How to Write a Perfect Personal Statement for Your CV

When a recruiter is flicking through what will typically be a monumental pile of CVs, the first thing they will see at the very top of the document is your personal statement. A personal statement is a three- or four-line summary of what makes you the perfect fit for the role, and if you want to grab the recruiter’s attention, it’s essential you get it right.

What should you include in your personal statement?

A personal statement should explain:

  • Who you are
  • What makes you suitable for the role
  • What value you can add to the business
  • Your career goals

Achieving all that in less than 100 words is not easy, so you must take the time to write and rewrite your personal statement if necessary in order to include all the relevant information in a cohesive and readable way. Studies have shown that recruiters can spend as little as six seconds reviewing your CV before putting it in the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ pile, so crafting a compelling and persuasive personal statement is crucial.

How do you write the perfect personal statement?

There’s no one else with your exact mix of professional skills, experience and personal characteristics, so you must write a personal statement that’s unique. Here are a few tips to follow:

1. Keep it brief and get the tone right

Concision is an important skill and one you must exercise when writing your personal statement. It should be between 50 and 150 words, although nearer to 100 is just about right. It should be written in the same font and point size as the rest of your CV for consistency. It can be written in either the first (‘I am a project manager’) or third person (‘project manager looking for’), but whichever voice you choose, keep it consistent throughout your statement.

2. Talk in facts, not clichés

Terms such as ‘passionate’, ‘hard worker’ and ‘experienced’ are empty words that recruiters see thousands of times a day. Instead of reverting to these jobseeking clichés, demonstrate your suitability for the role with facts, such as professional qualifications and industry credentials. For example, ‘I am a PMP certified project manager with five years of experience working in the financial technology sector’.

3. Don’t make outlandish claims

This is not The Apprentice, so your assertions that ‘as a salesperson, I would rate myself as the best in Europe’ or ‘business is the new rock ‘n’ roll and I’m Elvis Presley’ will fall on deaf ears and give your CV a guaranteed spot in the ‘NO’ pile. Instead, be honest and use genuine statistics from your previous roles to do the talking for you; for example, ‘I introduced a new lead generation strategy that led to a 20 percent increase in sales’.

Put your personal statement into practice

Looking for a well-paid and rewarding language job in the south of England? Now you have a personal statement you can be proud of, take a look at our leading range of language job vacancies and submit your CV today.