


With this in mind a personal statement can give you an invaluable opportunity to make your application stand out to employers and to set yourself apart from the competition. While your CV doesn't necessarily need a personal statement, employers spend only seconds looking at CVs. Many students' profiles tend to include a list of common strengths without a context, in some cases stating things that should be a given, for example, hardworking and organised. I feel that profiles can be more helpful when you are more senior as you can be more specific about your skills, specialisms and successes.' Because of this, a graduate's personal profile runs the risk of being bland and generic, which is why some employers believe that they are best suited to more senior professional CVs.įiona Stubs, careers manager at the University of Glasgow explains, 'I'm not in favour of writing a profile as it is hard to get right. This latter belief is often the case with graduate CVs as some recruiters feel that those just stepping onto the career ladder don't have enough knowledge or experience to warrant a personal statement. Some believe that personal profiles are one of the most important parts of a CV as they provide an easily accessible overview of a candidate's ability, while others feel that personal statements are a waste of valuable space and time.

Traditionally, almost all CV types include a personal statement but in recent years there has been some debate about whether you need to include one. 'It's the sales pitch that highlights your best features.' Do I need a personal statement on my CV? 'The personal profile is essentially a snapshot about you that should excite and entice the employer to want to pay closer attention to your CV,' explains James Corbin, head of the careers and employability service at the University of Kent. While effectively and succinctly convincing recruiters that you're a good fit for the role, a personal statement gives you the chance to show off your strengths and share your career goals. Sitting at the top of your CV, it's your opportunity to really sell yourself to employers and to highlight the relevant skills and experience you possess. It's also known as an opening statement or executive summary. Discover if they're really necessary, how to write one and how to make it stand out to employers What is a personal statement?Ī personal statement is a concise paragraph or summary, which details what you can bring to a job or company.

Also known as a personal profile or personal summary, a personal statement is essentially a blurb for your CV.
