifications, your skills, your experience or your personality, you can choose what you believe is most likely to make a positive impression with the hiring manager. Your statement can also help to differentiate you from other candidates as it’s one of the few sections of your CV where you can add personal opinion and insight. Without a personal statement, CVs can be dry, factual documents that are difficult for employers to distinguish between.

Expert tip:

Use the job description as a guide for what to mention in your CV personal statement, but make sure you leave some space to highlight the skills and achievements that make you a unique candidate. Reviewing CVs can be a repetitive process, so include insights that grab the attention of the reader and help your application stand out.

How to Write an Effective CV Profile

There’s an art to writing an effective CV profile or personal statement. It requires practice to create one with a minimum word count and maximum impact. The first thing to note is that the most effective personal statements are tailored for each specific job application. It’s impossible to write a personal statement that you can reuse for every job application without drastically compromising its effectiveness. You might have a basic form and structure ready, and your statement might be similar between applications for similar roles, but be prepared to edit, tweak, and amend your statement for every single application.

When writing your personal statement, first, read the job description and make sure you understand the key requirements for the role. This will help you decide what to focus on in your paragraph. The job description should contain a list of essential and desirable skills and experience. Match these with your own experience to decide what to mention in your profile. You might have space to mention one or two key skills, achievements and experiences in your statement, so make sure you strike a balance between the key requirements for the role and your own greatest features.

Use action verbs to give your statement a punchy, purposeful tone. For example, instead of writing ‘I’ve worked as a manager for a financial consultancy firm’, write ‘led a dynamic team of financial consultants’. As well as creating greater impact, this can help you to keep your statement focused and concise.

There’s an art to writing an effective CV profile or personal statement. It requires practice to create one with a minimum word count and a maximum impact.

Examples of CV Profile

Below you can find some examples of CV personal statements to use as inspiration. Remember, it’s important to tailor your CV summary or personal statement for each job application. Even similar jobs or identical job titles require a tailored approach to your personal statement and CV as a whole. Different employers might favour different skills and experience, or they might be searching for the right candidate to fit into their team, the dynamic of which may differ from that of their competitors.

Here are four example CV profiles, to illustrate how to make a positive impact with employers:

Customer service CV profile

An enthusiastic customer service manager with four years’ experience overseeing customer inquiries and complaints at a large supermarket. A strong communicator and excellent problem-solver who thrives under pressure and enjoys working in a customer-facing environment. Developed policies to reduce branch customer complaints by 18% in a two-year period.

Managerial CV profile

An experienced manager with a balanced skill set, combining a results-driven mindset with building a personal, relational team culture. Created high-performing sales and marketing teams across a 20-year career, with a focus on staff development and nurturing highly creative, collaborative work environments. 

Human resources CV profile

A dedicated HR professional with five years’ experience in recruitment and training strategy. Led a recruitment team committed to ensuring equality and diversity throughout local government at all levels. Designed organisational structures and recruited for balanced, efficient teams using a combination of strategic planning, analytical skills and interpersonal skills.

Supply chain CV profile

An outcomes-focused supply chain manager with seven years’ experience optimising logistics operations, reducing costs, and increasing business efficiency. Develops innovative strategies to streamline processes, lower risks, and create smoother supply chain flow. Committed to continuous improvement through strategic thinking, collaboration and planning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a CV Personal Statement

If you want to write a CV summary that makes a positive impact and improves your chances of progressing to a job interview, take a look at these common mistakes to avoid:

• Writing a generic or vague summary: it’s almost impossible to make a strong impact by using the same summary for every job application. Read and understand the job description, and tweak and edit your CV personal statement accordingly. This means every CV summary is tailored to the job spec, as well as keeping the content fresh and up-to-date.
• Including irrelevant information: your CV personal statement should be distilled to the most essential skills, experience and achievements. Every sentence and, indeed, every word of it should be designed for maximum impact. If your profile is too long, or it includes information that’s not strictly relevant to the job in hand, your chances of success may be compromised.
• Focusing too much on personal objectives: you might want to mention your own personal ambitions and career objectives in your statement. This can be powerful, especially for junior roles where you don’t have lots of relevant experience. However, as you gain more experience, this becomes less useful. Concentrate on highlighting your relevant skills, experience and achievements.
• Overusing buzzwords or clichés: it’s important to ensure the content of your personal statement shows how you meet the job description. However, avoid buzzwords, industry jargon and clichés as much as possible. Use original language and make sure your statement demonstrates what makes you a perfect and unique candidate for the job.

Key Takeaways for Writing Your CV Personal Statement

A strong CV personal statement can make or break your chances of successfully passing to the next stage of the recruitment process. Write your summary with the job description in mind and focus on highlighting two or three key skills, experiences and achievements. Make sure you tailor your profile for every job description for maximum impact. A well-designed CV can help your personal statement to stand out. CVwizard offers a range of CV templates and resources to help you craft a winning CV. Sign up and follow the simple steps to create a professional-looking CV today.

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Craft a winning personal statement for your CV to stand out

8 min read · Updated on April 18, 2024

Let the personal statement on your CV speak volumes about you

You probably have a fairly good idea of how to write a CV . Your employment history , education , and qualifications are relatively easy to pull together as you just need to look at dates, your previous job specs, and what you've achieved over the years.

The personal statement is often the trickiest component of a CV to write. Thankfully, we've got this comprehensive guide to help you write a winning one.

What is a personal statement for a CV?

Your personal statement is a short paragraph that sits at the top of your CV, just below your name and contact details. Diving into three key aspects, this section offers the recruiter or hiring manager a powerful overview of you as a professional:

1.    Who you are

2.    Your suitability for the role and the value you can add

3.    Your career goals 

Why include a personal statement on your CV?

It is estimated that recruiters spend an average of less than 8 seconds reviewing a CV before deciding whether the applicant is a good fit. 

As the personal statement is the first section they will read, it must be powerful and tailored to the job you're applying for to successfully showcase your suitability. If it's not, you're unlikely to convince the recruiter you're the talent they need for the job.

5 tips on writing your personal statement

Before we look at some personal statement examples, let's take a look at the basics. Here are some expert-backed tips for writing a good personal statement on your CV.

1. Keep it short and on point

Keep your personal statement clean and concise. It's typically around four sentences long, or about 50 to 200 words. If you're overshooting that word count, see which nonessential parts can be omitted.

2. Get the layout right from the start

Make sure that your layout is consistent with the rest of your CV's formatting . That means maintaining the same font size , font type, and text justification. Recruiters will notice these minor details, and so it's smart to get ahead of the game here. 

3. Use a heading (if there's space!)

You can add a “personal statement” heading in the same way that you'd title the subsequent sections of your CV. However, if you're tight on space, you can cut the heading as recruiters will know what this paragraph is nonetheless.

4. Choose the right perspective

The first person is acceptable for a statement (“I am an IT professional looking for a job in…”) as is the third person (“An IT professional looking for a job in…”). Choose the point of view that's most comfortable to write in, but, as always, keep it consistent with the rest of your CV.

5. Cut back on unnecessary words

If you're writing in the third person, remove all pronouns. Otherwise, it sounds existentially awkward, rather than objective. For example, “She is a retail professional seeking a management role…” would become “A retail professional seeking a management role…”

How to write a personal statement for a CV

We've looked at the purpose of a personal statement, what it should include, and how it should look on the page. Now let's zoom in on exactly how to write a winning statement.

When writing, keep in mind that the personal statement on your CV is your elevator pitch; it's the equivalent of the “Tell me about yourself” or “Why should I hire you?” question in an interview. Below, we break down what you need to include in your personal statement.

Part 1: Who you are

Your opening statement needs to tell the prospective employer where you stand in your career. 

This introduction could include your current role, years of experience, and what you like the most about your career or professional field. It gives the recruiter a hint of the qualities that make you valuable to the vacancy.

Your first sentence may read like so:

As a successful digital marketing professional with five years specialising in e-commerce, I have recently worked with several global brands in the sector to improve their marketing strategy and boost their reach.

Part 2: Your suitability and value

The next part of your statement should line up with the requirements in the job description and prove your relevant and impressive qualifications.

It's always best to address here the essential job specifications to articulate from the beginning that you're the right person for the job. For example, if the role requires management experience or a certain degree and you have these, say so.

Your middle sentences may look like this:

I have experience in optimising quality digital products via my most recent role and am therefore in tune with the latest developments across the online landscape. As a result, I have devised winning branding strategies for e-commerce businesses that are robust, customer-centric and set for aggressive growth.

Part 3: Your career goals

The last part of your personal statement should be short and snappy as it's reaffirming why you are applying for this vacancy.

It might read something like so:

I am currently looking for a senior branding or marketing management role within the e-commerce sector where I can maintain my strong track record and deliver similar results.

Complete CV personal profile examples

In addition to the samples above, here are a couple of complete personal statement examples to give you an idea of what yours should look like.

For a graduate, written in the third person:

A recent graduate with a first-class BSc degree in Mathematics, specialising in analytics and statistics. Holds commercial experience within the finance sector, thanks to an internship with a corporate UK business, and has resultantly developed technical skills in data science and data engineering. Has a proven ability to meet deadlines, prioritise, problem solve, and maintain high standards having balanced a part-time job alongside studies over the last three years. Now looking to secure a place on a graduate programme that will provide exposure to data science and career progression opportunities.

Addressing a recent redundancy, written in the first person:

I am a skilled and successful Product Engineer within the automotive industry, with an HND in mechanical engineering and seven years of experience in the sector. Having worked in a number of labs handling vehicle-based testing and mentoring development technicians, I am confident in managing teams in a hands-on environment and running new development projects from briefing to sign off. Currently looking for a role that complements my skill set and experience. Available immediately.

Writing your personal statement: common mistakes to avoid  

There are some common profile errors that you should avoid. Steer clear of these popular pitfalls to keep your personal statement as powerful as possible.

Buzzword overload

Are you an extremely self-motivated, ambitious professional with extensive experience and passion for a certain industry? We thought so.

Buzzwords are great, and you'll find them in abundance in job adverts. But it's best to sprinkle just a few through your personal statement as they don't particularly provide evidence of your skill or ability. It's much stronger to show the employer how you're self-motivated and ambitious with an example.

Using a generic personal statement

You might think that your personal statement can work for every application. For the most part, it will, because, in theory, the jobs you're applying for will be similar and match your skill set.

However, you must tweak and tailor your statement (and your entire CV) so that it targets the skills each vacancy requires. Otherwise, it won't be as impactful.

Including too much waffle

As you begin to plan and write the personal statement for your CV, you'll most likely find that you have a lot more to say than you originally thought. Be careful not to overwrite as you may be left with a statement that's clogged with too many adjectives and is clunky to read.

As a rule of thumb, highlight your best bits in your personal statement and save the details for your cover letter .

FAQs about your personal statement 

Now that we've shown you some examples of a personal statement on a CV, there's just one last thing to cover. Here are some frequently asked questions on the topic:

How long should a personal statement be?

When you're writing a personal statement for a CV, your word count should be between 50 and 200 words. Be sure not to waste any space with unnecessary waffle here. 

Does a personal statement have other names?

Yes! The personal statement on your CV may also be called a personal profile, a CV summary, or a professional summary. 

Does a CV (really) need a personal statement?

Yes, most CVs require a personal statement at the top of the page. Use our guide to help you write a summary that grabs the hiring manager's attention for the right reasons. 

Stand out with a winning personal statement

Writing a captivating personal statement on your CV is a quick way to hook potential employers. Make sure that your summary showcases what makes you unique and adds value to your application. 

Still unsure about your personal statement? Get in touch with one of our career experts by requesting a free CV critique today! 

Recommended reading: 

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Written communication: definition and examples

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Writing a Strong Personal Statement for Your CV

A personal statement, otherwise known as a personal profile, professional summary or CV summary, is the opening paragraph which sits at the top of your CV. It is a short introduction which informs recruiters who you are, showcases the skills and qualities you possess and provides a brief overview of your career history. Including a personal statement in your CV can help you stand out from the competition and grab the attention of recruiters.

Do you need to include a personal statement in your CV?

On average, recruiters spend 5-7 seconds scanning your CV which is not a lot of time to impress them. Many CVs consist of generalised lists that say nothing about the candidate or why they’re applying for the job. By adding a personal statement to your CV, you stand out from the crowd and show recruiters a bit of your personality.

Personal statements can be particularly handy for competitive industries or for jobs where there are many candidates. As recruiters have to browse through many CVs, they may just skim over yours, unless there is something to grab their attention.

They’re also useful if you have a broad career history. A personal statement can tie those disparate experiences together and help prospective employers understand how your skills match their desired criteria.

On the other hand, if you have little to no experience, it may be best to save this space for a CV objective . While it shares similarities with a personal statement, a CV objective is usually only one to two sentences in length and focuses more on your career goals.

Tips for a powerful personal statement

• keep it short
• write using ‘I’ statements
• identify your key strengths and achievements
• tailor it to each application
• structure it well
• don’t use clichés or buzzwords
• make it easy to read
• proofread it

Keep your personal statement short

The ideal personal statement captures your experience and skills in no more than 50-200 words. Consider it the written equivalent of an elevator pitch, designed to spark your recruiters’ interest so that they’ll want to read the rest of your CV. As you’ll have plenty of space in your cover letter to elaborate on any points, your personal statement should only provide recruiters a quick summary of your career history. Using our resume templates , you can add a short personal statement and fill out additional information in other sections of the CV.

Write using ‘I’ statements

Your personal statement is about yourself, so make it personal! Writing about yourself in the third person, i.e. “he” or “she” can sound pretentious and come across as distant.

When you write in the first person, using ‘I’ statements, you add a personal touch to a CV which may otherwise consist of bullet-point lists. That doesn't have to mean starting every sentence with ‘I’, for example, you could write:

‘As a qualified project manager, I have consistently delivered complex projects within demanding time constraints.’

Identify your skills and achievements

When writing a personal statement, the tendency is to include generic statements which could describe any candidate. To help make your personal statement unique to you, start by identifying your skills and achievements.

One of the best ways to do this is to think about all the jobs you’ve had and ask yourself what difference you made to each employer. You could also dig out past reviews and appraisals to identify the objectives/skills for which you received positive feedback.

Tailor your personal statement to each job application

In the same way that you would tailor your CV to each job you’re applying for, you’ll also need to tailor your personal statement. Look at the desired experience, skills and education in the ‘Requirements’ section of the job description and draw on examples of how you meet each criterion from your career history.

Structure your personal statement

Many people struggle to write a personal statement. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have a lot of space to go into detail. To give your personal statement some structure, it can be helpful to break it down into the following three sections:

• Who you are
• Your career goals
• What you can offer your prospective employer

This section allows the recruiter to quickly identify your background and industry experience. For example, you may state that you’re:

‘A recent graduate with a 2:1 in Modern Foreign Languages from the University of Sussex seeking a role in…’

Next, you’ll need to hone in on what you can offer your prospective employer. Here, you’ll want to highlight skills and achievements relevant to the job description and to back these up with examples.

If you don’t meet all the criteria for the role you’re applying for, you may want to draw attention to transferable skills which demonstrate why you’re a suitable candidate. For example:

‘Having lived and worked abroad, I am fluent in French and German , and can confidently use my language skills in a professional environment.’

The last section of your personal statement should conclude with your career goals and reaffirm why you’re applying for the role. For example, it may read:

‘I am seeking a role in the translations industry that complements my language skills.’

Don’t use cliches or buzzwords

Avoid using jargon or buzzwords. There’s a reason that it’s called a personal statement! If you write that you’re a good team player, you have a strong work ethic or you’re an effective communicator, it’ll be more difficult to stand out from the crowd.

These are just empty phrases that don’t really tell recruiters who you are or what you can do. Instead, provide examples of how you’ve worked well in a team or communicated effectively. If you wouldn’t describe yourself as a ‘team player’ in real life, don’t do it in your CV.

Make your personal statement easy to read

While your personal statement should be short, it should also be easy to read. Don’t make it another bullet-point list like the rest of your CV, but at the same time, avoid boring the reader with a mini-biography of your entire career history.

Recruiters have little time to spare and don’t need to know the ins and outs of every job you’ve ever had. Use specific keywords from the job description, include specific examples to help recruiters understand why you’re the right candidate and save details for your cover letter or interviews.

Proofread your personal statement

It’s worth proofreading your personal statement to catch any spelling or grammar mistakes and to make sure it flows well. Your personal statement is the first impression recruiters will have of you. If it’s littered with mistakes, it conveys a lack of attention to detail and doesn’t bode well for the rest of your CV.

You not only want to impress recruiters with your achievements but also your writing skills. A well-written personal statement demonstrates that you have good communication skills (without buzzwords!), and more importantly, ensures that recruiters won’t discard it at first glance.

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How To Write A Ridiculously Good Personal Statement

Writing a fantastic personal statement doesn't have to be a mystery or difficult. This guide gives you actionable, real tips with examples.

Candidate Advice • CV Advice

Last Updated 15/07/2022

Your personal statement (often called a CV Profile or Personal Profile) is vital. It’s the most important thing on your CV. That’s because it provides that vital first impression.

The average recruiter or manager only spends 7-8 seconds reading a CV. A lot of that will be scanning your CV to try and pick out keywords.

However, the eyes will linger a little longer on a personal statement as it is right at the top of the page.

It is your opportunity to grab their attention and not let go.

It gives you a chance to sell yourself to the employer in a small and easy-to-digest paragraph.

In fact, a well written personal statement can mean the difference between standing out from the crowd and your application being rejected.

In the UK there were 2.8 vacancies per 100 employees.

That means for every three jobs you go for you’re competing against 99 other people.

That small section at the beginning therefore is vital to securing your position, by capturing attention and convincing the reader to interview you.

Not a University Statement

This article talks about personal statements for CVs only. However, we also use the term regularly for university applications. 

These are longer, more detailed, and have a different purpose. As a result we are going to not provide help on this topic. If you’re after great advice on this click here for  advice on university personal statements .

What is a personal statement?

It’s a paragraph. Only about four or five lines and that is all. But those lines have to provide a snapshot of who you are, what you have achieved, and most importantly what you can bring to the table.

This is your best opportunity to really secure that all important job interview.

How To Structure It

I have written hundreds of CVs. I have written them for MDs, CEOs, Operations managers as well as cleaners, retail staff, and school leavers.

The structure and format are always the same.

75-120 words I have found is the sweet spot.

Because when using size 10-11 font in Calibri it comes out at about 4-5 lines.

Now you might have to adjust the margin sizes in Word to fit in more, but it’s more about the line count than the word count.

It’s like goldilocks. Not too long, not too short. Easy to skim read, but long enough to have detail.

With such a small word count there’s a huge need to be specific and choosy with what to include.

Don’t worry, we will break everything down and help you make sure you get to write an amazing personal statement.

How to Write it

There are lots of ways to write a personal statement. For example, it could just come naturally to you, and a flow of sentences appear on the page. Or you could go through things methodically with an organised list.

In all honesty, I prefer that last one. It provides better quality and more reliable results.

Your personal statement should answer three questions clearly – Who are you? What skills do you have? How can you help our business?

Start small. Write a short bullet point list of what you want to include. It should just cover the most impressive essentials.

You are a what? A marketer? A business consultant? Health and safety advisor? Carpenter? Etc.

Then what skills or achievements do you really want to highlight? Is it your communication or project management? Is it the fact you increased sales by 12% or made a saving of 35%? Whatever it is you are doing to highlight your best skills against what the recruiter is truly looking for.

Finally, it’s matching what you can do against what they need. Do they need a great communicator? Or a great leader? Do they need someone who can think outside of the box? Or do they need someone logical and methodical?

Whatever the need, make sure to make it clear that you fit that role perfectly.

The list could literally be like this;

• Marketer – Experienced, methodical, strategic
• Skills – Communication, strategy, management
• Achievements – Secured 207 leads in a single week long campaign, achieved a 30% increase in sales
• How it fits – They need a leader who can create a strategy and then deliver it.

By writing it out like this you have created an outline for your statement.

Having an outline makes it a lot easier to not only answer the questions but also string them together in a comprehensive yet easy to read manner.

The Writing Lesson

Starting with a blank page is scary. The lack of words can easily mean your mind feels empty of thoughts.

Even if you’re not the most creative of writers I will help guide you through how to word, phrase, write, and put together your statement.

The first thing to keep in mind is you should use the first person (i.e. I, Me, Myself etc) sparingly.

If you’re constantly saying “I did this” and “I achieved that” it sounds self-absorbed. Try and vary it up.

Obviously you are going to need to introduce yourself. A classic opened would be “I am a methodical strategist and marketer” or something along those lines.

After that intro use third person WITHOUT PRONOUNS. Referring to yourself in the third person is weird anyway, so instead of, ‘She is a retail professional seeking a management role…’ would become ‘A retail professional seeking a management role…’

Now a lot of CV writers would shout at me for it, but using the first person to introduce and then third person provides a great balance between the personal and not sounding too pompous.

This is a balance. You want it to highlight what you as a person can provide the company whilst not sounding self absorbed. A good example is as follows.

• I am recent graduate in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. My studies have given me a comprehensive knowledge of economic theory and its practical application through data analysis. Accomplished user of Stata, Matlab, and SAS. Looking to use and improve existing skills and gain knowledge and experience in a fast-paced business environment in the role of Graduate Data Analyst with Equinox.
• I’m a BSc Economics graduate looking to make use of my educational attainment in a professional environment. I’m a team player with excellent communication skills and a confident user of data analysis software. Looking to gain experience as a data analyst.

Now the next part of the writing lesson is make sure to use the active tense.

What do I mean by the active tense?

Look at the two examples below.

• I wrote a CV.
• The CV was written by me.

Or how about

• I achieved a 30% increase in sales.
• Sales were increased by 30% because of me.

Which ones sound better?

If you said the first one for each example then you’re correct. These are in the active tense. 

It’s all about where you put the verb (the action/doing word).

The sentence should be Pronoun, Verb, Rest of the Sentence. 

Pronoun = I, Me, He, She, You, They, Them

Verb = Any Action e.g. achieve, increase, do, write etc.

Rest of the sentence = Does what it says.

Going back to our examples:

• I (Pronoun) wrote (Verb) a CV. (Rest of the sentence)
• I (Pronoun) achieved (Verb) a 30% increase in sales. (Rest of the sentence)

If you’re still unsure you can always run your personal statement through the  Hemingway App . 

Hemingway will highlight different issues with a colour code so that you can rewrite and fix them to be punchy and clear. Doing this alongside double checking spelling and grammar with Grammarly will really double down the efforts and sharpen up your profile quickly and easily.

Don’t be boring! 

Boring will put off a hiring manager.

The easiest way to be boring is to use boring verbs or putting “very” in the sentence.

As Robin Williams said in Dead Poets Society:

“So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it is lazy. A man is not ‘very tired’, he is ‘exhausted’. Don’t use ‘very sad’, use ‘morose’.”

This complements the point below about using strong verbs. Choosing the right words will make your skills, experience, and accomplishments sound better.

This is all about grabbing the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager, so excitement beats boring every time.

Use strong, powerful verbs

In the words of Massive Attack “Love is a verb, love is a doing word”. Verbs are your new best friend when it comes to your CV.

Using a thesaurus and careful choice, you can make your achievements and skills sing.

Here’s a quick list of strong verbs for you to use in your personal statement.

• Established
• Increased/decreased
• Trained/mentored
• Volunteered

For a full list of verbs that you could use in your CV and personal statement check out  Indeed’s list of 139 action verbs.

At the end of the day, the stronger and more assertive and action based you can make your personal statement sound, the better.

Us Brits tend to have a habit of trying to downplay our achievements and skills, but your CV profile is not the time to do that.

Use Facts & Figures

Using numbers is amazing. By highlighting significant achievements and including exact figures in your profile you can capture the readers attention. 

It could be something as simple as “Increased sales by 30% in 6 months” but the use of numbers helps interrupt the flow of the profile in a good way.

It draws the eye of the reader and they are likely to re read the sentence to make sure they understand what you achieved.

Be very selective though and only highlight those pieces that would make you stand out to the company.

What Not To Write

We’ve shown you how to write your statement and what to include. 

We haven’t shown you what not to write.

Buzzwords / Overused Terms

A quick Google search will show you there are lots of lists of buzzwords to either include or exclude.

A lot of the time you will find the same words on both lists.

So which list do you trust?

Pick the ones that are most accurate and truthful.

Only put “high achiever” if you are a high achiever. 

Don’t lie or stretch the truth.

Be honest and use the most accurate, honest words or phrases. 

There are always ways of making you sound good without stretching the truth or lying.

You might find it more effective to communicate your qualities by detailing beneficial actions that relate to real-world scenarios instead of listing buzzwords like “ambitious,” “motivated,” and “driven.”

Try your best to avoid all cliches. There are lots of CV cliches but the most common one is “Works well on my own as well as part of a team”. This sounds like a good option to include, but it is so overused that it is now off putting to people.

Also if you think about it, it becomes a completely irrelevant sentence as being part of a company means you will either work on your own or as part of a team, you need to be able to do that as standard.

In fact some other common ones are “Hard working team player”, “results driven thought leader”, and “strong communicator”.

When you use cliches you sound unimaginative, unoriginal, and bland. As I have already said, boring or bland will instantly put off the recruiter or hiring manager.

I could write an entire blog on phrases to not include on a CV or in a personal statement.

But, the main ones to avoid are:

• Strong work ethic
• Multi-tasker
• Independent
• Detail-oriented
• Self-motivated
• Go-to-person
• Strategic thinker
• I can work on my own or as part of a team
• Think outside the box
• Results-driven
• I have good communication skill
• Hard worker
• People-person
• Team player

Avoid technical jargon as much as you can.

Unless the job description asks for specific skills or qualifications that you can prove using jargon, avoid using it.

If you cram your personal statement with technical terms it looks obvious and also disrupts the flow.

The most common form of jargon is putting a load of abbreviations into your statement. Only use these if they are specific titles or qualifications. Otherwise spell it out.

Do not put slang in your statement.

You’re talking to a hiring manager, not to your friend.

Even if the hiring manager is your friend, don’t use slang.

Keep it professional, clean, and clear.

Remember to tailor!

There is no on size fits all job. So don’t use a one size fits all profile (or CV for that matter)!

Quality will always beat out quantity. Take the time to  tailor each application to suit the needs and wants of the business.

Although you will end up applying to fewer roles, you will have a much better chance of getting an interview doing it this way.

Keywords are your friends

Use keywords. The majority of CVs now run through a piece of software called an ATS long before they ever reach the eyes of a recruiter.

With that the ATS will be looking for key words or phrases that match the job description to narrow down search results for recruiters.

Make sure that when you are tailoring your CV and your profile to a job, that you include the keywords that would make you stand out.

Quick Checklist!

• Get to the point – Remember short and sharp
• Make sure you answer the key questions: 
• Who are you? 
• What skills and experiences do you offer? 
• Add your value to it – This is personal. Only you can add value
• Tailor it to the job description.
• Highlight skills that you need.
• Use the active voice, in the first person.
• Use facts and figures – “Achieved a 30% increase in sales year on year”
• Be generic – This is a sniper scope, not a shotgun blast.
• Focus on yourself – Put focus on them and you by answering “What skills and experience can you offer?”
• Ramble – A cover letter is the time to elaborate. 
• Only list achievements – Answer the questions in full sentences.
• Forget to proofread. 
• We can never say it enough. Proofread every detail. Read it out loud. Send it to a friend or send it to a recruiter. Run it through  Grammarly  or  Hemingway App .
• Use jargon, slang or clichés.

Ta-Da! You have a personal statement.

This should perfectly complement with your well written CV !

Remember this is to make sure you get the interview. The interview will get you the job.

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37 key words for your CV

When you’re trying to land a job, the key words on your CV can make a huge difference.

The right key words will get you noticed by recruiters and show employers why they should hire you.

So, here are my list of 37 key words for your CV, that will effectively communicate your value, and ensure you land plenty of interviews.

1. Improved

Employers love to hire people who can make improvements to their team, business, products, systems or services etc.

Use this term to describe what positive impacts you have made for previous employers.

“Improved the staff booking process by decreasing the amount of steps required to make a booking”

CV templates 

2. Delivered

Show recruiters you are able to drive results in any area of your work, by describing what you have delivered.

“Led 3 projects and delivered 3 office relocations under budget and within deadlines”

Companies and organisations have limited resources, whether they are money, supplies, people, or anything else.

If you can reduce the waste of valuable resources, then you should be highlighting it in your CV.

“Arranged new office supplies which reduced budget spend by 25% every month”

How to structure a CV

Whether you are applying for a manger role, or a junior role, it’s important to show recruiters you have management skills .

Show that you can manage your time, projects, team members and anything else throughout your CV.

“Managed the design of the new company website and vastly improved the sale conversion rate”

The ability to coach others is valuable in all lines of work, so try to include mentions of this key word in your CV, if you can.

“Coached junior team members to improve their skills and increase work quality across team”

6. Achieved

Employers love achievements ; both from a business and personal perspective – so try to show what you’ve achieved in your CV.

E.g “Achieved a 95% pass rate for all quality tests under my remit”

It’s important to lead in the workplace, whether it’s a project, team or initiative – so be sure to include examples of your leadership skills.

“Led a team of 3 to deliver a HR improvement project”

8. Developed

Good products and services start as ideas and then need to be developed by good people, to bring them to life.

Show your involvement in development wherever possible in your CV

“Developed a new product feature which enabled users to decrease wastage by 20%”

9. Streamlined

Processes in business can always be improved to save time and money. If you have streamlined processes for employers, talk about it in your CV.

“Streamlined the customer onboarding process by introducing automation to save time and money”

10. Increased

Increases to sales, revenue, leads, and customers are always welcomed by employers, so show examples of how you have helped do this.

“Beat sales targets and increased monthly revenue by £1,000”

11. Established

The ability to start working functions from scratch is essential in the workplace, so if you have established any processes or products etc. include it in your CV.

“Established regular brainstorming sessions to develop new product ideas”

12. Launched

Launching products and services is crucial for commercial businesses, so be sure to highlight your involvement in launches.

“Launched 3 new products in year one and generated £900k in sales”

13. Exceeded

Hitting targets is great, but exceeding them is much better – so ensure you show examples of expectations you have exceeded, with this powerful key word .

“Exceeded January production targets by 23% and delivered 2 weeks ahead of deadline”

14. Accomplished

Accomplishments drive success, so be sure to show recruiters what you have achieved in your CV.

“Led a major research project and accomplished a major discovery in the energy saving field”

15. Produced

In many industries, It’s important to produce things, whether it’s reports, results, or even physical products.

Show employers what you can produce…

“Produced a suite of major reports to help directors make critical decisions.

See also: 13 CV examples – How to write a CV – Student CV templates

16. Simplified

Managers don’t like things to be over-complicated, so it’s always beneficial to demonstrate how you can simplify processes.

“Simplified website booking forms by changing language and reducing number of fields”

17. Presented

Public speaking or presenting is a valuable skill, so if you have any examples of times you have presented to colleagues or customers, include it in your CV.

“Presented new investment strategies to clients on a monthly basis”

18. Trained

Training new staff is a crucial element of growing a business or team – showing instances where you have trained staff is always impressive.

“Trained all new staff in the use of new IT systems and office processes.”

19. Designed

Design is an important factor in the functioning of websites, room layouts, marketing material, and many other things.

Giving examples of times you have designed something, shows that you are able to put users and customers first.

“Designed new data collection form to improve customer experience on company website, and collect more leads”

20. Influenced

The power of influence is a great way to drive productivity and results – if you are able to influence others and achieve positive outcomes, write about it in your CV

“Influencing colleagues to record more sales data by producing weekly “good news stories” emails”

21. Published

Having work published internally within your company, or externally on industry websites etc. is a strong signal that you provide helpful insights – so, brag about it in your CV.

“Have had several industry articles published by leading websites and LinkedIn during my tenure, gaining widespread publicity for the brand”

22. Maximised

Making the most of your resources to get the best results is an attractive trait in all industries – so, show recruiters how you’ve maximised your output.

“Maximised profits by ensuring all resources were allocated efficiently and  reducing operating costs”

23. Negotiated

Negotiation is a powerful tool in business, and not just for sales-people. Perhaps you have negotiated better terms from a supplier, or negotiated more budget from a stakeholder – any impressive negotiating you have done, is worth a mention in the CV.

“Negotiated longer payment terms with suppliers, freeing up short-term cash for other expenses”

Beating out the competition is necessary in business, so any examples of your winnings should be made prominent in your CV.

“Won 3 consecutive public sector contracts in a row, which allowed us to build further business relationships with the government”

25. Ensured

Employers love to hire staff they can rely on, so if you can ensure quality work and results, let recruiters know with this solid key word.

“Ensured that all clients’ data was safely stored and processed with no leaks or inaccuracies”

Employers will always welcoming savings, whether they are financial savings, saving resources, or saving time. Use facts and figures to show any savings you have made in previous roles.

“Saved 30 hours of writer resource time by introducing new article templates and guidance”

27. Identified

Analytical skills are highly sought after by employers, especially the ability to identify problems that have a negative effect on the organisation. Add any examples of issue identification to your CV…

“Analysed user data and identified 3 major issues that were causing users to abandon the service”

28. Leveraged

To leverage, means to “use something to it’s full advantage” – so use this phrase to give examples of your resourcefulness.

“Leveraged existing customer relationships to gain referrals for new customers by launching referral reward scheme”

29. Resolved

Problems arise continually in all lines of work, across the public, private and charitable sectors. Your problem solving skills can be communicated well by using this key word in your CV.

“Resolved 155 coding issues across a 6 month time line, resulting in a 23% speed increase in loading time”

30. Maintained

Maintaining a product or service is vital for companies who want to keep their customers/users happy – your ability to maintain something is worth mentioning in your CV.

“Maintained a high standard of health and safety, allowing us to pass 2 inspections with 10/10 scoring”

31. Secured

To secure something for an employer is an impressive feat. If you’ve secure anything for previous employers, whether it be business, data or exclusive rates, mention it in your CV.

“Secured top tier event venues for our marketing events for the next 3 years”

32. Planned

Careful planning is required for any complex task, so it’s beneficial to add this key word to your CV where possible.

“Planned a 3 day IT system upgrade with provisions for maintaining service delivery during downtime”

Testing ideas and systems is a proven method of ensuring they work before launching them – so it could feature in your CV to great effect.

“Tested viability of new product line before launch, by running focus groups with customers”

34. Awarded

Awards are an excellent indicator that you are recognised and respected in your industry.

“Awarded marketing campaign of the year by marketing magazine”

35. Liaised

Networking with colleagues, stakeholders, customers and suppliers can allow you to build strong relationships and generate better results from them.

“Liaised with a number of large-account clients to discover more business needs and upsell services”

36. Motivated

Motivating team members is an effective method of boosting moral and getting the best possible results, so ensure that you include instances of motivating others in your CV.

“Motivated a team of 7 by setting challenging targets and offering new incentives”

37. Delegated

If you are in a management position, you need to delegate tasks effectively, so that you can dedicate your time to high-value work.

“Delegated admin tasks to junior staff, to allow senior team members more time for client management duties”

Adding key words to your CV

The key words you use in your CV, will largely depend on your industry and job, so don’t try to cram all of the above into your CV.

Be selective and highlight the key words that are most relevant to the roles you are applying for, and work them in naturally to your profile , and role descriptions.

For more advice, check out my CV writing guide and example CV page.

Good luck job searching!