Charlotte Grainger 
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!