resume personal statement template

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How to Write a Resume Personal Statement

What is a resume personal statement?

A resume personal statement expresses who you are, where you’ve been, and sometimes where you plan to go next right at the top of your resume.

Everyone has different circumstances, so the personal statement helps to orient a potential future boss in terms of what they are about to read in the resume. Think about what you would like to share that matters to you. This space is particularly useful if you are changing industries , coming back in to the employment market or looking for a promotion. Your shop window starts here. The personal statement may be the only thing than an employer reads.

The resume personal statement hooks in a reader, influencing them to read more. So, how do you write a resume personal statement that is both natural and grabs an employer’s attention? Offer them a brief insight into who you are and why you would be a fantastic hire. So what do you write in a personal statement for a job?

This guide will cover:

• The basic formatting of a personal statement: How to tailor your personal statement to give you a competitive advantage
• Personal statement examples you should (and shouldn’t) use
• Practical steps for getting started on your resume personal statement

The personal statement format

The personal statement is a short paragraph that sits right below your contact information at the top of a resume . It sums up your experience, goals and skills with confidence. Think of your resume’s personal statement like an extended tagline for your career. A resume personal statement should include:

• Between 50 and 200 words in 3 - 4 sentences
• Your title or function, for example “Junior developer” or “Passionate hospitality manager”
• An opening hook
• Soft skills and hard skills
• Impressive facts and stats
• Your short and/or long-term goals
• Job-specific slant for the position you’re applying to

This may seem like a lot to cram into 200 words but perfecting your elevator pitch shows that you have a firm grasp of why your experience, goals, and skills make you the perfect fit for the job. Go all out to make this as fitting for each role as possible. Too often candidates come up with what they see as the perfect introduction to them and forget about how a hiring manager for each specific role might read it. Be flexible with the personal statement. It might not present the very best version of you - it should present the best version of you for this particular role.

This brief introduction is only a short piece of text, it is not disruptive and in many cases even serves as a welcome addition to what is otherwise a dry and impersonal document. It should be clear to you by now how we feel about the personal statement: Include it, especially because it allows you that bit of creativity that may make all the difference. Adopt a conversational tone and consider using the first person for these few lines. Third person (past tense) is standard for resumes, but if you want to go personal, this is where to do it.

How do I start my personal statement? How do you not start a personal statement? Even with a personal statement of 3-4 lines, sometimes the first sentence is the hardest. Even the first few words can have a disproportionate effect on how your personal statement is viewed. Your starting "hook" should make your fit with the role clear and specific. Use an example that is as unique to you as possible - you have to make your future employer sit up and pay attention. The first word of your personal statement should never be "I" - a great resume explores the potential of a common partnership and should not be a uni-directional monologue.

Align your resume’s personal statement with the job description

The hiring manager delicately chose every word in their job description. Gather clues from its tone, which skills they highlight, and any hints that point toward their dream employee. One of the top resume tips from HR managers is to include relevant keywords specific to the job posting itself as well as the actual wording of the job title .

What would this job description look like in 3 - 4 sentences? What keywords, skills, and tone would the job description have?

While still sticking to the facts about who you are and your experiences, your resume personal statement should highlight as many similarities with the job description as possible. When the hiring manager reads the first few sentences in your resume, they feel like you are exactly the person they were describing when they wrote the job description.

Position of the personal statement

Recruiters still prefer to see a candidate's personal details at the top (or running along a column on either side) of the resumes that cross their desk. This allows them to quickly search through the resumes that Applicant Tracking Systems have sorted into their virtual “yes” pile. You do not want your (relatively modern) personal statement to get in the way of this tradition. 

The best place to put your statement is after your personal details (if they are at the top) and before your employment history section. Remember that the length of your resume is important. If you have already been very selective and cannot possibly leave out any more information and if adding your personal statement means your resume spills over onto a third page, you may consider not including your statement for the position in question. This ensures you comply with the unwritten rule that a resume should not be longer than two pages.

What is a good personal statement length? 200 words is the maximum suggested length, but if you go with one powerful sentence that you want the hiring manager to remember for the rest of the interview process, then why not? Less is more, but you have to be confident in your application to go with this option.

Plan to write your resume personal statement last

Instead of getting stuck at the beginning trying to write the perfect statement, skip this section and jump right into your employment history first. Once you’ve added your relevant work experiences , take a look at your keywords, phrases and skills from your past positions.

Your complete work history and the job description for the job you want are the foundations for your personal statement. By writing your resume personal statement last, it should be easier to get started once you have the right inspiration.

It might be the case that you leave a certain number of lines for the personal statement on your resume and write an individual statement for each role. You will often have a public version of your resume that is accessible on job boards (etc), so there should still be an "ideal" personal statement version.

How do I write a resume from scratch? While it is good advice to write the resume personal statement after your have written the resume itself (giving your brain a chance to ponder your true highlights), starting writing a resume is a mammoth task in itself. There are many useful pieces of advice when sitting down to write a resume, but for me, the key is to think about the reflecting the combination of what you are good at, what you enjoy and how those things will contribute to the direction of your career. For sure, be honest about your experience, but there has to be a creative flavour of ensuring that your past adequately reflects where you want to go.

Check out resume personal statement examples

Before you dive into writing, get a sense for different rhythms and layouts by checking these resume personal statement examples. How do you write a good personal statement?

Let's start with the basics. Since every person is unique, all personal statements should be unique too. You should, therefore, resist the urge to (largely) copy someone else's existing statement. This is the only spot on your resume to let your voice be heard, so try to write something that would prompt a friend to exclaim, “That sounds like something you’d say!” while, of course, keeping it professional.

Example. Innovative Executive Assistant with 10+ years of experience with global financial firm assisting a team of three C-Level directors. Expertly coordinate travel, manage large-scale expense reports, and streamline communication and calendars across departments..Seeking an Executive Assistant role with the Resume.io team to expand my office management career and thrive in an environment that requires independent problem-solving skills and focus under short deadlines.

The example above does the following things:

• States their title in the first sentence
• Includes specifics such as team size and duties
• Succinctly sums up major responsibilities and skills
• Highlights hard skills —experience arranging travel and expense reports—as well as soft skills —grace under pressure, attention to detail and communication.
• Specifically tailors the final statement with the company and/or job description

Here are a few more resume personal statement examples:

Experienced Digital Marketing Manager with five years of expertise in heading up a global firm. Increased inbound leads by 500% and raised online sales from 100,000 annually to over 2 million in a three-year period. Looking to grow career by applying skills to the Resume.io marketing team.

Straight to the point and accomplishment focused, without the use of “I”. Now let’s look at a less effective example:

I have worked as a Digital Marketing Manager for five years. During this time I have been an important and hard-working member of the team and showed my ability to work under pressure to deliver on company targets. I am looking to bring my skills to a new role in digital marketing.

Generic and ignores accomplishments. Also, too many uses of “I” in a passive voice.

Next is an example of a personal statement that focuses more on career objectives . A career objective can be used as a way to get across your skills and experience, without the personal bit. It’s a good option if you’re an entry-level candidate or college graduate without a lot of experience in the industry you’re applying for. The idea is, because you don’t have the relevant experience to talk about, you pull skills and experience from other areas of your resume so you can show you have what it takes.

Keep your career objective brief — 2-3 sentences max — following the same rules as the personal statement.

Content writer with three years' experience in a large e-commerce company. Delivered content that grew brand social presence to over 700,000 across three channels and improved email open rates by 48%. Looking to further career by joining the Resume.io as an SEO Executive.

See how it uses transferable skills? Combining these with numbers makes them all the more impressive.

And a less effective resume personal statement example:

I am a content writer looking to secure a role as an SEO Executive. While I have no experience in this field and am a dedicated individual and a keen learner. My enjoyment of how search engines work will help me excel in your company.

There’s not enough here to capture attention and it doesn’t sell transferable skills. Whichever type of opening statement you go for, if you have numbers to show, make them count.

Writing your personal profile resume

Always write the first draft of a personal profile resume without editing. Don’t worry about length or word choice in the first pass. Brag about yourself, be proud of your accomplishments , and add in all of your most impressive stats.

Some of the best writing happens without editing too soon, so don’t worry about sounding over the top or egotistical, that’s what editing your personal profile resume is for. If the goal is to get 3 - 4 perfect sentences, it’s likely your first draft will be closer to 6 - 8, maybe even longer. Then consider which parts are closest to helping you get the job and cull the rest. It might seem brutal, but brevity is critical at the top of your personal profile.

Polish your personal statement and experiment

Once you’ve narrowed your focus, use the following questions to help you review your work and edit your statement:

Is my first sentence clear and concise? The opening line should state your position and use strong, enthusiastic language to hook in the reader. It often includes years of experience as well.

Is it direct opposed to passive? A strong sense of self comes through in a personal statement. Instead of sentences that begin with “I believe I am…” or “I enjoy…” be bold. Get right to the point and take ownership of your skills .

Does it include objective information? For this one, try to get inside the hiring manager’s mind. If you were filling this role, what boxes would you need to check off? The second and third sentence often include specific skills, facts or figures to support this need.

Does it read naturally? Even with all these specifics, the statement should still be easy to understand and have a natural rhythm when read aloud. Cut out any jargon that acts as filler or that changes your tone. Formality may vary from company to company, but personal statements should always reflect the type of employee or person you are.

What are three tips for writing a personal statement?

• Make sure that your personality comes across in the writing.
• Quantify any accomplishments and include financials where possible.
• If you are at a moment of career change, don't fail to mention your goals.

Common mistakes in personal statements

When writing your personal statement, beware of platitudes. These are clichéd expressions that have become meaningless from overuse. They induce recruiters to roll their eyes and move on to the next candidate. Think of such terms as “an administrative jack-of-all-trades” or “a cog in the wheel’ and being ready for a “new challenge.”  Definitely avoid this list of human resources’ most hated resume phrases. 

Try to be original in your choice of words and ask a friend or family member to take a critical look at your personal statement when you are done. By the way, you should always have someone proofread your entire resume when you think you are ready to send it.

Some people call their personal statements " resume objectives ." This is something else entirely. A resume objective is required when a candidate needs to project their hopes for their next role that differe from their previous experience a little. This objective can then be used to outline the motivations behind a career change and is also common with early-career professionals. 

Does a personal statement need a title? Some resume templates might call the opening statement a summary and others may exclude a description entirely. Either option is fine as employers are conditioned to expect a few lines at the to of a resume to serve as a headline for your job application.

What do employers expect from your resume opening statement?

Sometimes it is useful to consider job seeking activity from the point of view of the end hiring managers. External recruiters are important people to impress, but it is the employers that will be making the ultimate hiring decision. They will be reading lots of resumes, so what would they want to read in your resume opening statement?

• They will want the resume opening statement to be written for them. When you are on the hunt for a new member of your professional family, an intensely personal connection is vital from the first lines.
• They will expect a quantifiable context to your resume opening statement. Impressive words come easily when you really need a job, but backing them up with numbers to demonstrate their scale is less simple.
• They will expect to be impressed. If you cannot impress a specific employer for a specific role with the first lines of your resume, then the role is almost certainly not for you. Nothing to shout about? Move on.

Key takeaways

Think of your CV personal statement as the first 2 minutes of an interview—whether on the phone or in person. The HR manager asks you to “tell me a little about yourself,” and you have a quick minute to set the tone for the rest of the conversation. Similarly, the CV personal statement should include:

• A natural, yet professional CV tone that reflects your personality
• The top reasons your experience makes you a unique fit for this position
• Why this role aligns with your career plans
• Facts and data on your CV that back up your earlier points

Crafting a personal statement for each role will cause some serious thought. What is your essential fit for the role that will make a hiring manager sit up and think "wow, I need to have them on my team?" What would you want to read if you were in their shoes. You will definitely have lots to say, but keep it simple and powerful.

One more good CV statement example:

Expert SEO copywriter with a decade of B2C and B2B experience across three industries. Versatile in writing social, website and long-form copy to convey each brand’s unique tone and message. I cultivated 15 new clients in two years and grew readership by over 200%. I am now seeking to expand my editing and content creation expertise in a Marketing Manager position.

Once you’ve mastered writing your CV personal statement, this clear sense of who you are and what you want will prepare you to pitch yourself during interviews.

How To Write A Resume Personal Statement (With Examples)

In This Guide:

The purpose of a resume personal statement, the elements of a good personal statement, the construction of a good personal statement, final words: writing a resume personal statement.

Quick Answer: A personal statement on a resume summarizes the benefits of hiring you and encourages recruiters to pay attention to your resume. It's the first section of the resume that recruiters see, so it should be brief, easy-to-read, and attention-grabbing. Your statement should include who you are, suitable skills, achievements, your target company, and what you hope to do for your new employer. It should be short and concise, mentioning only the most relevant information for your target roles.

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Landing a job interview requires a memorable resume. Including a good personal statement at the top of your resume is a perfect way to do it.

Essentially, your resume personal statement is a brief paragraph that aims to summarise the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to pay attention to your resume.

If you are wondering whether you should include it.

And you will see why. In this article, we have all the information you need on how to write an eye-catching personal statement and a couple of useful examples.

Hundreds of resumes go through the hands of a Recruiter in just a day. So, you understand how important it is to grab his or her attention in just seconds. One really effective way is to write a personal statement at the top of a resume.

By including a strong personal statement you would for sure get more attention than one without.

1. State who you are

Begin with a description showing your current position in your profession and field of specialization. You could also include what you like most about your work and any characteristics and skills that would make you the perfect choice for the position.

2. Add measurements to your achievements

After that, you should communicate how suitable for the position you are and what is your value to the organization. This section should highlight accomplishments relevant to the position you are applying for. Show that you could be beneficial for the company.

If you are wondering which accomplishments to mention, select those that directly associate with your position. If the position requires managerial experience, mention previous situations that have placed you in such a role. This way, you could quickly establish yourself as the right candidate for the job.

3. State your career objectives

The third section of your personal statement should state why you are applying for this particular position. You have already communicated your skills and qualifications in the previous sentences, so you write the last one concise and direct.

4. Keep your personal statement short

Your whole personal statement should be short, concise, and easy to read. Keep in mind to use simple sentences telling the recruiter the most important information for you.

After telling you how to structure it, see how it is done.

“An efficient, and reliable administrative professional with 8+ years of experience supporting executives, sales personnel, and managers to improve the internal operations for their businesses.

Proficient in CRM applications and design programs. Diversified skill set covering administrative support, client relations, human resources and recruiting, account management, and project management. Excellent interpersonal, phone, and digital communication skills.”

“As a recent graduate from the University of Townville, with a 2:1 honors degree in marketing, I have undertaken internships at industry-leading agencies such as Beyond Imagination and Noah Freemans. These placements have allowed me to develop sector knowledge and gain hands-on experience, as well as expand transferable skills such as communication, negotiation, and analytical skills. My current goal is to gain a role that allows me to further my knowledge and take on increased responsibility at a market-leading digital marketing agency.”

“I am a highly competent IT professional with a proven track record in networking and managing databases. I have strong technical skills as well as excellent interpersonal skills, enabling me to communicate easily with clients. I am eager to be challenged in order to grow and further improve my skills. My greatest passion in life is using my technical know-how to benefit other people and organizations.”

Resume Personal Statement for Career Changers Example

Experienced Sales Manager

“As a Sales Manager with 7 years of experience, my tenacious and proactive approach resulted in numerous important contract wins. My excellent networking skills have provided my team with vital client leads, and my ability to develop client relationships has resulted in a 16% increase in business renewals for the organization I work for. I currently seek a new challenge which will utilize my meticulous attention to detail and friendly, professional manner.”

Resume Personal Statement for Entry Level Job

Entry Level Business Analyst

“Enthusiastic Business Analyst, skilled in leadership and communication. Seeking to enhance understanding of key metrics for IPSoft. As a business report writer for Valens Securities helped grow employee grasp of key concepts by 42%. My PowerPoint presentation of GBMP’s Policy Deployment plan was turned into a webinar that got 2,300 views.”

Resume personal statement for experienced professional

Experienced Teaching Assistant

“Enthusiastic teaching assistant with 6 years of experience. Seeking to maintain a graduate teaching assistant position at St. Andrews University. Mentored 70+ students for 3 years. Delivered lectures, edited 2 books. Commended by 2 professors for research quality. Graded 1000+ student papers. Skilled in materials development and research.”

And if you are still not sure how to write your personal statement, go through our Resume Examples . They are all approved by top Hiring Managers and have helped thousands get their dream job.

Your personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above tips and tricks we gave you, you will be able to create one which shows the Hiring Managers everything they need.

Remember to keep it short and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

Do you have any other questions about personal statements on a resume? Give us a shout-out in the comments below!

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Are you familiar with the resume personal statement?

It is the quickest way to introduce yourself to the recruiters and lay out your professional prospects in a short statement.

A resume personal statement can do the talking for you if crafted in the right way.

Let us discuss in detail about CV personal statement and get you started with all the dos and don'ts around it.

You can also get a deeper understanding of the following FAQs around resume personal statement:

• What is a good personal summary for a resume?
• Should I include a personal statement on my resume??
• What should you include in a personal statement?
• What is a resume summary and objective?

What Is a Personal Statement on a Resume?

A resume personal statement is like a summary or objective of your resume.

It is a short paragraph that sums up your work experience, skills set, and achievements. A CV personal statement validates your efficiency as a professional.

The resume personal statements consist of the following points:

• An introduction of who you are
• The value you add to the organization
• The objectives of your career

This short statement works magic on the recruiters during job applications. It makes it easier for them to identify your core skills and potential while raising your chances of landing the targeted job profile.

Also Read: How to Write Resume Summary Statement?

Do You Need a Personal Statement on a Resume?

Providing a resume personal statement is important as it makes it easier for the recruiters to recognize your potential right away.

The main benefits of a resume personal statement are listed below:

• It enables you to introduce yourself to the recruiters
• It gives you the chance to showcase what you can bring to the table
• It allows you to highlight your professional achievements
• It provides you the opportunity to showcase your skills and strengths
• It allows you to share your career goals or objectives

Simply put, resume personal statements are the window to your resume, and adding them to your resume can communicate your potential to the recruiters.

How to Write a Resume Personal Statement?

While some may think that drafting a resume statement is a complicated task, you should know that it is quite easy if done the right way.

You need to add only the important points that validate your professional capabilities in a resume summary statement.

Here is what you need to do to create the perfect CV personal statement.

Follow the given guideline to make your resume stand out amongst hundreds of applicants:

1. Introduce Yourself

Start your resume personal statement by introducing your professional self. Doing so will make the recruiters identify where you stand professionally right away.

Example: 5+ years experienced software engineer with a prolific track record in software and IT management.

From the given example, we can see how a short sentence is enough to make an impactful first impression on the recruiters.

It states who you are as a professional by highlighting your current or most recent job profile. It also states the years of experience and level of specialization you possess.

The trick here is to state the years of experience you possess and give an insight into your professional background.

2. Add Your Professional Achievements

State what you have achieved during your professional experience to demonstrate that you have the potential to produce desired results for the organization.

Example: Possesses extensive experience in administering development, implementation, and management of IT systems, resulting in improved accessibility.

This allows the recruiters to assess your caliber and determine your suitability for the targeted profile.

3. Mention Your Core Skills

A resume personal statement is not the place for you to brag about every skill that you possess, but a subtle mention of what your core skills are is enough.

Example: Highly skilled with Linux and Unix server architecture combined with an in-depth knowledge of a range of technological applications.

Mentioning some relevant skills, as shown in the example can make the recruiters recognize your efficiency in specific skills that they require their potential employees to possess.

4. Include Suitable Keywords

The Applicant Tracking System allows the recruiters to filter through hundreds and thousands of resumes to save time and select suitable applicants.

Hence, your resume needs to contain suitable keywords that are relevant to the targeted job profile. And the resume personal statement is one of the best places to include such keywords.

Practice drafting your resume personal statement after the rest of your resume is done and dusted.

Doing so allows you to pick important points and relevant keywords from the details listed in the main context of the resume and shed the spotlight on them.

Example: Junior web developer with 4+ years of experience in assisting the senior manager to develop and implement user interactive internal web pages by using languages such as HTML and CSS to enhance user interactions. Highly skilled in customizing content management systems to manage various website properties and deliver timely site redesigns.

If you are applying for a web developer profile, adding relevant keywords related to web development or programming languages can make your resume get past the ATS with ease.

Difference Between Resume Summary and Objective Statement

Both resume summary and objective statements give an overview of your resume but the messages they deliver are different.

A summary statement describes your qualifications and professional expertise that throws light on your suitability for the targeted job profile.

On the other hand, an objective statement describes your career goals and the kind of job or industry that you prefer.

A resume summary highlights what you have achieved and how it can benefit the organization. Whereas an objective highlights what you can bring to the table despite having no or very little experience.

Also Read: How to Draft a Resume Objective Section?

Tips for Writing The Perfect Resume Personal Statement

Here is a list of some dos and don'ts while drafting your resume personal statement:

• Limit your personal statement to 3-4 lines
• Include only important points
• Highlight the years of experience you have (if you are an experienced professional)
• Mention your relevant skills and expertise
• Add relevant keywords as per the job description
• Proofread your resume personal statement

Resume Personal Statement Examples

How do you write a personal statement for a resume?

The personal statement for resume needs to be customized according to the years of experience that you have and the skills that you possess.

Check out the given CV personal statement examples for reference:

Resume Personal Statement for Data Engineer

10+ years experienced data engineer armed with demonstrated capability of designing and maintaining data pipelines to facilitate deeper analysis and meet both functional and non-functional business requirements. Adept at liaising with product owners and business stakeholders to design scalable solutions by optimizing organizational processes. Proficient in creating highly scalable data processing frameworks to ensure a smooth business workflow.

Also Read: How to Create the Best Data Engineer Resume?

Resume Personal Statement for Graphic Designer

Enterprising graphic designer with 5+ years of experience in establishing brands through creative concepts. Proficiency with publishing tools comprising Photoshop, InDesign Quark, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro to deliver top-notch visual content. Efficient in analyzing products to create visuals that justify their worth and establish brands to elevate business growth.

Also Read: How to Curate a Professional Freelance Graphic Designer Resume?

Resume Personal Statement for IT Professional

15+ years experienced IT professional with a proven track record of handling web development, design, and various interactive projects based on languages such as HTML, PHP, SQL, and XML. Highly skilled in leading teams of web developers and programmers to develop state-of-the-art corporate intranet and implement advanced CMS solutions using open source tools and Drupal. Adept at providing dynamic and marketing-friendly front-end solutions to assist management in performing SEO, web analytics, and A/B testing.

Also Read: How to Create a Job-worthy IT Resume?

Resume Personal Statement for Certified Professional

Certified business intelligence developer with 3+ years of experience in designing software solutions by translating business requirements into scalable BI projects. Proficient in ensuring the integrity of data while diagnosing and troubleshooting technological issues.

Also Read: How to List Certifications on Resume?

Key Takeaways

• Draft your personal statement after you complete the rest of your resume.
• Always keep your resume personal statement short and precise within a 3-4 line limit .
• Include details that reflect your achievements and core skills to validate your potential.
• Customize your CV personal statement in line with the job description of the profile that you are applying
• Add suitable keywords in your summary statement to rank high on the ATS

Go to Hiration's 360-degree Career Service platform which has 24/7 chat support for any assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

You can also write to us at [email protected] .

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How to Write a Personal Statement for a Resume (with AI 🤖)

3 key takeaways 

• Learn how to craft a personal statement that defines your career goals, skills, and professional narrative.
• Discover the importance of tailoring your personal statement to a specific role.
• Understand how to leverage AI tools like Teal's AI Resume Builder to create and polish an effective personal statement.

You're skilled, ambitious, and ready to seize new professional opportunities. But so are many other job seekers.

So how can you stand out in a sea of applicants and make a lasting impact on hiring managers? That's simple : crafting a unique "Personal Statement" resume section that captures who you are as an individual—the "you-ness" that makes you an irresistible candidate.

The problem is that "simple" doesn't always mean "easy."

Luckily, by the end of this post, you'll be able to confidently write a resume personal statement for any opportunity that comes your way. 

Understanding personal statements on resumes and CVs

A personal statement is a concise paragraph or summary, similar to a resume headline , at the top of your resume. Its purpose is to articulate your career goals, highlight your skills, experiences, and what you can bring to the role.

This is a valuable opportunity to make a lasting first impression on the hiring manager or recruiter and stand out among the endless number of applicants you're likely competing with.

While building your resume, you may have also heard of a "professional statement" (sometimes called an " opening statement ") or a "resume objective." Though similar, they are subtly different from personal statements. 

Here's a breakdown:

Your resume's personal statement is a comprehensive declaration that outlines your career objectives and highlights your skills, experiences, and the unique value you can bring to a role. It provides a fuller picture of you as a professional, making it a great choice for experienced candidates with various skills and achievements they want to draw attention to. 

A resume professional summary , or short professional bio , is a concise summary that specifically targets your industry expertise and key achievements. It draws attention to your relevant professional experiences and successes. 

Typically, the resume summary statement is the ideal choice for seasoned professionals with a history of tangible results and accomplishments in their field.

A resume objective highlights your qualifications, but it's typically a straightforward declaration of your career goals, too. It's usually a bit shorter and focuses on what type of role or industry you want to work in. Resume objectives can benefit those who are at the beginning of their career or going through a career change, such as re-entering the workforce or transitioning between fields , and don't have an extensive track record to showcase.

The choice between a resume personal statement, professional statement, and a resume objective ultimately comes down to your career path and the specific requirements of the job you're eyeing. 

Once you've decided to write a compelling personal statement, you need to know the right way of going about it. 

How to write a personal statement for a resume

You'd think that writing about yourself would be easy. After all, who knows your past experiences and future ambitions better than you? 

And yet, it's those "About Me" resume sections and resume personal statements that are one of the most frustrating pieces of writing a resume; they're often the most impactful, too. Because, again, they're the hook that introduces the very uniqueness of you . 

Consider the following tips for writing a standout personal statement: 

1. Self-reflection: Look at your career goals, skills, resume bullets , current position, and any special value you bring to an organization. Reflecting on these aspects provides a solid foundation for your personal statement.

You might find it helpful to use a mind map or SWOT analysis to organize your thoughts. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and it's a strategic planning tool used to evaluate these four aspects of a project or personal development.

This exercise will help you identify your resume strengths and selling points, providing a solid foundation for your personal statement.

2. Start with a strong opening: Your opening sentence should be compelling and immediately convey your professional identity. Think of it as your personal "elevator pitch." Here are some examples:

• Strong opening : "As a seasoned Project Manager with a decade of experience in the tech industry, I specialize in leading cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time and under budget. "
• Weak opening : "I'm a hard-working professional looking for a project management role."

The strong opening immediately establishes the individual's professional identity, highlighting their experience, industry, and key skills. On the other hand, the weak opening is vague and doesn't convey the person's unique value or area of expertise.

3. Align with the job description: Your personal statement should align with the role you're applying for. Read the job description carefully, then tailor your summary statement to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the role.

This is where Teal's Job Application Tracker and AI Resume Builder comes in. 

Leveraging the power of AI, Teal extracts and prioritizes the critical keywords, both hard and soft skills, present in the job description you're targeting.

Then, you can use AI to automate your personal statement: 

Create multiple versions of your professional summary using Teal’s AI integration feature within the AI Resume Builder.

Note: This feature is called "Professional Summaries," but it allows you to beat the blank page quickly. You can then tailor this to be more aligned with a professional statement to help you stand out.

Not only does this help you shape a compelling personal statement much more quickly, but it also gives you an edge with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) . Hiring managers often use ATS software to prioritize candidates based on keyword matching (though it's worth mentioning that this software never filters out applicants altogether). 

By using Teal's AI Resume Builder to incorporate the necessary hard skills , soft skills, and keywords into your personal statement, you increase your odds of standing out in the crowded job market.

Sign up for Teal's AI Resume Builder today!

4. Keep it concise: A personal statement should be brief and to the point. Aim for no more than 150 words or three to four sentences. The best way to approach this is to draft your personal statement without any word limit, then review and revise it, cutting out any fluff or unnecessary details. 

Ask yourself if each sentence is critical to the narrative and truly adds value. Remember, every word counts. Writing an effective personal statement requires careful thought and attention to detail. 

However, advances in generative AI can help streamline this process. 

What to avoid when writing a resume personal statement

When writing a personal statement, it's just as important to know what to steer clear of as it is to know what to include. 

So, here are some key points to keep in mind:

1. Being vague: Remember, your personal statement is your unique story. Generic phrases like "hard-working professional" or "team player" won't help you stand out. Instead, aim for specific details about your experiences and achievements that demonstrate these traits.

2. Using complex jargon: While you need to communicate your industry knowledge, a personal statement loaded with jargon can be off-putting and difficult to understand. Keep your language clear and concise.

3. Writing an autobiography: A personal statement isn't a full personal profile. It's not meant to be a comprehensive rundown of your life story. It should focus on relevant skills, experiences, and goals that align with the position you're applying for. 

If it doesn't add value to your application, leave it out.

4. Using third-person language: Your resume personal statement highlights your qualifications, experiences, and skills. Opt to write a resume personal statement in the first person point of view using words like "I," "my," and "me" to provide a more personalized and authentic perspective.

5. Ignoring the job description: Tailoring your personal statement to the specific role is crucial. If you're not aligning your skills and experiences with the requirements mentioned in the job description, you're missing an opportunity to demonstrate how well you fit the role.

Again, this is something that Teal's AI Resume Builder helps you with natively. 

6. Negativity: Your personal statement should reflect positivity and enthusiasm for the role you're applying for and the value you can bring. Avoid mentioning negative experiences or failures unless you can highlight what you learned from them. 

Here's an example of a negative vs. a positive personal statement: 

• Negative : "After a string of unsatisfying jobs and a career path that lacked direction, I'm now looking for an opportunity in a company that values its employees and provides clear career progression."
• Positive : "With a passion for employee engagement and a track record in driving positive workplace culture, I'm eager to bring my experience and enthusiasm to a forward-thinking company that values innovation and employee development."

In the negative example, the focus is on past dissatisfaction, which can give a negative impression to the reader. But the positive example emphasizes enthusiasm, experience, and a clear vision of what the applicant can bring to the role and company. 

It also subtly communicates past success (i.e., a track record in driving positive workplace culture) without explicitly resting on your laurels.

Resume personal statement examples

So now that you know the best practices for crafting a resume personal statement, let's take a look at a few personal statement examples broken down by industry and role level. We'll explore personal statements for job examples in the following fields: 

• Management 

Let's dive right into writing personal statements for sales roles. 

1) Sales roles

Entry-level: "A recent graduate of Business Administration with a passion for sales and demonstrated customer service skills. Earned top sales honors during internship experience and eager to bring my dedication and drive to a dynamic sales team."

• Analysis : This personal statement showcases a recent graduate's passion and early success in sales. It emphasizes their eagerness to contribute to a team and references the valuable experiences that have prepared them for a sales role.

Mid-level: "Sales manager with five years of experience in the retail sector and a record of exceeding sales targets by up to 40%. Proven ability to build relationships and improve customer satisfaction. Seeking to leverage my skills to enhance profitability and growth in a forward-thinking organization."

• Analysis : Here, the candidate highlights their successful sales track record and solid, relevant experience, key selling points for a mid-level position. The candidate also presents their goal, which aligns with the interests of prospective employers.

Senior-level: "Seasoned sales leader with over a decade of experience managing high-performing teams in the tech industry. Expertise in strategic planning, market research, and contract negotiation. Committed to driving revenue growth while fostering a supportive team environment."

• Analysis : As a good personal statement, this example positions the candidate as a seasoned leader with significant industry experience. It emphasizes the candidate's commitment to revenue growth and team development, two critical areas of interest for employers at this level.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of CV personal statements for Sales Managers

2) Marketing roles

Entry-level: "Creative and detail-oriented Marketing graduate with a solid understanding of social media strategies and branding. I have proven skills in project management from internships and campus activities. Seeking to apply my innovative thinking and leadership skills in a dynamic marketing team."

• Analysis : This personal statement example communicates the applicant's foundational marketing knowledge, creativity, and leadership abilities. It hints at a well-rounded candidate with theoretical understanding and some practical experience.

Mid-level: "Results-driven marketing professional with six years of experience in digital marketing. Specialized in SEO and content creation, consistently increasing web traffic by 35%. Looking to leverage my expertise to drive brand growth and visibility in a challenging role."

• Analysis : This statement reflects the individual's experience and accomplishments in the field of digital marketing. The candidate exhibits a clear specialty, proven results, and an ambition to drive growth, which is appealing for a mid-level role.

Senior-level: "Strategic Marketing Director with over 15 years of experience leading cross-functional teams in the FMCG sector. Proven track record in executing successful global marketing campaigns, driving sales growth, and building strong brand identities. Looking to leverage my experience to drive strategic growth in a dynamic organization."

• Analysis : Here, the emphasis is on the senior role's leadership and strategic experience. The candidate effectively highlights their proven success in executing global marketing campaigns and driving growth, which is essential for senior roles.

Read more about writing a strong personal statement as a Marketing Manager

Entry-level: "Organized and empathetic HR graduate with strong employee relations and recruitment knowledge. Successfully implemented a new employee onboarding process during an internship. Excited to apply my people skills in a dynamic HR team."

• Analysis : This statement showcases the candidate's theoretical knowledge and some practical experience in HR, emphasizing their achievements during an internship and their enthusiasm for applying their skills.

Mid-level: "HR professional with five years of experience in benefits administration and talent acquisition. Expert in aligning HR strategies with business goals. Seeking to leverage my people-centric skills to drive employee satisfaction and retention."

• Analysis : The candidate presents their expertise in essential HR functions and their ability to align HR strategies with business goals—key to a mid-level role.

Senior-level: "HR Manager with a decade of experience in creating and implementing HR policies and procedures. Proven ability to enhance organizational performance through implementing effective HR strategies. Eager to drive change management initiatives in a large-scale organization."

• Analysis : This statement highlights extensive experience in HR management, demonstrating the ability to improve organizational performance. This strategic focus is ideal for senior-level roles.

Management roles

Entry-level: "Motivated business graduate with proven leadership skills acquired through student council and team sports involvement. Demonstrated ability in team coordination and project management. Ready to bring my strong decision-making skills to a promising management role."

• Analysis : As a good personal statement this example offers a glimpse of the applicant's leadership and decision-making skills—critical attributes for a management role.

Mid-level: "Experienced manager with a strong record in managing teams of up to 20 in the logistics industry. Excellent problem-solving and communication skills that have been used to turn around underperforming teams. Seeking to leverage my managerial skills in a challenging new role."

• Analysis : This statement presents the candidate's proven managerial and problem-solving skills, making them a strong contender for a mid-level management role.

Senior-level: "Dynamic executive with over 15 years of experience in strategic planning and business development. Proven ability to drive profitability and build strategic partnerships. Seeking to leverage my leadership skills to inspire and drive a successful team."

• Analysis : Here, the focus is on strategic, high-level skills and achievements which are suitable for an executive role.

Entry-level: "IT recent graduate with strong theoretical knowledge in software development and database management. Completed an internship that honed my skills in network solutions. Excited to bring my technical skills to a dynamic IT team."

• Analysis : This statement provides a solid base of IT knowledge with a hint of real-world experience, making it ideal for an entry-level candidate.

Mid-level : "IT specialist with over five years of experience in systems analysis and design, networking, and server management. Proven track record in resolving complex IT issues within tight deadlines. Looking forward to applying my problem-solving skills in a challenging IT environment."

• Analysis : The candidate here showcases their experience and problem-solving skills, two significant selling points for mid-level IT roles.

Senior-level: "IT Director with a decade of experience in managing diverse teams and implementing IT strategies that support business objectives. Expertise in cloud computing and IT infrastructure development. Seeking to leverage my technical and leadership skills in a forward-thinking organization."

• Analysis : The statement effectively displays the candidate's leadership skills, strategic abilities, and technical expertise, fitting for a senior IT role.

Each of these examples of personal statements for resumes should provide you with a framework to create and personalize your own. But if you need some help, there's always AI in your corner.

How to tailor your personal summary with AI 

Thanks to Teal's AI Resume Builder , creating the perfect personal statement has never been easier. Our built-in generative AI provides an excellent starting point, producing a draft tailored to your career level and role in seconds.

However, a personal statement shouldn't be a cookie-cutter paragraph— it needs to be uniquely you . 

Here's how you can make it happen with Teal .

1. Use AI to start: Type in your desired role and let the AI generate a custom draft. This provides a solid base, saving you time in getting started and providing a structure to work with.

2. Implement a SWOT analysis: Recall our advice about self-reflection? Apply that here . Use the SWOT analysis to reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the desired job role. 

3. Revise the opening: Make the first line count. While AI provides a generic opening, you should edit it to make it more compelling. Remember, your opening line is your 'elevator pitch,' and it needs to stand out.

4. Tailor with keywords: Teal's AI Resume Builder automatically pulls critical keywords from the job description you're targeting, ensuring your personal statement aligns with what the employer is looking for. Just make sure these keywords naturally fit within your personal statement to maintain a coherent narrative.

In short, Teal is the easiest solution for creating personal statements as a unique resume personal profile. To see what you can do with Teal, we've crafted over 3,000 personal statement examples in our CV Samples collection . Take a look.

Final thoughts

Crafting a captivating personal statement on your resume is your golden ticket to making a memorable first impression. It's not just about what you say but how you say it, and that's where the distinction lies between good and great.

And what's even better? You don't have to do it alone. 

The AI Professional Summary feature is here to be your personal writing assistant. Are you ready to let your resume make an impact? 

Give Teal's AI Resume Builder a spin to try out the Professional Summary feature and see how quickly it improves your personal statement. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can ai enhance the personalization of a resume's personal statement, what are the common pitfalls to avoid when using ai to write a personal statement for a resume, how long should an ai-assisted personal statement for a resume be.

Nathan Thompson

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How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples]

Creating an effective CV takes time and close attention to detail. You've already included your jobs and experience , and now you want to allow the recruiter or hiring manager to understand the strategic value you can add.

This is when you need to utilize a personal statement at the top of your CV.

How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples] 

What is a Personal Statement? 

A personal statement is a few brief and direct sentences at the top of your CV. The personal statement is also referred to as a career summary or personal mission statement.

This is used to grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager and summarizes essential experiences or training that you can bring to this position.

Why do I Need a Personal Statement?

A recruiter or hiring manager is tasked with sorting through an enormous amount of resumes every single day. A personal statement is a way to separate yourself from the other applicants.

This statement summarizes your experience and highlights your unique talents . The CV personal statement is meant to demonstrate why you are the perfect fit for the job. 

Even med students need a medical school personal statement , as it is what differentiates them from all the other students applying. Plus, it allows them to share their personal stories and objectives.

Where do I Start? 

Always begin by reading the job description carefully and thoroughly.

Your personal statement should be tailored to each job description, so it explicitly states the value you’ll bring to the position you are applying. A generic personal statement cannot do that. 

Once you have a solid handle on the job description, you can begin writing. It’s important to keep your personal statement brief, about 50-200 words will do.

Don’t forget that you have your whole cover letter to show some personality and include engaging content.

The personal statement should be a quick summary that highlights why you are the best person for the job. 

You’ll need to decide whether you are writing your personal statement in first- or third-person. This should follow how you've written the rest of your CV.

For example, if you've already written, “I grew and developed a team of 50 salespeople,” in your CV then you will want to keep your personal statement in first-person to match the prevailing style.

No matter what you choose, make sure that you keep it consistent throughout. Do not switch between first- and third-person as that will get confusing to the hiring manager.

Writing a personal statement for your CV in first-person does not mean you need to start every sentence with “I.”

There are ways to craft your personal statement to sound snappy, concise and personal, and here are a few examples to help inspire your personal statement. 

CV Personal Statement Examples

It doesn’t matter what chose as your desired career or how much experienc e you have, use these examples to drive the creation of your own personal statement.

You can take snippets from each or write something completely different. Always remember that your personal statement is a reflection of yourself and should align with your own personal goals and experience.

If these examples don’t fit your exact career, feel free to take some pointers and write yours from scratch. 

#1: Personal Statement Example for Recent Graduate CV

“As a recent graduate from university, with an honors degree in communications, I held several internships within leading organizations, including Bertelsmann. These internships enabled me to gain experience in the field and learn how to serve up valuable contributions in a fast-paced, professional environment.”

Explanation: This example should be customized to include the university you’ve graduated from and any relevant internships. A compelling personal statement always highlights relevant skills and experiences.

In this case, a recent graduate does not have extensive experience in the workforce, so soft skills like experiencing success in a fast-paced work environment and becoming a trusted team member become even more critical.

#2: Personal Statement Example for Returning to the Workforce CV

“A highly motivated and experienced office administrator, I am currently looking to resume my professional career after an extended hiatus to raise my family. Proficient in all Microsoft Office programs, I can lead meetings and work with clients to keep your office running smoothly and efficiently. After spending several years volunteering as an administrative worker for a local charity, I am committed to resuming my professional career on a full-time basis.”

Explanation: After time off from a career, it can be hard to break back into the market. This personal statement outlines the reason for the break, the relevant qualifications and what the applicant has been doing in between jobs.

Any volunteer experience becomes highly relevant when there is no concrete professional experience to draw upon, to demonstrate the use of those skills. 

#3: Personal Statement Example for a Career Change CV

“With over 15 years as a sales manager, I have extensive experience building high-functioning sales teams that consistently achieve budget numbers. In fact, my ability to grow talent led to a 20% increase in annual renewals across the board. Now, after 15 years, I am seeking new challenges to flex my marketing muscles in a fast-paced environment.” 

Explanation: When changing careers , it's essential to highlight skills that are transferable between industries.

In this case, leadership and team-building experience can apply to any industry. Homing in on concrete numbers and percentages increases credibility when applying for a position.

The applicant ends with the reason behind the desired career change. This part is not necessary but may be appealing to some hiring managers who are wondering what the impetus for the career change.

#4: Personal Statement Example for a Experienced Professional CV

“As a friendly, professional and highly trained educator, I am passionate about teaching and have an innate ability to understand student’s needs. Creating a safe and productive environment for optimal learning is my top priority. I’ve worked as a teacher for nearly 10 years in a variety of subjects and my experience and skill set make me the perfect fit for your team.”

Explanation: With more experience comes more skills and a better idea of strengths and weaknesses. Showcasing your passion for the industry is a great way to begin a personal statement, as it shows the hiring manager your dedication to the craft. 

A personal statement can be written in many different ways, but it is ultimately up to you to determine what skills you want to highlight for your chosen position.

You can follow these examples or take learnings from each to contribute towards your personal statement. 

If you understand the job you are applying for and know the unique skill set that you bring to the table, you will have a stellar personal statement for your CV that will get you across the table from the hiring manager in no time.  

Suggested Reading:

• How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) in 2024 [31+ Examples]
• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume  [With Tips + Tricks]
• How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”

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How To Write A Personal Statement For Your Resume (With Examples).

You need to write a personal statement for your resume and are looking for examples.

You could make it easy for yourself and hire a professional resume writer such as myself .

But maybe your budget is limited – or maybe you don’t feel that hiring a professional resume writer is worth it ( Are Professional Resume Writers Worth The Cost? ).

Either way, no problems.

You’ve Come to the Right place.

The best way to write an eyeball-grabbing personal statement for your resume is by knowing what NOT to do.

I’m about to show you some examples of very underwhelming, yet typical personal statements. I will then explain what makes them so average – so that you don’t make the same mistakes when you write your own.

If you follow my advice, you’ll end up with a killer killer personal statement for your resume that will position you as the winning candidate in front of potential employers.

But before I get stuck into it, let me give you a quick heads-up. What I’m about to tell you will help you write a much more persuasive resume.

Brand Yourself.

The personal statement sets the foundation of your personal brand .

The idea of a professional or personal brand isn’t new. The term was first coined by business management consultant Tom Peters back in his 1997 essay The Brand Called You .

In it, Peters claimed that:

“You’re not defined by your job title and you’re not confined by your job description…You’re every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop.”

What Peters described was a ‘value proposition’. You can begin to discover what yours is by asking yourself the following three questions:

• What makes you  uniquely attractive to employers ?
• What makes you uniquely different from the next similarly qualified candidate?
• And, most importantly, what organisational problems can you solve that no-one else can ?

Answering these three questions in your personal statement is your number one priority. To keep you on track, remember JFK’s famous inaugural quote:

“Ask not what your employer can do for you; ask what you can do for your employer.”

Example of a bad personal statement #1:

Let’s perform an autopsy of a personal statement taken from a typical run-of-the-mill resume that I found online.

Can you spot any problems with it – before I shine a light on them?

This example makes the wrong first impression with “Results-orientated…”.

Generic phrasing is a real snooze for recruiters . They look through dozens of resumes per day and most kick off with some variation of this line.

The second sentence in the above example starts well with an attempt to identify a skill that solves a problem and delivers an outcome:

“Possessing a track record helping to optimise operational processes whilst maximising profit…”

But then ends in a way that doesn’t make much sense:

“…within a challenging fast paced environment requiring high degree of communication, flair and the ability to meet tight deadlines.”

A personal statement for a resume needs to be snappy. A sentence should take up no more than 2 lines, have no more than 2 clauses or related to more than one core competency.

Snappy sentences bring impact. In the above for example, the writer could have made his/her point with much more impact by saying:

“I possess a track record of optimising operational processes whilst maximizing profit.”

What’s an objective?

It’s the once-popular resume item which now firmly belongs in the dustbin of history. You see it in the example above as part of this sentence:

“Seeks a challenging and varied position…”

Truth is, your objective is implied in the act of submitting your job application. By reiterating it on your resume you waste valuable real estate – and squander an opportunity to sell yourself.

Recruiters want to know how you can solve their problems, not how they can solve yours.

Example of a bad personal statement #2:

Let’s dissect another example of a personal statement. This one will teach us a few different lessons:

“Market strategy analist…”

This example shows us the typical shotgun approach – cramming all areas of experience in to cover the bases:

“…cross functional expertise in business and financial analysis, accounting, marketing and new business development…”

Serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk wisely told us: “ No matter what you do, your job is to tell your story”.

Great stories have structure, cohesion and flow – and so should the personal statement on your resume.

It needs to paint a clear and coherent picture of your expertise and value proposition, so avoid standalone sentences like the one in the above example:

“Proven history of improving operations and increasing profitability. Ability to talk and conduct business in French and Spanish languages…Excellent interpersonal and analytical skills.”

As personal statement examples go, the one isn’t ‘bad’ – but it is boring.

Whilst we get a good overview of skills and experience (albeit in a somewhat clumsy manner), it fails to tell us anything ‘personal’.

Research shows that more than ever, employers are recruiting for culture fit .

A personal statement for a resume should be an introduction to your brand – in your voice.

Absence of all pronouns (as we see in the example above), creates an impersonal, distant resume. Give your recruiters a voice that they can connect with by writing your personal statement in the first voice.

For example:

“I am a professional, committed and ambitious Chartered Internal Auditor with more than 20 years’ experience…”

The difference is subtle, but noticeable, isn’t it?

My Final Piece of Advice.

As you continue your research on how to write a personal statement for a resume, it’s important that you know a lot of the ‘advice’ out there is poor. Consistent, but poor.

Most of the guidance on writing a personal statement for a resume is dated. So-called ‘gurus’ will tell you to describe your best assets, focus on your strengths and highlight your accomplishments.

This approach might have worked 10 years ago.

To win in today’s job market, you need to focus on how your best assets, strengths and accomplishments solve organizational problems.

This is the core of your personal brand.

To find out more about my approach, you can read my interview with the Huffington Post – Building A Personal Branding Company .

About the author

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Articles written by our in-house team including CEO's, hiring managers, administrators, and everything in between!

10 Resume Profile Examples (And How to Write Yours)

Imagine you've got everything covered in your resume : You listed your past experiences, included keywords from the job description, and pared it down to design elements an applicant tracking system (ATS) can parse. Now it’s an accurate representation of your professional qualifications—but you still can’t shake the feeling that who you are as a person is getting a bit lost. That’s where a resume profile comes in.

Adding this section to your resume is a good way to show more of your personality while still being professional. Curious? Read on to find out exactly what a resume profile is, and how to write yours—including examples.

What is a resume profile?

A resume profile is a few concise sentences or bullet points that can be placed at the top of your resume (below the header). It “describes who you are as a professional,” says Muse career coach Yolanda Owens , founder of CareerSensei and who also worked as a college corporate recruiter for more than 20 years.

Once you perfect your resume, check out open jobs on The Muse to maximize your chances »

Career professionals don’t all agree on the exact contents of a resume profile, or even on whether it’s different from a resume summary . So you have a bit of flexibility in how you think about yours and what you include in it.

For example, you might think of a resume profile as a way to “tell the reader who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for,” so that you can grab their attention and “quickly showcase your accomplishments,” says Muse career coach and former recruiter Jennifer Smith , founder of Flourish Careers .

Or you might approach your resume profile like Owens does, as the equivalent to “a dating profile that describes how you see yourself at work, and the type of work environment that makes you feel productive and purposeful.”

What’s the difference between a resume summary and a profile?

While some career coaches may use the terms resume summary and resume profile interchangeably, others treat them differently.

The first is a quick synopsis of the relevant experiences and skills you bring to a role. The latter can do the same, but it can also focus on your traits and achievements, your story as a professional, and your desires for your next role.

At this point, you might be wondering: If a resume profile includes what you’re looking for in your next role , how is it different from a resume objective ? Some people say that resume objectives are outdated at best and a waste of space at worst. If that’s true, why is a resume profile acceptable?

The difference lies in “the additional context that’s included in the profile,” says Smith. A traditional objective merely states what you’re looking for and maybe a vague reason why. But “the profile goes deeper into who you are and what you do” in addition to what you’re looking for next, connecting your past and present to your future.

Is a resume profile necessary? Who should use it?

Resume profiles can be advantageous for all job seekers, Smith says, especially for those “who are changing either their role or industry.” If you’re a career changer , a strong, explicit resume profile will give you space to tell the reader right up front that, no, you didn’t apply to this job by mistake—this is the next step in your career and here’s why.

Resume profiles are also particularly useful for entry-level job seekers who may need to tie their education and other experiences together more explicitly. If a candidate is writing an entry-level resume , Owens suggests that they “use the profile section to explain what they’re looking for in terms of challenges and learning, and the skills they possess that could potentially add value.”

What to include in a resume profile

Think about what you’d want the person reading your resume to know first. Is it something about your qualifications or your biggest accomplishment? Is it how well you work with others or what your personality adds to a team? This is what should go into your resume profile. You have a few sentences (or bullets) to work with, so don’t restrict yourself to highlighting just one thing.

Here are a few types of information that you can include in a resume profile, according to our coaches:

• Relevant skills and experiences
• Relevant achievements and accomplishments
• Years of experience
• Strengths as a professional (both soft and hard skills )
• Signature traits related to the job
• Personal traits that contribute to your work
• Qualities you’re looking for in your next role, team, or company
• Willingness to relocate (if you’re applying to a job not near the location listed on your resume)

What are recruiters looking for in a resume profile?

Don’t underestimate the power of a good first impression to get someone to keep reading the rest of your resume with interest. “The resume profile has an ability to quickly convince a recruiter that the person is a strong, qualified candidate,” says recruiter and Muse career coach Steven Davis , founder and CEO of Renaissance Solutions .

But recruiting isn’t just about making sure candidates have the right skills, Owens says. Recruiters also need to get a feel for whether the team and work environment will be a good match for the candidate long term.

Candidates’ skills and experiences should be well represented throughout their resumes, so as a recruiter, Owens most often “looked at the profile as a way to get a sense of their work persona and gauge environment fit for the role.”

How to write a profile for a resume : 5 steps

Once you know what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for in your resume profile and what you’d like to portray, you can follow these tips as you write your own:

1. Keep it concise

Your resume profile should be no more than four sentences or bullet points, and should not have more than 500 characters. Remember recruiters read dozens of resumes daily, so you don't want yours to be unnecessarily long and tiring.

2. Find the format the suits you best

Decide if you want to use either bullet points or paragraph form. Your resume profile can be written as bullet points, but keep in mind that bullet points often take up more space than a paragraph. “To preserve real estate on the resume and attempt to keep it to one to two pages , I always recommend using paragraph format,” Owens says.

3. Consider the position you're applying for

Tailor your profile to the job, but not so much that it’s not true to who you are. If your resume profile is closer to a summary that highlights your key qualifications and accomplishments as they relate to a given job, you should be tailoring it very carefully for each application and incorporating keywords from the job description.

Read more: What it Really Means to "Tailor Your Resume"

However, if your resume profile is more of a personal (but still professionally appropriate) description of yourself, Owens recommends against tailoring it to match each job: “What you don’t want to do is try to tell employers what you think they want to hear,” she says, if it doesn’t reflect who you are. “That’s how you end up in positions where you’re ultimately unhappy.”

4. Quantify your experiences and accomplishments

Whenever possible, quantify your experiences and accomplishments by adding numbers, percentages, and other metrics to your resume profile. Keep in mind that recruiters nowadays not only want to know what you did, but also what you achieved and the exact results of your work.

5. Show some personality

While the rest of your resume won’t let much of your personality shine through, your profile gives you an opportunity for creativity. If you’re applying to a casual company, you can add a splash of personality, but if you’re applying to a more formal organization, it’s best to keep things more buttoned up.

Resume profile: Examples

Want to know what all this advice looks like in action? Check out these 10 resume profile examples for different types of job seekers and professions.

Career changer

Quality-control team lead with 10+ years experience who specializes in making thorough business decisions and leading others through day-to-day operations to achieve excellence. Decided to transition to the outdoor recreation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic after realizing that people, especially children, spend too much time indoors behind computer screens. Excited to bring experience in quality assurance and operations to a management position at an outdoor recreation facility to help people of all ages get outside and enjoy themselves safely.

Recent college graduate or entry-level candidate

Recent magna cum laude animal sciences graduate with a focus on small animal care excited to bring passion and knowledge to a position with an animal shelter or animal-focused nonprofit and learn more about programs that protect animals from euthanasia. As president of the University of Georgia chapter of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, planned, organized, advertised, and managed a fundraiser that brought in over $20,000 in donations to a local shelter while also placing 43 cats and dogs with adoptive families. Proud dog mom of two former shelter pets, Dakota and Miley (pictures available upon request).

Account Executive (Sales)

Account executive who has been making deals since my first lemonade stand at age four for a total of $20+ million in sales. I love the rush of being on a sales team working toward goals—both in exceeding my own targets and in cheering on my teammates and celebrating their wins. In my current role, I’ve discovered that the most satisfying feeling of all was teaching a few of our SDRs to close deals. Seeing how proud they were of themselves as they got better motivated me to seek out a sales training role at a highly collaborative company.

Find account executives jobs on The Muse

A detail-oriented accountant with experience preparing tax and financial reports for charities to be posted publicly online. Evaluated budget (including payroll) for inefficiencies and suggested cost-cutting and time-saving measures that ultimately allowed the nonprofit to put an additional 5% of yearly donations directly into charitable programs. Excited to bring accounting skills to a nonprofit in the public health sector after spending over five years volunteering for public health charities such as the Red Cross and Project N95.

Find accountant jobs on The Muse

Customer Service Representative

An empathetic customer service representative who loves getting to talk to new people every day and help them solve problems. Crafted service approach of finding out what customers’ goals are and what their level of expertise in the product was rather than automatically giving boilerplate advice, leading to a 92% customer satisfaction rating. Avid video game player and designer looking to bring this passion to a customer service role for a gaming company.

Find customer service representative jobs on The Muse

Human Resources Manager

Human resources generalist who oversaw the transition of a 100+ employee company to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adept at dealing with the issues facing fully remote or hybrid workforces, including in hiring, professional development, and conflict resolution. Conceived of and instituted DEI programs for employees working from home. Looking for a position with a company that has a fully distributed or hybrid workforce and is committed to increasing diversity in its hiring pool.

Find human resources manager jobs on The Muse

Marketing Manager

Email marketer with 6+ years of experience gathering data-driven insights to make decisions about marketing campaigns. Conceived, proposed, and executed a campaign for a new headphone line across all marketing channels including email, social, content marketing, and print ads, with a total reach of 30 million impressions leading to over $1 million in sales. A team player who has taken the time to learn what each teammate in 10-person marketing department does and even filled in for them when needed. Excited to find a position in a collaborative work environment that oversees marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

Find marketing manager jobs on The Muse

Office Administrator

• Friendly, organized, and proactive administrative assistant with four years of experience looking to move into an office administrator role
• Saved office over $3,000 per quarter in supplies by creating new inventory tracking document on Google Sheets, showing other employees how to check supply levels and request orders, and comparing the supply sheet to inventory every two weeks to stop duplicate supply orders
• Spent four months filling in for office manager during maternity leave

Find office administrator jobs on The Muse

Project Manager

Looking for a project manager who can save at-risk initiatives and projects and make sure they come in on time and under budget and are fully functional at launch? I’ve held positions in customer care, engineering, product, and communications, so I know how to work with employees in all departments and see a project from multiple angles, ensuring each piece is on track and communicating with stakeholders along the way. I work best in environments where innovation is encouraged and no one expects to wear just one hat.

Find project manager jobs on The Muse

Web Developer

• Back-end web developer with experience using Java, Python, and SQL to develop features for online databases
• Go-to debugger on team of seven engineers
• Developed a site (link) that uses television shows you’ve watched to suggest new shows based on the ratings and recommendations of users with similar watch histories, bringing in an average of 10,000 visitors monthly

Find web developer jobs on The Muse

How to Write a Resume Personal Statement (with examples)

Published on:

• June 23, 2023

“I’m a recent graduate applying for a new job / changing careers or industry / returning to the workforce after a long break… How am I going to impress a hiring manager or recruiter?

The answer lies in your personal statement on your CV or resume.

Your personal statement should consist of a few short and direct sentences. It appears on top of your resume right after your name and contact information on your resume or CV. Your resume personal statement should be a short summary of why you’re the right fit for the job. Alternatively, it is also known as a career summary or resume profile.

A resume personal statement should be written in the same way as elevator pitches. The objective is to convince the hiring manager that your CV is worth reading while introducing yourself in a concise and clear manner.

CV Personal Statement/Profile: Why It’s Important

Your resume personal statement serves as a quick way to introduce yourself to potential employers. In a short paragraph, they summarize your qualifications and career goals, making it easier for a hiring manager to decide whether you’re fit for the job.

Located at the top of your CV, it’s your chance to really sell yourself to employers and showcase the relevant skills and experience you have.

You can express your career goals and showcase your strengths in a personal statement while proving to recruiters that you’re an ideal candidate for the position.

Essentially, the personal profile gives a few seconds of insight into who you are that should entice employers to look at your CV closely.

The summary serves as a concise introduction to what you can bring to the table, which will help the reader make a decision on whether they would like to proceed with reviewing your resume. Thus, it should be filled with related and concise information–the skills you have acquired and the key contributions you have made over the course of your career.

Do you know that a hiring manager takes only about 6 seconds to glance over a resume before deciding whether or not to read it?

So, it’s crucial for you to summarize in around 50-200 words what you can bring to the table, including who you are, your strongest skills, and accomplishments.

Want to make sure that your resume profile/personal statement will boost your chances of getting job interviews?

Then, remember to tailor your personal statement to the specific job description. It should explicitly demonstrates what value you’ll bring to the job you are applying for. Generic personal statements can’t achieve that.

Also, you must decide if you are writing your personal statement in the first-person or third-person perspective. It should be written in the same way as the rest of your CV and cover letter.

How to Write a Personal Statement for a CV/Resume?

In your CV personal statement or a profile, include the following five factors to give a good first impression to hiring managers:

• Who you are or your professional title
• Your  1–3 top skills
• Your 1–3 best achievements
• Your target company’s name
• Your goals for your new employer (how you hope to contribute to your new employer)

Personal Profile for a CV—Example

“Growth marketing specialist (who you are) with 7 years experience in multichannel digital marketing in the health and beauty industry (your skills). Increased organic social media strategies at Skin Naked leading to a 10% cost savings in ads and a 155% boost in revenue sales for 6 months (achievements). Looking to leverage sustainable growth strategies through social media, content, and email marketing for Sassy Lingerie   (the target company and the goals you hope to achieve).”

How to Write a CV Profile?

Creating a strong CV personal statement might seem challenging at first. Here’s a simple step-by-step strategy that’ll help.

• Identify the most important requirements and responsibilities in the job description.
• Highlight your most relevant skills and achievements on your CV.
• Include all your best and proudest achievements in your personal statement.

Personal profiles might work as both a CV summary and a CV career objective, depending on your level of experience.

It’s best to use a CV summary if you have years of relevant work experience . Give a brief description of your career — highlight your measurable accomplishments and showcase your skills.

When writing an entry-level CV or changing careers, use a CV objective . Explain the skills you’ve learned so far and how well your abilities will fit in. Focus on the value you can offer, make the employer aware that you’re there to help solve their pain points.

Check out some general tips for writing an effective CV personal profile and keep these in mind when applying for a variety of industries and job positions.

1. Keep your personal statement short

Each day, recruiters have hundreds of resumes to review. They won’t bother to read a 4-page resume. Your resume has approximately 6 seconds to impress a hiring manager – so make sure you utilize your space effectively.

When writing a personal statement, how long should it be?

A good rule of thumb is to write a short paragraph of 50 to 200 words. That is usually between 3 and 6 sentences. Be sure to highlight your most relevant accomplishments, but don’t overuse them. Take the time to make every word count on your CV as this will serve as your elevator pitch to sell yourself effectively to potential employers.

2. Add measurements to your achievements

When listing your achievements, show quantitative data if you can. Because employers love to see concrete evidence of your performance, it’s crucial that you show results in numbers and percentages. Whenever possible, include figures to illustrate your contributions to a project.

For your quantitative achievements, consider some of these questions:

• How much money savings did your company make? Ex. 10% early project delivered with 15% cost savings
• Have you increased your sales or revenue? Ex. Achieved $500K monthly recurring revenue consistent in 6 months
• How many colleagues have you trained or supervised on your team? Ex. Trained 7 junior programmers in 2 years.

3. Avoid jargon and CV buzzwords

It is important to utilize keywords from the job description when writing your CV. But avoid using them as jargon or generic buzzwords. You should avoid cliche words such as:

• Go-to person/guy/girl
• Hard-working team player
• Results-driven/detail-oriented
• Thinking outside the box

You can find more generic buzzwords here which will do more harm than good in your resume.

4. Don’t mix the grammatical person

If you’re writing your CV in the UK, it’s OK to write in either the first or third person. However, you can’t do both at once. Additionally, career experts recommend removing the pronouns completely.

CV Personal Statement/Personal Profile Examples for Different Professions

In the following examples, you’ll find samples for a variety of professions. Our CV personal statements are sorted into two categories: CV personal statements for experienced candidates and CV profiles for entry-level candidates or those without experience.

CV Personal Statements for Experienced Candidates

Example #1 – Copywriter CV Personal Statement

“A conversion-focused direct response copywriter and editor with 5+ experience in the health supplements space. Wrote a sales page for Free Your Gut that accumulated $1.8M in revenue sales for 3 months with conversion rates of 65%. Interested in expanding direct response copywriting expertise for a consultancy and media buyer position at Goodlife Naturals Inc.”

Example #2 – Marketing Specialist CV Personal Statement 

“Maryland-based growth marketing specialist, with 7+ years of experience converting users at a 53% rate for a local mobile carrier and increased sales by 66% in 12 months. Seeking to leverage leadership excellence and marketing skills to raise ROI and lead-generation efficiency for Talk Mobile.”

Note: The sample includes skills and accomplishments and measures them to prove them. Furthermore, it clearly states its value proposition or offer.

Example #3 – Accounting Clerk CV Personal Statement

“Highly-trained, efficient accounting clerk with 6 years experience in providing quality, error-free accounting and clerical support. Reduced reconciliation discrepancies by 55% by using QuickBooks effectively. Technically adept with modern accounting applications software to streamline processes. Ensured biweekly payroll and benefits of 350+ employees. Organizes and plans effectively so that key responsibilities can be completed within strict deadlines. Seeking to provide my accounting skills at AccountPro Corporation.”

Example #4 – Software Architect/Engineer CV Profile Examples

“Highly-motivated and detail-oriented software architect/engineer with 10+ years experience in tech space. Managed and trained a small group of 7 coders at Transferly Systems. Delivered projects 10% ahead of schedule with 15% fewer errors than any other team. Would like to work for KingSumo as a developer with strong programming skills. ”

“Computer science specialist with solid experience in Ruby, Oracle, C++, Java, and C#. A versatile software developer with experience in a wide range of projects. I am looking to join a fast-paced fintech/SaaS company.”

Tips: You should not list all your professional skills in your CV personal statement. Focus on what is important when you write. Provide examples of your expertise to validate your claims.

See some more samples:

Example #5 – Graphic Designer CV Personal Statement

“Creative graphic designer with 5+ years of experience. Seeks to use excellent time management, graphics design, and curation skills to lower project time at Tiny Steps Inc. Developed and curated over 200+ graphics projects which increased website traffic by 45%, conversion rate by 55% within 18 months for Moore Gears Corp.”

Example #6 – Civil Engineer CV Profile

“A seasoned civil engineer with eight years’ experience in project management and construction. With a proven track record of safety on construction sites. Completed project 21 days ahead of schedule at a cost saving of 17% with 0% incident on site. Leveraging safety, leadership, and project management skills handling 500+ workers and subcon Looking for a civil engineering job position in MegaCon Contracting Services Inc. to provide safety assurance during project execution.”

Not a fan of the plain paragraph style? Bullet points also work well in your CV personal statement. See the below sample:

Example #7 – Office Manager CV Profile

• A reliable and highly efficient office manager with more than five years of experience at a large corporation.
• Appointed an executive secretary position in under 2 years.
• Increased office productivity by 15% by introducing a time management system.
• Seeking excellent project management and organization skills to help Hogan & Paul’s Inc. reduce office administration costs.

We understand if you felt overwhelmed by the CV personal statement samples above. You can still effectively sell yourself in a CV profile even if you lack a great deal of work experience. Take a look at these examples:

Personal Statement Examples for CV with No Experience

Example #8 – Recent Graduate CV Personal Statement

“Highly-motivated B.A. Marketing graduate from Glendale University seeking a position as a PR assistant at MindView Corp. Leveraging on excellent data-analysis and creative storytelling techniques to create compelling and hyper-targeted marketing campaigns tailored to MindView customers.”

Case in point, you want to convey you’ve learned a lot already and you have what it takes to help their organization or company.

Example #9 – Graduating Student CV Personal Statement/Objective

My career goal is to join the Department of Marine Biology at Hawaii State University after graduating from California University with a degree in marine biology. Utilizing the skills I gained from volunteering at California University to maintain the university’s research databases and library in order to ensure students have easy access to them.”

“I’m  an enthusiastic and passionate senior year student of marine biotechnology. I’m  interested in joining a research team to gain experience in research, especially in collecting, dissecting, and analyzing clinical samples’ data.”

Note: The incorrect sample does not specify a position. Employers instantly see that as a red flag. This indicates that the job seeker is probably emailing the same CV to every company within 30 miles of home.

Example #10 – Graduating Student CV Personal Statement

“I am a recent Johnson University graduate with an honors degree in broadcast journalism with internships at ABC TV3 Corporation for 1 year.  My internship allowed me to realize invaluable experience in the broadcast industry and hone my skills to contribute to fast-paced, professional environment .”

Note: It is important to highlight relevant skills and experiences in your personal statement. Recent graduates lack practical experience in the workforce, so interpersonal and soft skills like being successful and a trusted team member are critical.

Example#11 – Junior Business Analyst CV Personal Profile

“With 5+ years as a finance & security analyst, currently seeking a role at ThriveSpot to make actionable insights on financial metrics. Created business reports for OmniSpring to grow employee understanding of key concepts by 19%. Helped create a slide presentation of SWOT analysis, which was turned into a webinar with 2,700+ views.”

Tip: It’s absolutely okay to mention impressive achievements in your CV personal statement even if you were just a mere part of the team.

Example#12 – Medical Assistant CV Personal Statement

“An efficient and passionate health care provider/medical assistant who has enjoyed volunteering and support for 55+ seniors in elderly care facility. Seeking to help CradleCare maintain and improve the company’s industry-leading patient satisfaction level through quality and dedicated health services.”

Example #13 – Personal Statement for a Career Change CV

“With 10+ years extensive experience as a sales manager building high-functioning sales teams that consistently achieve budget figures. Led a 20% increase in annual renewals across the board with the growth of the sales team’s talents. Seeking to further develop my sales skills after 10 years by taking on new challenges and opportunities in SaaS/Fintech.” 

Example #14 – Returning to the Workforce Personal Statement 

An accomplished and highly motivated office administrator, I seek a new career opportunity after taking time off to raise my family. Successfully conducted meetings and coordinated client projects to keep the office running smoothly and efficiently using Microsoft Office, Project Management, and communication software. After volunteering for a local charity for several years, I am now committed to returning to work full-time.”

In some cases, re-entering the workforce after a break can be difficult. In this statement, the candidate explains why they took a break from work, their qualifications, and what they did during that time. Moreover, whenever someone lacks professional experience during the hiatus, the candidate can use the skills they learned as a volunteer so it becomes highly relevant.

Marissa Letendre, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Marissa Letendre is a senior HR leader and resume expert with over 12 years of experience. She has worked for both startups and Fortune 50 corporations and has helped thousands land jobs at top companies. Marissa has written on a wide range of topics, including employee engagement, career development, resumes, job searching, recruiting, and organizational effectiveness and has been featured on sites such as Slack and The Undercover Recruiter.

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Personal statement for resumé

When you’re applying for jobs, a strong resumé and cover letter are essential for making an impact on prospective employers. Including a well-written personal statement on your resumé might be just the thing that gets you an interview. 

This short introduction of your skills, experience and qualifications gives employers an at-a-glance summary of who you are and what value you’d bring to their organisation. It’s a quick overview of your most relevant traits and abilities, so recruiters can see instantly if you’d be a good match for the role.

Here’s how to write a great personal statement for your resumé.

What is a personal statement?

Key elements to include in a personal statement, personal statement examples, tips on writing a personal statement for your resumé, formatting and structuring your personal statement, common mistakes when writing a personal statement.

A personal statement is a short introductory section at the top of a resumé . Its purpose is to catch the hiring manager’s attention and show them why you’re a good match for the position. It’s also known as a career objective , a summary statement, an executive summary , or a personal profile for a resumé.

Your personal statement is your chance to show a glimpse of your personality and share your career aspirations. The rest of your resumé simply lists your achievements, which might overlap with those of the other people applying for the role. A personal statement for a resumé can provide more insight into your unique strengths. A well-written personal statement may convince an employer that they should seriously consider you for the role.

A good personal statement for a resumé usually has the following elements:

Who you are.  This is your professional identity – it might be your most recent job title or a more general term, such as ‘high school student’ or ‘recent graduate’, along with any qualities or passions that make you unique.

A summary of your experiences.  This might be professional experience, recent qualifications or volunteer work.

Your value proposition as an employee.  This is what you could bring to the role, such as hard or soft skills , or personal qualities that can help you succeed.

Your career objectives.  This is what you want to achieve professionally.

Before you start writing, read through these personal statement examples to see how the key elements come together.

For students looking for internships

• I’m in my third year of a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours) degree program at the University of Newcastle, and seeking a summer internship to deepen my understanding of electrical engineering and obtain industry experience. I earned high distinctions in all my courses last semester and have a passion for applying theory to real-world problems. I enjoy collaborating with others in my field and working towards finding solutions that positively impact society.
• I am a second-year Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management) student at the University of South Australia seeking a summer internship to learn from HR professionals who share my passion for people and business. As a sales assistant for a small clothing boutique, I have learned how to manage open tasks, schedule projects, and engage customers through social media platforms. I believe my strong communication skills, emotional maturity, and passion for human resources recommend me as a strong candidate for an internship.

For fresh graduates

• I recently graduated from Torrens University with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and am ready for to launch a career in digital marketing. Managing a YouTube channel with 20,000 subscribers has complemented my studies and given me skills in audience engagement, brand management, and brand voice. I am a naturally creative person who believes in collaboration and utitlising  new technologies such as Canva and ChatGPT for greater efficiency. I hope to develop my marketing knowledge with a position that lets me learn and grow and learn from experienced industry professionals.
• As a recent graduate of Charles Darwin University, I am ready to apply the knowledge and experience I gained in my Bachelor of Accounting program to a role in this dynamic industry. I am seeking a role that can support me as I study to become a Certified Practicing Accountant. I value mentorship from senior professionals and can work independently and efficiently to meet deadlines. I hope to find a role within a growing organisation that encourages skill development and professional advancement.

For working professionals

• I am an experienced store manager with more than five years in my current position within a fast-paced tech-retail setting. I’m a passionate team leader, having mentored junior staff and supported training programs to upskill team members.  My commitment to customer service and strong commercial acumen have driven my teams to exceed their sales targets and increase annual departmental profits. I hope to secure a role with a national company, with a view to progress to senior management level.
• I am a journalist with 10 years’ experience in news reporting. I’m passionate about sharing local stories and providing a voice to community members. I consider myself an intrepid reporter, with an ability to connect with people from all walks of life – in the newsroom and the field. I have a high level of journalistic integrity and can reliably meet deadlines. After living in Sydney’s outer west for the last five years, I am looking to relocate and pursue a career in Melbourne. 

For mid-career transitions

• I am a sales associate and women’s wear designer seeking a full-time position as an in-hour designer. For the last seven years I have sold my own line of clothing through local markets and Etsy, and I’m keen to take the next step in my move towards a career in the fashion industry. A Certificate III in Apparel, Fashion, and Textiles complements my self-taught technical knowledge and hands-on experience in pattern-making and clothing design. Looking for a long-term role for an Australian-owned label.
• Mid-level marketing manager with in-house and agency experience, seeking to pivot into creative copywriting. Recent AWARD School graduate and freelance business writer with an international portfolio, skilled in brand strategy and writing for social media. Keen to learn and grow within a respected ad agency. 

The following sections discuss ways that you can make your own personal statement more effective.

Select the most impactful experiences to share

Writing about the most impactful experiences can help make a personal profile for a resumé more persuasive and concise. Choose experiences that are most relevant to the role. These may be experiences that demonstrate your relevant skills or show you can successfully perform the job duties. 

Recent experiences are usually more impactful than older ones, as they show current skills and knowledge. Unique relevant experiences can also help your resumé stand out.

Keep it relevant to the job scope

Your resumé personal statement can be more effective if it shows how your skills and experience align with the role’s requirements. You might mention scenarios where you’ve demonstrated leadership or analytical skills, for example. 

The job description can tell you what skills and experience are most relevant for the role. Writing about positive results you’ve achieved in the past can demonstrate your ability to excel in a similar role. If you’re transitioning in your career, you can highlight the transferable skills that can help you succeed.

Keep your personal statement concise

Impactful personal statements are usually three or four sentences – between 50 and 200 words. Sticking to this length makes it easier for the most important information to stand out. Stripping out unnecessary details also make your personal statement more engaging. Filler words such as ‘very’ add little to your statement, so it’s best not to use them. Rephrasing wordy sections can also help you reduce your word count.

The way you format and structure your personal statement can make this part of your resumé easier to read and help you seem more professional. These layout tips can make reading your personal statement easier.

Use paragraphs and bullet points effectively.  A single paragraph is the most common personal statement format. 

Use consistent formatting for your personal statement and resumé.  Use a font, font size, and style that matches your resumé’s body to appear professional. A basic font between 10 and 12 points is usually appropriate. Serif fonts are more common for corporate resumés, while sans serif fonts are popular in creative fields.

Write in first person.  As your personal statement and resumé are personal to you, it’s best to write the entire document in the first person, using ‘I’ statements. This perspective can give your statement a warmer tone, help you connect with the manager, and make it clear that you wrote your own resumé. You may write your statement without using the word I, but take care to maintain the first-person perspective.

Learning what mistakes people commonly make when writing a personal statement can help you spot and avoid them when writing your own.

Using common cliches and overused phrases

Cliches and overused phrases are so commonplace that they’ve lost their power. Choosing more unique words and sharing personal experiences that demonstrate your qualities can help your resumé’s personal statement stand out. Some common clichés and overused words include:

• highly-qualified
• self-motivated
• team player
• hard worker
• strong written and oral communication skills
• results-oriented

Including information best left out

Including only the most important information makes your personal statement stronger. Here are some details that are best left out :

• early career experience
• anything negative, such as professional weaknesses or the reason you left your last job
• personal details, such as your marital status, age or religion
• your salary expectations

Bad personal statement examples

Recognising the flaws in other personal statements can help you improve your own writing. Here are some examples of bad personal statements.

I have been a content creator for the last seven years. During this time, I have been a key member of my team that everyone could rely on. My commitment to hard work, technical skills and passion for this career would make me an asset to any business. I am looking for a new challenge that lets me apply my skills in content creation.

Why it’s bad:  it’s generic and vague. As ‘content creator’ is such a broad term, the writer could have highlighted specific skills, such as videography or blogging. They list qualities people expect of their employees, such as reliability and hard work, rather than noting how they're outstanding. ‘New challenge’ is another generic term that makes their career goals unclear.

I am a software developer seeking my first management role. I have no experience in leadership, but I am a quick learner with a can-do attitude. My comprehensive programming knowledge and enjoyment of teamwork would make me an asset to any business.

Why it’s bad : it shows the job seeker wants to transition in their career, but does not show they’re ready for the role. They write in a negative tone about a lack of leadership experience rather than instilling confidence that they could succeed in a management role. While their programming knowledge may help them in a technology field, the employer could also presume this given their job title. They also didn't mention any transferable skills that demonstrate their leadership potential.

Take the time to write personalised statements that show you’re a great choice for every role you apply for. Writing a strong personal statement can help you make a positive first impression on an employer and clearly demonstrate your job suitability. Applying the tips above can help you write an effective personal statement that increases your chances of securing the right role.

What should I write in my personal statement for a resume?

You should introduce who you are, highlight the most relevant experience you have and show the value you would bring to the position. You should also include your career goals in your personal statement.

Can you provide personal statement examples for a job application?

You should include a personal statement on your resu,e when you apply for a job. Above is a selection of personal statement examples for different levels of experience.

How long should a personal statement be on a resume?

A personal statement should be three or four sentences or between 50 and 200 words. The more experience you have, the longer your personal statement is likely to be.

What are some dos and don'ts for writing a resume personal statement?

Do include relevant and compelling information and write with personality. Don’t write more than a paragraph or use third-person perspective.

How can I make my personal statement stand out to employers?

Using strong, specific language and sharing your personal experiences and career goals can help your personal statement stand out. Try to reflect your personality, as you're the only person who can bring your blend of skills, experience, and personality to the role.

Are there any online tools to help me craft a personal statement?

There are many AI personal statement generators online, but you should use them with caution as they may give generic results. You might like to use AI tools as a starting point , and then customise the results to make them more personal and unique.

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Home » Career Advice » Professional Development » 3 Personal Statement Examples and Why They Work

3 Personal Statement Examples and Why They Work

A well-crafted personal statement can be the deciding factor in your application’s success. Admissions officers and hiring managers often sift through hundreds, if not thousands, of applications. Most applicants will have similar qualifications, so it’s your personal statement that can make you memorable. We’ll help you understand what makes a personal statement truly effective by showcasing three examples of personal statements that have worked well in different contexts.

A strong personal statement demonstrates not only your qualifications but also your passion and commitment. It shows that you’ve taken the time to reflect on your experiences and how they’ve shaped your goals. This reflection is key because it helps the reader understand your motivations and see how you’ll contribute to their institution or organization.

Moreover, a compelling personal statement helps you stand out from the crowd. It’s your chance to showcase your unique perspective, which can be especially important in fields that value creativity, leadership, or social impact. When written well, your personal statement can give you an edge, helping you rise above other applicants who may have similar grades, test scores, or work experience.

By the end of this post, you’ll have a clearer idea of how to approach your personal statement writing, what to include, and how to structure it for maximum impact.

You might also want to read:

• How to Write a Personal Statement for a University (with Example)
• The Dos and Don’ts of Personal Statement Writing
• How to Write an Excellent Personal Statement

Example 1: The career-driven personal statement

Our first personal statement example comes from an applicant applying to medical school. Their goal is to become a physician specializing in pediatric care. Below is their personal statement example:

“From a young age, I have been fascinated by the complexity of the human body and motivated by a deep desire to help others. This passion guided me towards a degree in biology, where I excelled in courses such as anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. These subjects deepened my understanding of how the body functions, but it was my experiences outside the classroom that truly solidified my decision to pursue a career in medicine.

During my time as a volunteer at a children’s hospital, I had the privilege of working closely with children facing serious health challenges. This experience profoundly impacted me, as I witnessed firsthand the resilience of these young patients and the vital role that compassionate, knowledgeable care plays in their recovery. It was here that I realized the profound difference a dedicated pediatrician can make in the lives of both the patients and their families.

I am committed to providing that level of care throughout my career. My volunteer work taught me that medicine is not just about diagnosing and treating diseases; it’s about understanding each patient as an individual, recognizing their unique needs, and offering care that addresses both their physical and emotional well-being. I am eager to bring this holistic approach to my future practice as a pediatrician, where I hope to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families. With a strong foundation in the sciences and a deep commitment to compassionate care, I am excited to take the next step toward my goal of becoming a physician.”

Breakdown of why it works

Clarity of purpose

This personal statement example is effective because the applicant clearly communicates their passion for medicine and their long-term goal of becoming a pediatrician. The reader immediately understands what drives this individual and how their experiences have shaped their career aspirations. The applicant’s purpose is evident from the start, and they maintain this focus throughout the statement, making it easy for the reader to follow their narrative.

Use of specific examples

The applicant strengthens their statement by including specific examples, such as their volunteer work at a children’s hospital. These examples not only demonstrate their commitment to the field but also provide concrete evidence of their qualifications and dedication. By highlighting particular experiences, the applicant shows that they have thoughtfully considered their career path and are well-prepared for the challenges ahead.

Professional tone and language

The tone of this personal statement strikes a balance between professionalism and authenticity. The language is formal enough to convey seriousness and respect for the application process, yet personal enough to reveal the applicant’s genuine passion for medicine. This combination helps build trust with the reader, as it shows that the applicant is both competent and sincerely committed to their chosen field.

Key takeaways

• Align your past experiences with your future goals in a clear, focused manner.
• Articulate your purpose and back it up with specific examples for a stronger impact.
• Maintain a professional tone that still reflects your personal passion.
• Craft a compelling personal statement that effectively showcases your strengths and aspirations.

Example 2: The personal growth narrative

“Growing up in a small town with limited resources, I often felt like my dreams were too big for my circumstances. My parents worked tirelessly to provide for our family, but despite their efforts, we struggled to make ends meet. As the oldest of three siblings, I assumed responsibilities at a young age, helping to care for my brothers while balancing school and part-time jobs. These experiences taught me resilience, time management, and the value of hard work. They also fueled my determination to pursue higher education.

Throughout high school, I dedicated myself to my studies, striving to excel academically while remaining active in my community. Volunteering at the local community center, where I mentor younger students facing similar challenges, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It serves as a constant reminder of where I come from and reinforces my commitment to achieving my goals. Mentoring these students has also deepened my understanding of the struggles many in our community face, and it motivates me to work even harder to break the cycle of poverty that has affected my family and others like us.

I am eager to continue my education and use it as a tool not only to better my own life but to make a lasting impact on my community. I believe that by earning a college degree, I can open doors that were previously closed to me and help others realize that their dreams are within reach, no matter their background. This scholarship would allow me to focus on my studies without the constant worry of financial strain, enabling me to fully dedicate myself to achieving my academic and personal goals.”

Engaging storytelling

This personal statement stands out because the applicant uses a narrative style that draws the reader in from the beginning. The story of their upbringing and the challenges they faced is compelling and relatable, making the reader want to know more about their journey. The applicant effectively uses their personal story to showcase their growth, highlighting how they overcame adversity through resilience and determination. By framing their experiences as a narrative, the applicant not only captures the reader’s attention but also makes their application memorable.

Emotional connection

The personal nature of this story creates a strong emotional connection with the reader. The applicant’s honesty about their struggles and their role within their family invites the reader to empathize with their situation. By sharing their vulnerabilities and the challenges they’ve overcome, the applicant demonstrates a level of honesty that resonates on a deeper level. This emotional connection is crucial because it helps the reader see the applicant as more than just a list of achievements; it allows them to understand the applicant’s motivations and the impact they aim to make in the future.

Demonstration of self-awareness

The applicant’s ability to reflect on their experiences and articulate the lessons they’ve learned shows a high level of self-awareness. They don’t just list their hardships; they analyze how these experiences have shaped their character, work ethic, and ambitions. This reflection reveals maturity and insightfulness, qualities that are highly valued by scholarship committees. The applicant’s understanding of how their past influences their future goals adds depth to their personal statement, making it clear that they are driven by a purpose beyond personal success—they want to uplift others who face similar challenges.

• Utilize the power of storytelling, emotional authenticity, and self-awareness to make your personal statement memorable.
• Share a personal story that highlights growth and resilience to engage your reader and create a lasting impression.
• Be honest about your challenges and reflect on the lessons learned to build an emotional connection and showcase maturity.
• Demonstrate your readiness for opportunities by connecting your unique experiences to your future aspirations.
• Consider how your experiences have shaped who you are today and how they align with your goals when writing your personal statement.

Example 3: The academic-focused personal statement

Our final example comes from an applicant applying for a research grant to pursue a Master’s degree in Environmental Science.

“My passion for environmental science began during my undergraduate studies in biology, where I was introduced to the intricate challenges posed by climate change. This initial interest evolved into a deep commitment during a summer research internship at the XYZ Environmental Research Institute. There, I conducted a study on the impact of rising temperatures on local ecosystems, focusing on the changes in species distribution and habitat health. This experience not only sharpened my research skills—such as data analysis, fieldwork, and report writing—but also ignited my desire to use scientific inquiry as a tool to tackle pressing global environmental issues.

In addition to my research experience, I have become increasingly interested in how scientific findings can be translated into effective environmental policies. My senior thesis, which explored the effects of urbanization on local biodiversity, allowed me to delve deeper into this intersection of science and policy. Through this project, I analyzed how urban development disrupts ecosystems and proposed strategies for mitigating these impacts. This work further solidified my commitment to pursuing a career where I can contribute to evidence-based policy-making that addresses environmental challenges.

I am eager to continue my academic journey at ABC University, where I am particularly drawn to the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers in environmental policy. The university’s strong focus on interdisciplinary approaches will allow me to explore the connections between science, policy, and societal impact and contribute to research that drives meaningful, positive change. This research grant will enable me to fully engage in this work, equipping me with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a significant contribution to the field of environmental science.”

Deep dive into academic interests

This personal statement example is successful because the applicant takes a deep dive into their academic interests and research. They clearly articulate their passion for environmental science and provide specific examples of how this passion has developed over time. By discussing their research experiences in detail, the applicant demonstrates a thorough understanding of the subject matter and a commitment to advancing their knowledge. This depth of interest is crucial for a research grant application, as it shows that the applicant is not only interested in the topic but also capable of contributing to the field.

Connection to the program

The applicant makes a strong connection between their academic interests and the specific program they are applying to. They mention their desire to work with leading researchers at ABC University and how the program aligns with their goals. This demonstrates that the applicant has done their homework and understands how the program can help them achieve their aspirations. By showing that they are not just applying to any program but one that is uniquely suited to their research interests, the applicant strengthens their case for being a good fit.

Evidence of academic achievement and potential

The applicant provides clear evidence of their academic achievements and potential by discussing their research experiences and academic work, such as their senior thesis. These examples serve to build credibility, showing that the applicant has a strong foundation in the field and is prepared to take on more advanced research. The balance between discussing past achievements and future aspirations is well-maintained, giving the reader confidence that the applicant has both the skills and the drive to succeed in the program.

• Showcase a deep academic interest in your personal statement.
• Make a strong connection to the specific program you’re applying to.
• Provide evidence of your potential and readiness to contribute to the field.
• Demonstrate your passion for the subject and align your academic interests with the program’s strengths.
• Highlight your past achievements to create a compelling narrative.
• Convince the selection committee of your suitability for the opportunity.

Common elements of effective personal statements

Crafting an effective personal statement involves more than just listing achievements and aspirations. The best personal statements share several key elements that make them stand out and resonate with the reader. By understanding and applying these elements, you can create a compelling narrative that strengthens your application.

Authenticity and honesty

All three examples we’ve discussed maintain a strong sense of authenticity and honesty, which is crucial for an effective personal statement. Each applicant shares their story in a way that feels genuine and true to their experiences. They don’t exaggerate or fabricate details but instead focus on their real challenges, achievements, and aspirations.

Authenticity is important because it allows the reader to connect with you on a personal level. Admissions committees and hiring managers can often tell when a statement is overly polished or insincere, which can weaken your credibility. Being honest about your journey, including any setbacks or challenges you’ve faced, demonstrates self-awareness and integrity. It shows that you are comfortable with who you are and confident in what you have to offer.

Clear structure and flow

A clear structure is another hallmark of effective personal statements. Each of the examples we reviewed follows a logical progression, guiding the reader smoothly from one idea to the next. This structure typically includes an introduction, a body that discusses experiences and goals, and a conclusion that ties everything together.

Having a clear structure helps the reader follow your story without getting lost or confused. It ensures that your key points are communicated effectively and that the overall narrative is cohesive. For example, starting with a strong introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and provides a preview of what’s to come can set the tone for the rest of the statement. Similarly, ending with a conclusion that reinforces your main message leaves a lasting impression.

Tailoring the statement to the audience

Tailoring your personal statement to the specific audience you’re addressing is crucial for making a strong impact. Each of the examples we discussed was carefully crafted with the target audience in mind. Whether it’s a medical school admissions committee, a scholarship board, or a research grant panel, understanding what the reader is looking for allows you to highlight the most relevant aspects of your background and goals.

When tailoring your statement, consider the values, goals, and priorities of the institution or organization you’re applying to. For instance, if you’re applying to a program known for its emphasis on research, you should highlight your research experiences and how they align with the program’s focus. Similarly, if a scholarship emphasizes community service, be sure to showcase your involvement in that area. By aligning your statement with the expectations of the reader, you increase your chances of making a positive impression.

Reflective and forward-looking

An effective personal statement strikes a balance between reflecting on past experiences and looking forward to future aspirations. In the examples we reviewed, each applicant thoughtfully reflects on their past, discussing how their experiences have shaped their character, skills, and goals. At the same time, they also focus on their future, outlining their ambitions and how the opportunity they’re applying for will help them achieve those goals.

This balance is important because it shows that you are not only aware of where you come from but also where you are going. Reflecting on past experiences demonstrates self-awareness and the ability to learn from your journey, while looking forward showcases your vision and ambition. Together, these elements create a narrative that is both grounded in reality and aspirational, which is compelling to any reader.

How long should your personal statement be?

The ideal length for a personal statement can vary depending on the specific application and its requirements. Always check the specific guidelines provided by the institution or organization, as they may have their own word limits or format requirements.

Here’s a general guide for different scenarios:

University Application:

• Undergraduate Applications : Typically, 500–650 words (approximately 1–2 pages). This is the standard length for many college applications, including those submitted through the Common Application.
• Graduate Applications : Usually 500–1,000 words (1–2 pages). Some programs may allow slightly longer statements, especially for research-heavy or professional degrees.

Scholarship Application :

• General Scholarships : Generally, 500–750 words (1–1.5 pages). Scholarships often require concise personal statements that clearly convey your goals and qualifications.
• Specific or Competitive Scholarships : May require 750–1,000 words (1.5–2 pages), especially if the scholarship is highly competitive or if it asks for a detailed explanation of your background and ambitions.

Grant Application:

• Research Grants : Often require more detailed statements, typically 1,000–1,500 words (2–3 pages). This allows for a thorough discussion of your research interests, methodology, and how the grant will support your work.
• Smaller Grants or Fellowships : May ask for 500–1,000 words (1–2 pages), depending on the nature of the grant and the amount of funding.

Job Application:

• Cover Letter/Personal Statement : Typically, 250–500 words (0.5–1 page). In job applications, candidates frequently include personal statements as part of the cover letter. Your personal statement should be concise and focused on showcasing your skills, experience, and how they align with the job you’re applying for.

What time of the year are personal statements needed for college and university?

During the application season, college and university applications in the United States typically require students to submit personal statements. Most colleges and universities have application deadlines in the fall or early winter. Personal statements are usually needed by November for Early Decision or Early Action applications and by January for Regular Decision applications. Some institutions may also have deadlines in December or February.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

• August: The Common Application (used by many colleges and universities) usually opens on August 1st. This marks the unofficial start of the college application season. Students can begin filling out their applications and drafting their personal statements.
• September to November: During these months, students are usually finalizing their applications. Early Decision and Early Action deadlines often fall in November, with some as early as October 15th. This is a critical period for students who want to apply early to increase their chances of admission or to receive earlier decisions.
• December to January: This is when the Regular Decision deadlines typically fall, with many colleges having deadlines on January 1st or January 15th. Some schools have deadlines in December or February, but January is the most common.
• February to March: Some schools with later deadlines may accept applications during this time. Additionally, students applying to certain programs, such as fine arts or international students, might have deadlines that extend into the early spring.

So, while the college application season mostly occurs from August to January of a student’s senior year, the actual transition to college happens after graduation, with the new school year starting in late summer or early fall.

Crafting a personal statement that works

As you begin drafting your personal statement, remember that your unique story is your greatest asset. Be authentic, honest, and reflective in your writing. Show your personality without being afraid, and ensure that you structure your statement well and tailor it to your audience. Most importantly, approach the process with confidence, knowing that you have the tools and insights to create a personal statement that truly represents who you are and what you aim to achieve.

Now that you have a solid understanding of what makes a personal statement effective, it’s time to start writing your own.

Sara has been in the career development field for over 10 years and has a wealth of knowledge to share. She covers topics such as resume writing, job search strategies, interview techniques, career planning, and more. You can connect with her on LinkedIn . She has curated our free downloadable resume templates for Word  and  resume templates for Google Docs .

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CV personal statement examples

If you want to secure job interview, you need a strong personal statement at the top of your CV.

Your CV personal statement is a short paragraph which sits at the very top of your CV – and it’s aim is to summarise the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to read your CV in full.

In this guide I have included 17 CV personal statement examples from a range of professions and experience levels, plus a detailed guide of how to write your own personal statement that will get you noticed by employers

CV templates 

17 CV personal statement examples

To start this guide, I have included 10 examples of good personal statements, to give you an idea of how a personal statement should look , and what should be included.

Note: personal statements are generally used by junior candidates – if you are experienced, check out our CV profile examples instead.

Graduate CV personal statement (no experience)

Although this  graduate has no paid work experience, they compensate for it by showcasing all of the skills and knowledge the have gained during their studies, and demonstrating how they apply their knowledge in academic and personal projects.

When you have little or no experience, it’s important to draw out transferable workplace skills from your studies and extracurricular work, to showcase them to employers.

Graduate CV personal statement (part time freelance experience)

This candidate has graduated with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in digital marketing after providing some digital freelance services to fund their studies.

In this case, they haven’t made much mention of their studies because they aren’t relevant to the digital marketing agencies they are applying to. Instead they have focused their personal statement around their freelance work and passion for the digital field – although they still mention the fact they are degree educated to prove their academic success.

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School leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate is 16 years old and has no work experience whatsoever, but they compensate for this by detailing their academic achievements that relate to the roles they are applying for (maths and literacy are important requirements in finance and accountancy roles).

They also add some info on their extracurricular activities and school work-placements, to strengthen this student CV further.

    Top tips for writing a CV personal statement

• Thoroughly research the jobs and companies you are planning to apply for to identify the type of candidate they are looking for – try to reflect that in your personal statement
• Don’t be afraid to brag a little – include some of your most impressive achievements from education, work or personal life
• Focus on describing the benefits an employer will get from hiring you. Will you help them to get more customers? Improve their workplace? Save them time and money?
• If you have no work experience, demonstrate transferable workplace skills from your education, projects, or even hobbies

School leaver CV personal statement (part time experience)

Although this person has only just left school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call centre alongside their studies.

To make the most of this experience, they have combined their academic achievements with their workplace exposure in this personal statement.

By highlighting their GCSE results, summer programme involvement, work experience and expressing their ambitions to progress within sales, this candidate really makes an appealing case for hiring them.

College leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate has left college with good grades, but does not yet have any work experience.

To compensate for the lack of workplace exposure, they have made their A level results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this profile can quickly understand that this candidate has great academic achievements, a passion for IT and finance and the ability to transfer their skills into an office environment.

College student CV personal statement (freelance experience)

As this student has picked up a small amount of freelance writing work during their studies, they have made sure to brag about it in their personal statement.

They give details on their relevant A level studies to show the skills they are learning, and boost this further by highlighting the fact that they have been applying these skills in a real-life work setting by providing freelance services.

They also include key action verbs that recruiters will be looking for , such as creative writing, working to deadlines, and producing copy.

Academic CV personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their CV’s tend to be more longer and detailed than other professions.

This candidate provides a high level overview of their field of study, length of experience, and the roles they have held within universities.

School leaver CV personal statement with and sports experience

Although this person has no work experience, they are still able to show employers the value of hiring them by selling their other achievements and explaining how they could benefit an organisation.

They expand on their sports club involvement to demonstrate their teamwork, leadership skills, communication and motivation, which are all important traits in the workplace, and will be looked upon favourably by recruiters and hiring managers.

They also draw upon their future plans to study business studies and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate CV personal statement

This history graduate proves their aptitude for both academic achievement and workplace aptitude by showcasing valuable skills from their degree and voluntary work.

They do this by breaking down the key requirements for each and showing how their skills could be beneficial for future employers, such as listening, communication, and crisis management.

They also describe how their ability to balance studies alongside voluntary work has not only boosted their knowledge and skills, but also given excellent time management and organisational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate CV personal statement

This legal graduate makes the most from their work university work placements by using it to bulk out the contents of their CV personal statement.

They include their degree to show they have the necessary qualifications for legal roles, which is crucial, but more importantly, they showcase how they applied their legal skills within a real-life work setting.

They give a brief overview of the types of legal professionals they have been working alongside and the type of work they have been carrying out – this is all it takes to get the attention of recruiters and show employers they have what it takes to fulfil roles in the legal sector.

Medical student CV personal statement

This medical student proves their fit for the role by showcasing the key skills they have gained from their studies and their work experience placements.

In just these few sentences, they are able to highlight the vast amount of experience they have across different disciplines in the industry, something which is particularly important in the medical sector.

As they have not graduated yet and are still studying, they have provided proof of their most recent grades. This can give the recruiter some indication as to the type of grade they could be graduating with in the near future.

Masters student CV personal statement

This masters student has started by specifying their area of study, in this case, accounting, and given details about the specific areas of finance they are most interested in. This can hint towards their career goals and passions.

They have then carefully listed some of the key areas of accounting and finance that they are proficient in. For example, business finance, advanced corporate finance and statistics.

They have also outlined some of the transferable skills needed for accounting roles that employers will be looking out for, such as communication, attention to detail and analytical skills.

Finance student CV personal statement

As this finance student has recently undertaken some relevant work experience, they’ve made sure to shout about this in their personal profile.

But more than this, they have included a list of some of the important finance skills they gained as a result of this work experience – for example, financial reporting, processing invoices and month-end reconciliations.

Plus, through power words and phrases such as ‘prevent loss’ and ‘ improve upon accuracy and efficiency’, they have also showcased how they can apply these skills in a workplace setting to benefit the potential employer.

Internship  CV personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal profile by outlining their most relevant qualifications and work experience, most notably their freelance role as a content manager.

They have also provided examples of some of the key marketing skills that potential employers might be looking for, including very detailed examples of the platforms and tools they are proficient in – for example, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.

They have then closed their statement by giving a detailed description of the type of role or opportunity they are looking for. In this case, an in-house position in a marketing company.

Graduate career changer personal statement

Switching careers as a graduate can be tough. Especially when it comes to writing a personal statement that will attract employers in your new chosen field.

This candidate is looking to move from history teaching into journalism, so they have created a statement which briefly mentions their current workplace, but mainly focuses on highlighting transferable skills which are relevant to journalism. They achieve this by discussing the writing skills they use in their current role, and mentioning their hobby of writing – including some publications they have been featured in for extra brownie points.

Business management graduate personal statement

This business management proves their ability to work within a junior business management position by swiftly highlighting their impressive degree (to ensure it is not missed) and summarising some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their university placements and volunteering. They do not let their lack of paid work experience, stop them demonstrating their valuable skills.

PhD graduate

PhD graduate roles attract a lot of competition, so it’s important that your CV contains a personal statement that will quickly impress and attract recruiters.

This candidate provides a short-but-comprehensive overview of their academic achievements, whilst demonstrating their exceptional level of knowledge in research, languages and publication writing.

By highlighting a number of skills and abilities that are in high-demand in the academic workplace, this CV is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your CV

Now that you’ve seen what a personal statement should look like and the type of content it should contain, follow this detailed guide to one for your own CV – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a CV personal statement?

Cv personal statement or cv profile, personal statement format, what to include in a cv personal statement.

• Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your CV which gives employers an overview of your education, skills and experience

It’s purpose is to capture the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers when your CV is first opened – encouraging them to read the rest of it.

You achieve this by writing a tailored summary of yourself that explains your suitability for the roles you are applying for at a very high level, and matches your target job descriptions .

One question candidates often ask me is , “what is the difference between a personal statement and a CV profile?”

To be honest, they are almost the same – they are both introductory paragraphs that sit at the top of your CV… but there are 2 main differences

A personal statement tends to be used more by junior candidates (graduates, school leavers etc.) and is relatively long and detailed.

A CV profile tends to be favoured by more experienced candidates , and is shorter in length than a personal statement.

Note: If you are an experienced candidate, you may want to switch over to my CV profile writing guide , or example CV profiles page.

To ensure you grab recruiters’ attention with your personal statement, lay it out in the following way.

Positioning

You need to ensure that your personal statement sits at the very top of your CV, and all of it should be totally visible to readers, without the need to scroll down the page.

Do this by reducing the top page margin and minimising the space taken up by your contact details.

This will ensure that your whole personal statement can be seen, as soon as your CV is opened.

We have a Word CV template which can help you to get this right.

Size/length

Your personal statement needs to contain enough detail to provide an introduction to your skills and knowledge, but not so much detail that it bores readers.

To strike the right balance, anything between 8-15 lines of text is perfect – and sentences should be sharp and to-the-point.

As with the whole of your CV or resume , your personal statement should be written in a simple clean font at around size 10-12 to ensure that it can be read easily by all recruiters and employers.

Keep the text colour simple , ensuring that it contrasts the background (black on white is best) and break it into 2 or even 3 paragraphs for a pleasant reading experience.

It should also be written in a punchy persuasive tone, to help you sell yourself and increase your chances of landing interviews , I cover how to do this in detail further down the guide.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional CV templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Once you have the style and format of your personal statement perfected, you need to fill it with compelling content that tells recruiters that your CV is worth reading.

Here’s what needs to go into your personal statement…

Before you start writing your personal statement, it’s crucial that you research your target roles to find out exactly what your new potential employers are looking for in a candidate.

Run a search for your target jobs on one of the major job websites , look through plenty of adverts and make a list of the candidate requirements that frequently appear.

This research will show you exactly what to include in your personal statement in order to impress the recruiters who will be reading it.

Education and qualifications are an important aspect of your personal statement, especially if you are a junior candidate.

You should highlight your highest and most relevant qualifications, whether that is a degree, A levels or GCSEs. You could potentially go into some more detail around modules, papers etc. if they are relevant to the roles you are applying for.

It’s important that you discuss the experience you have gained in your personal statement, to give readers an idea of the work you are comfortable undertaking.

This can of course be direct employed work experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can also include:

• School/college Uni work placements
• Voluntary work
• Personal projects
• Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your CV , the content should be tailored to match the requirements of your target roles.

Whilst discussing your experience, you should touch upon skills used, industries worked in, types of companies worked for, and people you have worked with.

Where possible, try to show the impact your actions have made. E.g . A customer service agent helps to make sales for their employer.

Any industry-specific knowledge you have that will be useful to your new potential employers should be made prominent within your personal statement.

For example

• Knowledge of financial regulations will be important for accountancy roles
• Knowledge of IT operating systems will be important for IT roles
• Knowledge of the national curriculum will be important for teachers

You should also include some information about the types of roles you are applying for, and why you are doing so. Try to show your interest and passion for the field you are hoping to enter, because employers want to hire people who have genuine motivation and drive in their work.

This is especially true if you don’t have much work experience, as you need something else to compensate for it.

CV personal statement mistakes

The things that you omit from your personal statement can be just as important as the things you include.

Try to keep the following out of your personal statement..

Irrelevant info

Any information that doesn’t fall into the requirements of your target roles can be cut out of your personal statement. For example, if you were a professional athlete 6 years ago, that’s great – but it won’t be relevant if you’re applying to advertising internships, so leave it out.

Generic clichés

If you are describing yourself as a “ dynamic team player with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm” you aren’t doing yourself any favours.

These cliché terms are vastly overused and don’t provide readers with any factual details about you – so keep them to a minimum.

Stick to solid facts like education, skills , experience, achievements and knowledge.

If you really want to ensure that your personal statement makes a big impact, you need to write in a persuasive manner.

So, how do you so this?

Well, you need to brag a little – but not too much

It’s about selling yourself and appearing confident, without overstepping the mark and appearing arrogant.

For example, instead of writing.

“Marketing graduate with an interest in entering the digital field”

Be creative and excite the reader by livening the sentence up like this,

“Marketing graduate with highest exam results in class and a passion for embarking on a long and successful career within digital”

The second sentence is a much more interesting, makes the candidate appear more confident, throws in some achievements, and shows off a wider range of writing skills.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Your own personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above guidelines you will be able to create one which shows recruiters everything they need.

Remember to keep the length between 10-20 lines and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

You can also check our school leaver CV example , our best CV templates , or our library of example CVs from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!

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Personal Statement: Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls

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From Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls // Purdue Writing Lab

Writing the personal statement: top 10 rules.

• Strive for depth rather than breadth. Narrow focus to one or two key themes, ideas or experiences
• Try to tell the reader something that no other applicant will be able to say
• Provide the reader with insight into what drives you
• Be yourself, not the ‘ideal’ applicant
• Get creative and imaginative in the opening remarks, but make sure it’s something that no one else could write
• Address the school’s unique features that interest you
• Focus on the affirmative in the personal statement; consider an addendum to explain deficiencies or blemishes
• Evaluate experiences, rather than describe them
• Proofread carefully for grammar, syntax, punctuation, word usage, and style
• Use readable fonts, typeface, and conventional spacing and margins

WRITING THE PERSONAL STATEMENT: TOP 10 PITFALLS

• Do not submit an expository resume; avoid repeating information found elsewhere on the application
• Do not use the same personal statement for each application. Generic statements are often obvious
• Do not preach to your reader. You can express opinions, but do not come across as fanatical or extreme
• Do not talk about money as a motivator
• Do not discuss systemic and social injustices simply as complaints, but as a relevant source of motivation for your overall goals and intended studies
• Do not remind the school of its rankings or tell them how good they are
• “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is…”
• “This question asks me to discuss…”
• “I would like to thank the admissions committee for considering my application.”
• “It is my sincere hope that you will grant me the opportunity to attend your fine school.”
• “In sum, there are three reasons why you should admit me…”
• Do not use unconventional and gimmicky formats and packages
• Do not submit supplemental materials unless they are requested
• Do not get the name of the school wrong
• Do not incorporate technical language or very uncommon words

Stewart, Mark Alan. Perfect Personal Statements. New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan, 1996.

Personal Statement Examples That Show Your Colors

A personal statement is a window into your character, offering a glimpse of your personality, your values, and your vision. By writing one, you can tell your unique story in your own voice, and make a lasting impression that will linger in the minds of those who read it.

In this article, we're providing examples of personal statements that will inspire you and give you a sense of what makes a strong application. With these templates as a guide, you'll feel more confident in your ability to get into top graduate schools. And if you ever need paper help , our service has got your back.

What is a Personal Statement

A personal statement is a narrative that provides insight into who you are as an individual, what drives you, and how your experiences have shaped your goals. Whether you're applying to a university, seeking a scholarship, or vying for a residency spot, your personal statement serves as a key element of your application that can set you apart from other candidates.

At its core, it is your opportunity to communicate your story in a way that resonates with the reader. It lets you go beyond grades and test scores to reveal the motivations, challenges, and passions that define you.

Personal statements often follow prompts or guidelines provided by the institution or organization to which you're applying. However, the most impactful statements are those that creatively respond to these prompts while still maintaining a strong, coherent narrative that ties your past experiences to your future goals.

Stuck in a Personal Statement Rut?

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The List of Personal Statement Examples

Below is a collection of unique personal statements, each designed to stand out with memorable themes and specific narratives that break away from the ordinary. These examples prepared by our personal statement writing services highlight how to turn your experiences, challenges, and passions into compelling stories that capture the essence of your journey and the vision for your future.

Personal Mission Statement Examples

Title: Building Bridges with Words

My mission is to build bridges—not of steel or stone, but of words, ideas, and connections that bring people together in meaningful ways. I believe that every conversation, every piece of writing, and every interaction is an opportunity to create understanding where there was once division, to spark curiosity where there was once indifference.

From a young age, I've been captivated by the power of language. I saw how a well-crafted sentence could change a mind, how a simple word of encouragement could lift someone's spirit. But I also witnessed how words could be used to hurt, to divide, and to isolate. This duality fueled my desire to harness language for good, to use it as a tool for connection rather than a weapon for division.

In my work, I strive to be a connector—a person who can bring diverse perspectives together, who can translate complex ideas into accessible concepts, and who can find common ground even in the most polarized conversations. I see every challenge as an opportunity to build another bridge, to link people across cultural, ideological, or experiential divides.

My mission extends beyond my professional life. In my personal interactions, I aim to listen deeply, to speak thoughtfully, and to approach every conversation with empathy and openness. I believe that by understanding others, we can better understand ourselves and the world around us.

I am committed to lifelong learning, recognizing that each day brings new opportunities to grow, to learn, and to build more bridges. My mission is not just to achieve personal success but to create a legacy of connection, where the words I choose and the actions I take bring people closer together, fostering a world where understanding, compassion, and unity are the foundation of every bridge we build.

Law School Personal Statement Examples

Title: A Passion for Justice: My Journey to Law School

Growing up in a small town where the law was often seen as distant and impersonal, I witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of legal injustices. My grandmother, a hardworking immigrant, faced years of discrimination and exploitation in her workplace. Despite her tireless efforts, she was unable to find justice through the legal system. It was this experience that ignited my passion for law and my determination to become a force for positive change.

During my undergraduate studies, I delved deep into legal theory and history, exploring the ways in which the law has been used to uphold and challenge social hierarchies. I was particularly drawn to the intersection of law and social justice, recognizing the power of the legal system to address systemic inequalities.

One summer, I had the opportunity to intern at a public interest law firm specializing in immigration law. There, I worked closely with clients who faced deportation and separation from their families. I learned the immense stress and uncertainty that these individuals endured, and I witnessed the transformative impact that legal representation could have on their lives.

Through my experiences, I have developed a strong commitment to using the law as a tool for social justice. I believe that lawyers have a unique responsibility to advocate for the marginalized and to challenge unjust systems. I am eager to pursue a legal career that will allow me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

I am confident that my academic background, combined with my personal experiences, has prepared me to excel in law school. I am eager to contribute to a diverse and intellectually stimulating learning environment, and I am committed to using my legal education to create a more just and equitable society.

Medical School Personal Statement Examples

If you're seeking exceptional med school personal statement examples, the following template can serve as a valuable starting point.

Title: A Needle's Purpose

The sting of the hypodermic needle, a sensation I've come to know intimately. Not as a patient, but as a volunteer at the local clinic. It's a sensation that simultaneously elicits a pang of fear and a surge of purpose. I recall a particular afternoon when a young boy, no older than ten, was brought in with a severe asthma attack. His wheezing was labored, his eyes wide with terror. As the attending physician administered a nebulizer treatment, I watched, my heart pounding in my chest. When the boy's breathing finally steadied, a sense of relief washed over me. In that moment, I knew that medicine was my calling.

Beyond the clinical setting, I've also had the opportunity to explore the intersection of healthcare and public policy. As a research assistant on a project studying the impact of healthcare reform in my region, I gained a deeper understanding of the systemic challenges facing our healthcare system. This experience has fueled my desire to become a physician who is not only skilled in patient care but also committed to advocating for equitable access to healthcare for all.

My experiences have taught me that medicine is more than just treating diseases; it's about caring for individuals and communities. I am drawn to the challenge of applying my scientific knowledge and clinical skills to improve the lives of others. I am eager to contribute to the medical field and to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of my patients.

If this template hits the right note, our medical school personal statement editing services are ready to fine-tune it for you!

Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

Title: From Failure to Fuel

"Failure is not the opposite of success; it's the catalyst that has driven my most significant achievements."

As a psychology undergraduate, I faced a daunting challenge: a research project that yielded unexpected, disappointing results. Initially, I viewed this outcome as a failure, a blemish on my academic record. However, through reflection and guidance from my mentor, I realized that the very unpredictability of research is its greatest strength. This experience sparked an intense curiosity in me, leading to a deeper understanding of the complexities of human behavior and the importance of resilience in the face of adversity.

Rather than shying away from this challenge, I embraced it, using the opportunity to develop a more nuanced approach to research. I delved into advanced statistical methods and honed my ability to think critically about data that didn't conform to expectations. This experience taught me that research is not about finding easy answers but about asking better questions, even when the answers are elusive.

This perspective has shaped my academic journey and fuels my desire to pursue graduate studies. I see my perceived weakness—initially feeling overwhelmed by unexpected results—as a critical strength. It has made me more adaptable, resourceful, and committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

I am eager to bring this mindset to your graduate program, where I can contribute to and learn from a community of scholars who share my passion for psychology. My journey has been defined not by easy successes but by the challenges I've embraced and the growth they've spurred. I am ready to take the next step, confident that my ability to turn setbacks into opportunities will serve me well in the rigorous, rewarding environment of graduate study.

If one of these templates catches your eye, feel free to buy a personal statement that's made-to-measure just for you!

Personal Vision Statement Examples

Title: In the Space Between Notes

My life's symphony is composed in the spaces between the notes. In music, the rests are as crucial as the melody, defining the rhythm, the pace, and the emotional impact of the piece. I see my life's journey much the same way—not just in the actions I take, but in the pauses, the reflections, and the moments of stillness that allow me to hear the music more clearly.

In the past, I used to focus solely on the crescendo—the big achievements, the high points. I believed that life was a series of grand performances where only the loudest, most spectacular notes mattered. But as I grew, I began to understand that the true beauty of a symphony lies in its balance, in the harmony between sound and silence.

I envision my future as one where I create not just a career, but a life that resonates with this balance. My goal is to become a leader in my field, not by rushing from one achievement to the next, but by being thoughtful in my actions, intentional in my decisions, and open to the unexpected melodies that life offers. I want to lead with empathy, understanding that the quiet moments often speak the loudest, that listening is as powerful as speaking.

In my personal life, I aspire to cultivate deep, meaningful relationships, to be present in the moments that matter most, and to find joy in the simple, unplanned interludes. I seek to live with purpose, but also with grace, allowing myself the freedom to pause, to reflect, and to adapt as the music of my life changes.

Ultimately, my vision is to compose a life that is rich with meaning, where every note and every rest contributes to a harmonious whole. I aim to create a legacy that isn't just remembered for its achievements, but for the way it moved others, for the way it lingered in the spaces between.

Personal Statement Examples for College

The below narrative is one of our unique college personal statement examples you can use as inspiration.

Title: The Art of Folding Paper

I learned more about life from a sheet of paper than from any textbook. My fascination with origami started as a simple hobby, a way to pass the time on rainy afternoons. But as I folded my first crane, I realized I was doing more than just creating art; I was practicing patience, precision, and perseverance.

Origami is deceptively complex. A single wrong fold can distort the entire figure, but with each mistake, I discovered something new. I learned that a wrong fold doesn't mean the end—it's an opportunity to start again, to reshape the paper, and, often, to create something entirely unexpected and beautiful.

In high school, I brought my love for origami into the classroom, using it to explain complex concepts in physics and geometry to my classmates. A paper crane became a lesson in symmetry, a folded frog, an exploration of potential and kinetic energy. I even started an origami club, where we explored the intersection of art and science, creativity and logic. What began as a solitary pursuit transformed into a way to connect with others, to share ideas, and to look at problems from different angles.

Outside of school, origami helped me navigate the challenges of adolescence. When my parents divorced, folding paper became my refuge, a way to process emotions that words couldn't capture. Each fold was a step toward understanding, each completed figure a small triumph of order over chaos. It taught me that even in the most complicated situations, there's a way to create something meaningful if you're willing to keep folding, keep trying.

Now, as I look ahead to college, I see it as a blank sheet of paper—full of possibilities, ready to be shaped by the choices I make and the experiences I seek. I'm eager to bring my passion for both the arts and sciences to your campus, to fold my love for learning into every aspect of my education. Just as I've done with origami, I plan to explore the unexpected intersections, to create something unique and intricate from every opportunity.

In the end, a piece of paper, like life, can be anything you want it to be. It's all in how you fold it.

Residency Personal Statement Examples

Title: The Night I Decided to Stay

Residency wasn't always in the plan. In fact, the night I decided to stay in medicine, I had my resignation letter drafted. I was a third-year medical student, standing alone in a dimly lit hospital hallway, utterly drained from another 30-hour shift. The endless rotations had blurred into a monotonous routine of rounds, notes, and more rounds, and I began to question whether this was truly the life I wanted.

That night, I was assigned to the emergency department, where I met Mrs. Greene, a 67-year-old woman with a history of heart disease. She had collapsed at home and was brought in by ambulance, unconscious and unresponsive. Her family was frantic, desperate for answers I didn't have. As I followed my attending into the room, I felt a wave of anxiety. This wasn't a textbook case; it was a real person whose life hung in the balance.

The resuscitation was intense. I was there, chest compressions, adrenaline injections, the relentless rhythm of the defibrillator. As the team worked, I could see the fear in her daughter's eyes, and it struck me that this was about more than just a medical emergency. This was about a family in crisis, a life teetering on the edge.

After what felt like an eternity, Mrs. Greene's pulse returned. The attending physician calmly directed the team, and we stabilized her enough to move her to the ICU. As we wheeled her away, her daughter grabbed my hand and whispered, "Thank you." It was a simple phrase, but it cut through my exhaustion, through the doubts and the fatigue.

I didn't leave the hospital that night. Instead, I sat down with my resignation letter, re-read it, and then ripped it up. I realized that medicine wasn't just about the science or the protocols—it was about moments like this, moments when you're not just treating a condition, but caring for a person, when your presence and perseverance can mean the difference between despair and hope.

Residency will be grueling, I know that. But I also know that it's where I'm meant to be. The night I decided to stay was the night I realized that medicine isn't just a career; it's a calling. And I'm ready to answer it.

Common App Personal Statement Examples

Title: The Day I Became an Engineer

I became an engineer on a blistering summer afternoon, though I didn't know it at the time. I was eight years old, crouched over the engine of my father's old Ford truck, hands smeared with grease, staring intently at a mess of wires and bolts. The truck had died in the middle of nowhere, miles from home, and with no mechanic in sight, my father turned to me and said, "Let's figure this out."

There was no manual, no diagram, just a young girl and her father armed with determination and a rusty toolbox. The heat was relentless, but I was captivated. Together, we deciphered the puzzle of the engine, tracing wires, testing connections, and slowly piecing together how the machine worked. After hours of trial and error, a spark of understanding ignited within me. When the engine finally roared to life, I felt a surge of pride that was as much about solving the problem as it was about discovering my own potential.

That moment in the desert wasn't just about fixing a truck; it was the first time I understood the power of curiosity and persistence. The feeling of triumph in the face of uncertainty stayed with me, and it became a defining aspect of who I am. It's what led me to join the robotics team in high school, where I spent countless nights debugging code and reassembling circuits, chasing that same spark of understanding.

But engineering, I've come to realize, isn't just about building machines. It's about constructing solutions, piece by piece, for problems that seem unsolvable. Whether I'm designing a new prototype or figuring out how to balance equations in physics, I approach each challenge with the same mindset I had as that eight-year-old in the desert: Let's figure this out.

I'm applying to college not just to learn, but to continue building—ideas, innovations, and a future where no problem is too complex to tackle. I've been an engineer at heart since that sweltering afternoon, and I'm ready to take the next step, not with all the answers, but with the confidence that I can figure them out.

Personal Statement for University Examples

Title: Designing the In-Between

"I've always been fascinated by the spaces between—those fleeting moments when science meets art, where precision meets creativity."

Growing up, I was equally enthralled by the elegance of mathematical equations and the expressive power of a blank canvas. While most saw these as distinct, even opposing interests, I found a profound connection between them. Mathematics, with its rigid structure and logic, offered me a way to understand the world's complexities. Art, on the other hand, gave me the freedom to express the nuances that numbers alone couldn't capture.

In high school, this dual passion led me to an unlikely pairing: architecture. It was in drafting rooms and design studios that I discovered my true calling. Here, the geometric precision of calculus met the boundless creativity of artistic vision, and I found a space where I could truly thrive. Designing structures that were not only functional but also aesthetically compelling was more than a challenge; it was a thrilling pursuit that combined everything I loved.

My projects, often inspired by natural forms and abstract patterns, have taught me to see beyond the obvious, to push boundaries and explore unconventional solutions. In one project, I designed a library that mimicked the flow of water, using mathematical principles to create a space that was both serene and dynamic. This project was a turning point for me, solidifying my belief that the most innovative designs emerge when you allow different disciplines to inform each other.

I believe that the future of design lies in the spaces between—where art and science, creativity and precision, meet. I am ready to contribute my unique perspective and learn from a community that values innovation as much as I do. This program is not just a step in my academic journey; it's the place where I can turn my vision into reality.

Personal Statement for Scholarship Examples

Title: Language as a Bridge

As a child, I watched my parents meticulously fill in forms in a language they barely understood. They had immigrated to this country with dreams of a better life but lacked the resources to fully grasp the complexities of their new world. This experience ignited in me a passion for language—not just as a means of communication, but as a bridge to opportunity.

I began tutoring English as a second language in high school, working with students from diverse backgrounds who, like my parents, struggled with the nuances of a new language. Each session was more than just a lesson; it was an opportunity to empower someone else with the tools they needed to navigate and thrive in society. Through this work, I realized that language is power, and education is the key to unlocking it.

This passion for language led me to pursue a degree in linguistics, where I explored the intricacies of phonetics, syntax, and semantics. I became fascinated by the ways in which language shapes our perceptions and interactions. But I didn't stop at theory—I sought to apply my knowledge practically, volunteering in legal clinics to assist non-English-speaking immigrants with their cases. I translated, I advocated, and most importantly, I listened.

The scholarship I am applying for will enable me to continue this work, allowing me to pursue a graduate degree focused on language acquisition and policy. With this education, I plan to develop programs that not only teach language but also empower individuals to use their voices for change.

My journey has taught me that a blank page is not to be feared—it is a chance to create something meaningful. I am determined to turn every challenge into an opportunity for growth, not just for myself, but for those I am committed to helping. This scholarship would be the next step in my mission to ensure that language is a gateway, not a barrier, to a better life.

The Bottom Line

Remember, your personal statement should be unique to you. Don't try to imitate someone else's style or story. Be honest, be yourself, and let your passion shine through. With careful planning and thoughtful writing, you can create a statement that will help you stand out from the crowd. Meanwhile, check out our separate guide on how to write education on resume —you’ll need it to back up that stellar statement!

 Is Your Application Almost Complete?

All you need is a personal statement that will make you stand out. Let EssayPro's expert writers fill in the missing piece!

What is a Good Example of a Personal Statement?

How do you write a catchy personal statement, what is a good opening sentence for a personal statement.

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is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Personal statements - Career Services . (2024b, August 8). Career Services. - https://www.uwb.edu/career-services/resources/cover-letters/personal-statements

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