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How to write a personal statement for your CV

A good personal statement can make you stand out - but it can be a challenge to write. This guide shows you how to write a personal statement, and includes personal statement examples.

This guide provides all the tips you need to write a personal statement on your CV that makes you stand out from the crowd, with personal statement examples and a personal statement template.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement, also known as a personal profile, is your CV’s opening statement, a brief section summarising what you can offer an employer in relation to the job you’re applying for.

Recruiters and employers like personal statements as they can quickly see if you could be a match in skills, experience and attitude for the job.

And given the competitive nature of the current UK job market, it could be the thing that makes or breaks your CV.

“It needs to convince your audience that you’re a good fit for the role in hand,”

says Lis McGuire, Founder of Giraffe CVs .

Senior HR Business Partner at  Amazon , Lucy Ventrice agrees:

“It’s your opportunity to sell yourself and highlight what sets you apart from others.”

The personal statement shouldn’t be confused with a supporting statement, which is similar to a cover letter. Check out some supporting statement examples here .

Writing a CV personal statement can be challenging. You have to condense your experience and skills into a few sentences in your CV introduction. Getting your personal statement format right can be especially crucial to making it impactful.

The advice in this guide will show you how to write a personal statement for a job, helping you to produce a first class CV personal statement.

How long should a personal statement be?

Sharon Xenophontos, Interim Human Resources ManagerInterim HR Manager at Town Legal LLP , recommends you

“use proper sentences, and a short paragraph of two to three sentences should be sufficient”.

She sees it as

“an opportunity to summarise your unique selling points and allow employers to quickly read ‘between the lines’ of your CV”.

Sally Whiteside, Senior HR Business Partner at easyJet  agrees

“It should be short and sharp, representing your tone of voice to set you apart”.

Remember, the personal statement is a summary. You can expand on your successes elsewhere in your CV.

Personal statement structure

A personal statement should answer the question “why are you the best person for the job?” says Lucy Ventrice Senior HR Business Partner at Amazon.

“Start with a mind map,” she suggests.

“Put yourself in the middle and write down your experience, skills and attributes. Do the same with the future employer in the middle, what are they looking for in the job advert? Then compare the two and build from there.”

Lis McGuire, a Professional CV Writer adds

“while it may seem logical that your personal statement should be all about you, to be effective, it should be about your target employer and how you can meet their needs”.

Break this down into:

• Number of years of experience in the field.
• Specialist or transferable skills you can offer.
• Areas of expertise you have.
• Relevant industries have you worked in.
• Personal qualities relevant to the role.
• Any relevant qualifications or interests.

The answers to these questions will determine your personal statement structure.

How to start a personal statement

While introducing yourself in a career summary format, your CV’s opening statement needs to

“hook your reader, compelling them to read the next sentence, and the next”

says Lis McGuire.

The opening sentence of your personal statement should include:

• Your job title.
• Number of years’ experience.
• A particular expertise you have.
• Active positive words or verbs.

Example personal statement opening sentence

Innovative Project Manager (Prince II Practitioner and Certified Scrum Master) with over 5 years’ experience managing complex IT projects for a FTSE 100 company operating across the UK, Europe, India and South Africa.

How to end a personal statement

There are two ways to end a personal summary for a CV. Sharon Xenophontos finds it helpful if candidates let employers know what they are looking for.

“It’s all part of the matching process,”

If you’re at a relatively early stage in your career, state your career goal. Remember, this must relate to the role you’re applying for.

Example personal statement ending – entry level

My career goal is to gain responsibility for leading on a project and managing delivery successfully, actively contributing to achieving the business goals.

If you’re a bit further along in your career, state more specific goals and why you’d like to work for the employer.

Example personal statement ending – career developer

Hoping to join an innovative and dynamic company, and develop my social media and marketing skills further.

What should I include in my personal statement?

Getting your personal profile on a CV right can make all the difference, so we’ve compiled a list of what to include – and what to avoid – on your CV’s personal statement.

Include in your personal statement

• Very little! Be concise. 150 words maximum. “Lengthy blocks of text are a turn off when you have a huge stack of CVs to get through,” says McGuire.
• Skills that are specific to the job. A good example would be “skilled in taking client briefs and presenting findings to stakeholders” . Avoid  generic statements such as “possess good communication skills” .
• Skills that make you stand out from other applicants. Think about the unique value you can bring to the employer.
• Evidence of how your skills, competencies and experiences match the requirements set out in the job description/advert. “Think of examples that help to bring what you’re saying to life,” adds Ventrice.
• Language comparable to that used by the employer in the job description, their website, or their social media channels. Doing this will go a long way to showing that you’re a good fit for the organisation.
• Your passions, as long as they’re relevant. For example, if you’re passionate about the environment and are applying for a job in a sustainability organisation it can help you stand out.
• “Your immediate career objective,” says Xenophontos. It helps the employer understand why you’re applying.

Don’t include in your personal statement

• Uninteresting and uninspiring phrases. “Using clichés that could describe anyone in any role at any level is a big turn off,” says McGuire.
• Generic statements that you use for every job you apply for. Employers won’t be impressed if you don’t take the time to tailor your personal statement to their job.
• Exaggerations, embellishments, or lies – these could be found at a later stage, such as during an interview.
• “Lists of unsubstantiated adjectives and buzzwords,” says Xenophontos. She recommends you “concentrate on what genuinely differentiates you from other candidates” .
• Negative language. Your personal statement needs to be a buoyant and positive introduction to you.
• Personal information. There’s no requirement to let an employer know your marital status or how many dependants you have.
• Disjointed statements. “You can’t rely on the fact that the reader will join the dots between what you can offer and the results you can deliver for them. Spell it out,” recommends McGuire.

Personal statement examples

Since every personal statement is about one particular individual’s suitability for working for one particular employer, every personal statement should, in theory, be unique.

We’ve shown you how to write a personal statement now, but we know getting started can be tough.

To help, we’ve curated some practical personal statement CV examples for you to base your personal statement on.

Half are for people in specific career stages or circumstances. Half are CV personal profile examples that are industry-specific. Use the links to jump to the one that suits you best.

Career stage or circumstance CV personal statement examples

Your current career stage or circumstance will have a major impact on both your employability, and how to present your employability in your CV.

We hope you can build upon the following templates for personal statements to give your best representation of yourself in your next job application.

• Unemployed personal statement

School leaver personal statement

Graduate personal statement, career change personal statement.

• Career break personal statement

Industry-specific CV personal statement examples

Your skills, competencies and goals will be shaped hugely by the industry you work in. Accordingly, so will your personal statement.

We hope you’ll be able to find inspiration from one or more of the following personal statement templates for jobs in specific industries as you write your own.

Nursing personal statement

Midwifery personal statement, teaching personal statement, teaching assistant personal statement, accounting personal statement.

• Marketing personal statement

Civil engineering personal statement

Customer service personal statement, economics personal statement, unemployed personal statement sample.

It’s important to carefully manage your unemployed status in your job application. Our first piece of advice is to play down the fact you’re unemployed. Or, in other words, don’t write anything to highlight it.

Focus on the skills and experience you’re bringing to the role and the difference you can make. Employers may wonder how up to date you are. You can address this head on in your personal statement by highlighting volunteering, attending training courses or reading trade journals or blogs to stay aware of industry trends.

Don’t worry too much about the gap on your CV. These days, employers are more understanding. After all, there are countless reasons why people become unemployed, for example redundancy or caring for dependants.

Unemployed personal statement example

Unemployed and worried about job gaps or career gaps on your CV? Use this guide to get back to work, with a free career break CV example.

School leavers worry they don’t have anything to put in a personal statement.

Jon Gregory, Editor of  WinThatJob.com , who advises parents and teenagers to find work, has this advice:

“Employers are usually not recruiting school leavers for knowledge or experience. They want to understand why you’re interested in a particular job. If you ‘care about the environment’ or perhaps ‘love working with animals’, it’s that relevant individuality that counts.”

Gregory adds:

“Talk less about what you want and more about what you can give in the future. Show you are positive, proactive, determined and in it for the long haul.”

Think widely about how your hobbies or interests could be relevant. Gregory recommends that

“if you have employability skills developed from other work, projects or interests, use them to demonstrate your potential.”

School leaver personal statement example

So university wasn’t for you, and you’re looking for your first job as a school leaver. If you’ve decided to go straight from school or college into a job then it’s important to get your first job CV right.

When writing your first CV after graduating, Sue Moseley, Senior  Career Advisor  for London University, recommends that you

“think of your personal statement as the headline to your CV”. “A good headline grabs attention because it connects with something the reader cares about. So start with what the employer cares about and work from there.” “Change your statement for each application even if it’s just a linguistic tweak to match the employer’s voice. If the job ad asks for ‘excellent customer experience’, using those terms in your statement will increase impact,”

The key to impact is evidence – so use examples and numbers based on things you’ve done.

Graduate personal statement example

Congratulations! You’ve finally graduated and now you’re ready to get out there and apply for your first graduate level job. But how do you showcase your new qualifications?

Lis McGuire says you should

“show how your transferable skills can be applied to your target career, and convey energy, enthusiasm, and commitment ”.

“don’t fall into the trap of over-explaining yourself and the reasons for your transition”.

If you’re changing careers to move into HR, for example, highlight the relevant parts of your previous career such as people management, recruitment or inductions, training, and exclude the other less relevant areas of your roles.

Career change personal statement example

Thinking of changing careers in 2025? Our career change CV guide and template will help you tailor your application, highlight transferable skills, and make a strong impression in your new field.

Career break personal statement sample

“When your CV lands on a hiring manager’s desk, the first questions they’ll have are, ‘why did this person take a career break?’ and, ‘can they do this job?’”

says Fay Wallis, founder of  Bright Sky Career Coaching .

“Your personal statement is the best place to answer these questions and explain away any concerns.”

She warns not to make your career break the focus of your CV though. Instead, make your experience and relevance for the role leap off the page.

“Follow this with a brief reason for your career break. And end the personal statement with another reason that you are right for the role,”

Wallis adds.

Career break personal statement example

You’ve taken some time off, but now you’re ready to return to the world of work. It’s time to show employers what you’ve learnt while you’ve been away.

Julie Watkins, Careers Advisor at  The Royal College of Nursing  suggests that

“your personal statement should include the kind of sector you have worked in, any relevant clinical fields and what you’re passionate about”.

She goes on to say

“this could include empowering patients to take ownership of their health and wellbeing or an interest in health promotion”.

Watkins adds:

“In the current fast paced environment of the NHS you must emphasise your resilience and flexibility.”

She also highlights

“the need for a tailored personal statement, as it’s the one thing that will really make your CV stand out in the health sector.”

Nursing personal statement example

Lynne Pacanowski, Director of Midwifery at  Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital  suggests

“identifying what you have learnt from working in different areas such as antenatal, community, labour ward, or from services such as midwife led or tertiary units, and use this in your personal statement”.

Include skills that will interest the Trust, for example, advising expectant mothers on diet, exercise and medications during pregnancy.

Pacaonwski recommends you demonstrate that you understand the population of the area the Trust serves.

“You can also highlight challenging situations you have been involved with, for example, difficult births, identifying when caesareans are needed, or supporting mothers with challenging home situations.”

Midwifery personal statement example

Jo Postlethwaite, Head Teacher of  Somervale School , recommends that you get to know your target audience and says:

“Read everything you can about the setting. Read their vision statement. What can you say about yourself that shows you support this ethos?”

Secondly she recommends that you

“Talk like a member of staff – spend a bit of time looking at the sort of language the establishment uses. Do they talk about pupils, students or children? Do they talk about ambition or aspiration? Ensure you use their words back to them.”

Additionally, it’s important to describe your teaching philosophy and enthusiasm for your subject.

Teaching personal statement example

Jo Postlethwaite feels that simple is best.

“Don’t over complicate what you write. This is your opportunity to summarise your good points. So, be succinct, but don’t forget to highlight how you work closely with teachers and parents as well as pupils.”

Postlethwaite often has more than 50 applications to read through so she wants to see candidates

“showing their unique selling points (USPs). But don’t be tempted to go for a wacky colour or design as this can be off-putting.”

Finally, Postlethwaite recommends you

“check your spelling and grammar, not just for your personal statement but your whole application”.

Errors in applications for teaching or support roles would end up on the ‘no’ pile.

Teaching assistant personal statement example

Ex-Accountant turned Career Coach Diana Norris of  Career Balance  suggests that

“you should think of your CV as the first report you will write for your new employer, and your personal statement as the executive summary. Your statement should show you can write succinctly and ensure your reader grasps the essentials of your argument.”

Norris goes on to add

“anything you think an employer really needs to notice should be in your profile. If you’re fluent in another European language, and the organisation you’re applying to does business in the EU, don’t leave that information languishing at the bottom of the second page of your document.”

She also recommends that you avoid

“CV blah blah blah language”, such as overused phrases like ‘good team player’.

Accounting personal statement example

Marketing personal statement sample.

Kate Kassis, Marketing Manager for  Harrods  has the following advice for would-be marketing executives:

“Keep it concise and avoid unnecessary use of adjectives. Simple yet effective language skills are key to any marketing role.”

Kassis goes on to say:

“Be honest. Don’t over-sell but, where possible, look to include a commercial angle. Creativity is key in Marketing but the ability to think strategically is even more important”.

When she’s recruiting, Kassis looks for something that tells her the applicant has the ability to ‘run with it’. This means working to deadlines, managing and presenting to stakeholders, delivering results and critically analysing.

Marketing personal statement example

“A good personal statement should focus on three key themes – your postgraduate experience, including details of chartership; the range of technical skills you have developed; and how you apply these to consultancy,”

says Rob Delahunty, Associate Director at  Webb Yates Engineers .

“You’ll really stand out to an employer if you can show how these themes transfer to the workplace,”

“Highlight your ability to work within a design team with architects, contractors and other specialists; show how your specialist IT knowledge or skill for analysis was applied to project challenges; and demonstrate your experience in assessing the environmental or safety impact of a project.”

Delahunty recommends:

“Include any licences, industry accreditation, security clearances and certification you have, as they establish you as a recognised professional in the industry.”

Civil engineering personal statement example

“Convey your enthusiasm for the role as employers are looking for staff who will represent them and their brand in a positive way. Highlight if you won any awards or suggested a change that benefited customers in some way,”

suggests Amanda Reuben, Experienced Fashion & Retail Brands Recruiter and Founder of  Bijou Recruitment .

Reuben wants to see a number of personal qualities displayed in a Customer Service personal statement.

“You want your candidate to be friendly, warm and engaging whilst also remaining calm under pressure.”

She also recommends that you show how you have managed customer expectations or dealt with difficult situations.

Think what you associate with the brand or company – are they fast paced and focused on efficient service, or do they like you to take time with customers. Show you understand and can support their approach.

Customer service personal statement example

For your personal statement to stand out, Dr Chris Sherrington, Head of Environmental Policy and Economics for independent consultancy  Eunomia , recommends you

“show creativity in the way you’ve approached problems”.

He says this is important as outcomes can’t always be easily quantified.

“Also show how you’ve offered relevant advice based on sound economic principles, and where you’ve successfully made the best use of the data that’s available,”

he adds. This could be in a report you’ve produced or some analysis you’ve delivered.

Economics personal statement example

Personal statement do’s and don’ts.

• Do sell yourself and highlight what sets you apart from other candidates.
• Do make it relevant. Tailor it to the job you are applying for.
• Do be succinct. Max 150 words or 2-3 sentences.
• Do use a career summary format showing what you have to offer.
• Do make it engaging. It needs to be interesting to read.
• Do be specific. Avoid generic phrases that everyone uses.
• Do show some passion, as long as it’s relevant.
• Do make it about the employer. Show how you can do their job.
• Do include number of years experience, specialist skills and expertise, relevant industries and personal qualities.
• Do have a strong opening sentence to ‘hook’ the employer to read on.
• Do end your statement by letting the employer know what you are looking for.
• Do show you’re a good fit. Pay attention to the language used by the employer.
• Don’t make spelling or grammar errors.
• Don’t be negative about yourself or a previous employer.
• Don’t exaggerate or embellish what you can do. Be honest.

Jobseeker FAQs

What is the purpose of a personal statement.

The purpose of a personal statement is to showcase your skills, experience, and qualifications, demonstrating why you are the ideal candidate for a job. It enables you to make a strong first impression on potential employers and highlights your suitability for the role.

How do I make my personal statement stand out?

To make your personal statement stand out, focus on your unique achievements, skills, and qualities that align with the job requirements. Use active, engaging language and provide specific examples of how you have excelled in previous roles. Tailor your statement to the specific job, demonstrating your passion and enthusiasm for the industry.

How long should a personal statement be for a job?

A personal statement for a job should be concise and to the point, ideally around 150 words or 2-3 sentences. Keep it brief while highlighting your key skills and experiences that are relevant to the role. Employers appreciate concise personal statements that efficiently convey your suitability for the job.

In your personal statement, include information about your relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. Highlight your achievements, particularly those that demonstrate your ability to excel in the specific role you are applying for. Be sure to mention any industry-specific knowledge or certifications that set you apart from other candidates.

Can I use the same personal statement for multiple job applications?

While it may be tempting to reuse the same personal statement, it is advisable to tailor your statement to each job application. Research the company and the specific role, and adapt your personal statement to highlight how your skills and experience align with the requirements. This demonstrates your genuine interest and shows you have taken the time to understand the role.

Are there any common mistakes to avoid in a personal statement?

When writing a personal statement, avoid generic statements and clichés. Tailor your statement to the job and avoid exaggerations or embellishments. Proofread your statement carefully to eliminate spelling and grammar errors. Additionally, avoid sharing personal information that is irrelevant to the job and steer clear of negative language.

How can I tailor my personal statement to a specific job or industry?

To tailor your personal statement to a specific job or industry, research the company, its values, and its requirements for the role. Identify the key skills and experiences they are seeking and ensure that your personal statement highlights how you meet those criteria. Use industry-specific language and provide examples that demonstrate your understanding of the industry’s challenges and opportunities.

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