what to write in personal statement on cv

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.

How to Write a CV Personal Statement + Examples

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You know you can beat the competition with your qualifications. But if you fail to catch the hiring manager’s attention, they won’t even know you’re worth a call. That’s why you need a surefire method to show your value straight away. And an impressive personal CV statement can do that very thing.

This guide will show you:

20+ personal statement examples to inspire you.
What is a CV statement and why your job application needs it.
How to write a personal profile step-by-step.

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Are you writing a resume? We’ve got articles dedicated to resume profiles:

How to Write a Resume Profile (+ Samples)
Resume Summary Examples & Writing Tips
What Is a Resume Objective? (+ Examples)

Need to write a CV? Check these guides:

How to Write a CV for a Job
Best CV Format in 2024
What Is a CV & When Do You Need It?
Academic CV Example & Writing Tips
What to Include in a CV for a Job
Best Free CV Templates for Word

Keep reading to learn what’s a CV profile and how to make a strong personal profile for your job application:

What Is a Personal Statement for a CV or Resume?

A personal statement , also called a CV profile, is a short paragraph at the top of your application. It’s like an elevator pitch: a catchy summary of your expertise, skills, and achievements. Think of it as an introduction to your CV.

Why do you need a CV profile? Well, an eye-tracking study shows that well-performing CVs include a personal statement at the top of the document. An average recruiter takes around 6–8 seconds to look at a job application, so it’s very important to grab their attention straight away.

This image shows a heatmap of eye activity. And as you can see, readers usually read the whole personal profile and skimmed through the rest of the CV. That’s why it’s important to put extra effort into your CV profile—your success may depend on it!

If you don’t feel comfortable showing off your strengths, you should practice more. Check here: How to Talk About Your Greatest Strengths

How to Write a Personal Statement in 6 Steps

Writing about yourself is not easy, even for natural storytellers. Yes, you’re supposed to show how great you are, but you also can’t appear arrogant. Striking the right balance can be difficult.

So, what’s the best approach to crafting a CV profile? Leave it till you fill in all the other sections of your CV. Then, you can simply combine the most impressive parts to make a nice personal statement that sounds like an elevator pitch .

Here’s how to write a personal statement step-by-step:

1. Say Who You Are in the First Sentence

The first sentence of your personal profile must show that you’re a serious candidate for the job. So, skip your zodiac sign or your favorite football team, even if they’re a big part of who you are. Focus on your job title or degree, add a good word to describe yourself , and mention your professional experience. Plus, skip personal pronouns.

Here’s an example: Motivated project manager with 5+ years of experience in creative agencies.

2. Show Skills Tailored to the Job Posting

Next, highlight 2–3 skills for the job. How will you know which skills to mention on your CV ? Easily—just take a look at the job advertisement and see which abilities are required. Your personal profile must be tailored to the job offer, so add only the skills that match it closely.

For example: the job ad says “Looking for someone with good an eye for details and strong communication skills.” Then, your CV profile can state: Detail-oriented and communicative .

3. State a Specific Goal That Aligns with the Company

The next part of your personal statement for a resume or CV should focus on what you want to achieve . But not just for yourself—for the company you’re applying to. Showing a concrete goal that will be beneficial to the company will get them thinking about your value straight away.

For example: Eager to use the Agile approach to coordinate advertising projects within established deadlines and improve the efficiency of creative teams at Flowerpot Visuals Inc.

4. Mention Relevant Experience or Background

Having relevant experience is like owning a ticket that admits you to the job you want. So, your personal profile must say a word or two about your professional background. Read the job advertisement again, and focus on what responsibilities await you in this role. Then, try to recall similar experiences from your previous jobs or other activities (yes, the academic experience can count, too).

For example: At Sunlight Video Prod, led 4 advertising campaigns involving cooperation between cross-functional teams through all development stages.

5. Provide Facts & Figures to Back Up Achievements

While having experience is valuable, owning relevant achievements is pretty much priceless. To make your accomplishments stand out, use numbers. How? Mention budgets, savings, value increases, and even groups of people you worked with. Saying “trained people during onboarding” sounds fine, but stating “trained 100+ people during onboarding” is much more impressive.

For example: In 2022, saved $23,000 by outsourcing technical maintenance teams.

6. Keep It Short and on Point

Your personal statement is not your biography. It should be around 2–5 sentences long. Remember, you want to convince the hiring manager to read the rest of your CV, so there’s no need to provide a lot of detail in your personal profile.

Want to make the writing process even faster? Try this CV profile template:

Personal Profile Template

[Personality trait] + [job title] + [years of experience] . Keen/Eager to use [two skills] to [specific goal] at [company name] . At [previous company] , helped/managed to [past achievement] .

Let’s see a comparison of a good personal profile and a badly-written CV profile:

CV Personal Profile Example

The first CV profile features all the good elements mentioned above:

a brief introduction of the candidate
a career goal
and relevant achievements

Plus, the tone is professional and perfect for a job application.

The second personal profile example is different—while it expresses the candidate’s enthusiasm, it doesn’t mention relevant experience, uses weak language instead of achievement statements, and focuses too much on what the applicant wants to gain.

Now, head on to the next chapter to see more personal profile examples for various job types.

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20+ Personal Statement Examples

These CV profile examples can help you grasp what a great personal profile looks like even easier. I’ve included samples for different types of candidates, including experienced and student applicants, as well as examples for different job types. Enjoy!

Personal Statement Examples for Experienced Candidates

As an experienced candidate, you should highlight your expertise in the CV profile. Show off achievements, certifications, and valuable knowledge to impress employers.

CV Profile Example: Marketing Jobs

Motivated growth marketer with a background in sales and 5+ years of experience in an international corporation. Eager to provide leadership excellence to expand the customer base and increase revenue at SeaBluSea Trading. Developed a new sales strategy and workforce training program to boost sales by 32% within a year.

See more: Sample CV for Marketing Jobs

Personal Profile for CV Example: Teaching Assistant Jobs

Empathetic teaching assistant with 2+ years of tutoring experience. Eager to support learners at Stars Learning Academy by providing personalized assistance to students with learning difficulties. Helped improve the academic performance of 11 students using 1:1 tutoring and task-based learning methodology.

See more: Teaching Assistant CV Sample (+ Instructions)

Profile Summary for CV—Sample for IT Support Jobs

Energetic IT consultant with 2+ years of experience in a call center environment. Enthusiastic about assisting StarCloud customers and solving their problems using a combination of technical knowledge and interpersonal skills. Achieved 100% customer satisfaction rate for six consecutive months at White Page Solutions.

See more: IT Support CV Example + How to Write

Personal Career Profile Sample for a Graphic Designer

Creative graphic designer specializing in 3D modeling and printing. Proficient in Blender, Autodesk Inventor, and Adobe software. Eager to create 3D models for new merchandise based on technical specifications and draft illustrations at PromoHouse. In 2022, designed a series of 10+ high-quality 3D medical models for Atlanta Medical School.

See more: Sample Graphic Designer Resume & Tips

CV Profile Sample for Software Engineers

Goal-oriented software engineer with 8+ years of experience. Certified Java SE 8 Programmer. Can’t wait to join Fay Ro House and create bug-free code for new applications at all stages of software development. At Greynox, mentored 20+ interns and junior developers during onboarding.

See more: Software Engineer CV: How to Write & Examples

Personal Statement for Nurse CV

Registered Nurse with 3 years of experience in a clinical setting. Current BCLS certification holder. Keen to provide high-quality patient care through all nursing activities using professional knowledge and interpersonal skills at Augusta Health. Improved nursing team efficiency by 18% using new assessment sheets in 2020.

See more: Registered Nurse CV Example & Writing Tips

Personal Profile for Project Manager CV

Data-driven project manager with strong leadership and a goal-oriented attitude. Eager to optimize processes and increase KPIs at BaSee Ltd. In 2022, implemented new reporting patterns and project trackers to exceed targets by 22%.

See more: Sample Project Manager CV & Writing Guide

Personal Statement Example for Teaching Jobs

Passionate history teacher with 6+ years of experience in public high schools. Keen to motivate learners and help them reach their academic aspirations using new technologies and meaningful classroom activities at St. Valley High. In 2022, coached four students for the National History Bowl competition.

See more: Teacher CV Example & Tips

CV Profile for HR Jobs

Motivated HR professional with 4 years of experience in a corporate environment. Eager to support employees at Orb Inc. by leading new hire orientation and implementing recognition programs. At RectAngle, increased employee retention by 28% through team building and recognition efforts.

See more: How to Write a CV for HR Jobs

Personal Statement Examples for Students

Not all employers want to work with students. You need to convince them that you’ve got the skills and will to perform well at your desired job. In a personal profile, highlight relevant abilities, knowledge, and experience from academic activities, volunteer work, or part-time jobs.

Personal Profile for College Student CV

Third-year Literature student with strong interpersonal and customer service skills. Eager to advise customers of Firefly Stationery Shop to inform them about available products and help them make satisfactory purchases. Worked part-time in the college bookstore in 2021–2023.

Learn more: How to Write a CV for a College Student

CV Profile Sample for Business Administration Graduates

Goal-oriented Business Administration graduate seeking an Administration Assistant position at Petal Designs. Keen to use data-analysis skills and best management principles to find opportunities for process improvements. Initiated the use of project trackers to reduce unnecessary email communication by 29% during a six-month internship at Orb Technologies.

Learn more: CV for Graduates: Examples & Writing Tips

Personal Statement for a High-School Student CV

Motivated high-school student seeking a part-time cashier position. Eager to assist customers and keep the shop inventory in order at A&D Thrift Store. Excellent math and communication skills. Gained customer service skills while volunteering at a school bake sale in December 2022.

Learn more: High-School Student CV Example & Instructions

CV Profile for Internships

Driven Communications student seeking an internship with Moon Fly International. Fluent in Spanish and German. Enthusiastic about providing high-quality translations for newsletters and internal communications while putting newly acquired knowledge to good use. Completed courses in Communication Policy, Media and Mass Communication, and Interpersonal Relations with a current GPA of 3.91.

Learn more: How to Write a CV for Internships

Personal Statement Examples for Entry-Level Applicants

If you’re an entry-level candidate, your CV profile must show professionalism. Mention transferable skills and any relevant experience you have, even from volunteer activities or school projects.

Personal Profile for Entry-Level Customer Service CV

Motivated Music Theory student seeking an entry-level customer service job. Eager to provide advice and resolve customer queries at TicketFly using interpersonal skills and a problem-solving attitude. Developed time-management skills, patience, and empathy while working part-time as a babysitter in 2020–2022.

Check here for more information: Customer Service CV Example

CV Profile Sample for Entry-Level Sales Jobs

Personable high-school graduate with strong communication and math skills. Enthusiastic about joining the Red Dot Accessories sales team to inform customers about available products and promotions. Gained cash handling and sales experience while volunteering at Doggos Support Doggos’ charity events in 2022.

Check here for more information: How to Write a Sales Associate CV

Entry-Level Personal Statement Example for Personal Assistant CV

Goal-driven senior BBA student seeking an entry-level PA position. Great communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. Eager to optimize meeting schedules, organize work duties, and plan travel itineraries for the CFO of B&G Inc. Organized 3 fundraising events while serving as Phi Kappa Phi sorority president in 2022–2023. Excelled in administrative duties while volunteering with Ribbon Rainbows Charity in 2021–2023.

Check here for more information: Personal Assistant CV Sample (Entry-Level & Experienced)

CV Profile Sample for Entry-Level Cashier Jobs

Energetic high-school graduate with a people-oriented and positive attitude. Reliable and trustworthy. Applying for the entry-level cashier position at WalCo Markets to provide high-quality and efficient service for customers.

Check here for more information: Cashier CV Example

Entry-Level Personal Statement Example for Waitress Jobs

Freshman Fine Art student seeking a part-time waitress position at Healthy You. Keen to provide great service by helping patrons choose the best menu choices that match their preferences. Demonstrated great customer service skills while hosting school events at Sunny View High School.

Check here for more information: How to Write a CV for Waitress Jobs

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Here’s a quick reminder of the formula for a great CV profile.

How to write a strong personal statement for a CV:

Introduce yourself in the first sentence.
Mention skills that match the job requirements.
Name a goal you want to achieve for the company.
Show your relevant experience.
Demonstrate accomplishment with numbers.
Limit your personal profile to 2–5 sentences max.

And that’s all!

Do you struggle with writing a personal profile from scratch? What’s the hardest part for you? Have you got any tips for other readers? Let us know in the comments below!

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How to write a personal statement for your CV

A personal statement on your CV is a great way to give your job application extra impact. Here are some examples to help you get started.

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A critical aspect of creating an effective CV is writing a personal statement, sometimes called a profile or career summary, that enables the recruiter to quickly identify the strategic value you can add to their organisation. Your CV should be a self-marketing document aimed at persuading the recruiter to interview you – and your personal statement is a critical part of making this happen.

Many candidates struggle with writing the statement but it doesn’t have to be a difficult as you may think. A well written statement can be between 50 and 200 words, although it is important not to ramble. Remember you always have your cover letter for interesting and engaging information.

It’s important to read the job specification carefully and ensure not only that your skills and experience match but you reflect this in your statement. I am often asked whether a statement should be written in the first or third person and, while there are no definitive rules about this, my preference is always to write in the first person because the CV is all about you and your skillset. This doesn’t mean that you have to add “I” at the beginning of each sentence, however. The reader knows it’s about you so avoid this type of repetition and keep them engaged in your value and transferable skills.

For example an opening statement without the opening “I” could read:

As a highly-motivated and results orientated manager within the luxury hotel sector, I have a proven track record of providing exemplary levels of service to a broad range of guests, including VIPs and high-profile individuals.

This example reads naturally and flows for the reader, whereas if an “I” was inserted at the start, while not hugely different, it would read more like a list. As you move forward with additional information it then becomes difficult to break out of the format you have started.

As a general rule, it’s best to break the statement into three sections:

Who you are

As recent graduate from Durham University, with a 2:1 honours degree in media communications, I have undertaken several internships within leading organisations such as Bertelsmann and Times Warner. These placements have enabled me to develop not only specific media industry experience, but also a valuable and transferable skill set in this fast-paced sector.

The above opening allowes the recruiter to quickly identify where you are coming from, that you have had industry experience (something that may be in the selection criteria) and core transferable skills. This in itself could be enough for your opening statement, but it can be expanded upon by adding some additional information.

What you can bring to the table

During placement with Bertelsmann, I worked in the media division contributing to projects – such as the award-winning China Max Documentary – and managed my own research, liaised with various divisions, formulated media reports and participated in group project meetings. Utilising excellent communication skills, I developed and maintained successful working relationships with both internal and external staff.

Your career aim

Looking to secure a position in a media organisation, where I can bring immediate and strategic value and develop current skillset further.

An example of a poorly written personal statement

Tim is a recent graduate from Durham University with a 2:1 honours degree in media communications. I have undertaken several internships within leading organisations. Tim is now looking to secure a position in a media organisation where I can develop my current skill set.

The mismatch of first and third person is not only confusing to the reader, but it almost sounds like a profile about different people. It also lacks specific detail and proof of what value the candidate could bring to the company.

Key points on writing a dynamic and interesting personal statement:

Get straight to the point: avoid lengthy descriptions and make your testimonies punchy and informative.
Keep it between 50 to 200 words maximum.
If you have enough space, use 1.5 line spacing to make you statement easier to read.
Match person and job specifications with well written copy.
Read your profile out loud to ensure it reads naturally.
Don’t mix first and third person sentences.

Other essential resources

Three excellent cover letter examples

CV templates: graduates, career changers and ladder climbers

What questions to ask at the end of your interview

How to write a CV when you lack direct work experience

Elizabeth Bacchus is a consultant and founder of The Successful CV Company .

Looking for a job? Browse Guardian Jobs for your next career step.

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Writing a personal statement for your CV

CV personal statements are like the sales pitch of your CV, but not everyone thinks they're useful. Discover if they're really necessary, how to write a CV personal profile and templates for inspiration

What is a CV personal statement?

A CV personal statement is a concise paragraph or summary, which details what you can bring to a job or company. It's also known as an opening statement, personal profile, personal summary or executive summary.

Sitting at the top of your CV, it's your opportunity to sell yourself to employers and to highlight the relevant skills and experience you possess.

While effectively and succinctly convincing recruiters that you're a good fit for the role, a personal statement gives you the chance to show off your strengths and share your career goals.

'The focus of your CV statement should be to target your offer to employers - why should they hire you and how are you different to other graduates? Therefore, making your personal statement as unique as possible is crucial to ensure you stand out from the crowd,' explains Alex Proctor, careers consultant at the University of Bradford.

Do I need a personal summary on my CV?

Traditionally, almost all CV types include a personal statement but there is some debate about whether you actually need to include one.

Some recruiters and careers advisers believe that personal profiles are one of the most important parts of a CV, as they provide an easily accessible overview of a candidate's ability, while others feel that personal statements are a waste of valuable space and time.

The latter belief is often the case with graduate CVs, as some employers feel that those just stepping onto the career ladder don't necessarily have enough knowledge or experience to warrant a personal statement. Because of this, a graduate's personal profile runs the risk of being bland and generic and stating things that should be a given, such as, 'I'm hardworking and organised,' which is why some recruiters believe that they are best suited to more senior CVs.

So while your CV doesn't need a personal statement, employers spend only seconds looking at application documents. With this in mind, a CV personal statement gives you an invaluable opportunity to make your application stand out as quickly as possible.

Alex believes 'that a CV personal statement is a good idea, because employers often have so many CVs to read through and the personal statement, if clear and concise, can elevate your chances of getting through to the next stage of the recruitment process.'

If you'd like to include a personal statement on your CV it might be best, as a graduate, to focus on your educational background and the career path you'd like to embrace. If you have relevant experiences use these to make your personal statement unique. 'If you haven’t got much work experience, focus on what experience you can extract from your degree,' advises Alex. 'If you have taken part in various projects demonstrate what your role was. Alternatively, if you have written a dissertation, showcase your topic and what skills you have developed from this experience. Employers will value your individuality even if you haven't had masses of practical work experience.'

If you're struggling to give it context and get it right, make an appointment with your university's careers or employability service and ask an adviser to help you hone your writing.

What should I include in my CV personal profile?

In terms of length, a CV personal profile should be no longer than 150 words. 'It should be short, impactful and aligned effectively with the CV content,' explains David Ainscough, careers consultant team lead and deputy director at the University of Cambridge.

'A personal CV profile should include details of your educational background, evidence of work experience, as well as your career aspirations. You ideally need to ensure you are telling the reader what you can offer skill-wise and don't be afraid to also share any accomplishments,' adds Alex.

If you're struggling with what to write, break your personal statement down into three parts. Focus on:

who you are
what you can offer
your career aims.

Start by introducing yourself. For example, 'A recent graduate with a 2:1 in English literature from the Hillview University' or a 'Highly-skilled physiotherapist with five years’ experience…'

Next, detail what you can offer the company. Ask yourself why you're suited to the role and cover any relevant skills or experience. If you lack practical work experience instead draw attention to your academic achievements, such as contributing to university publications, which developed written communication, attention to detail and teamworking skills. Or how you applied skills learned on your physical therapy degree during your time as a physio assistant for university sport teams.

Conclude your personal statement by highlighting your career goals. For example, 'I am looking to start my career in the exciting world of publishing and to develop the skills learned through my university studies and internships.'

It's up to you how you present this information; there is no hard and fast rule. However, personal statements are generally displayed as a single paragraph, without a title or subheading. You'll need to keep it consistent with the rest of your CV formatting, meaning that the font size and type will need to be the same throughout your document.

Also, consider the voice and tense you'd like to use. Personal statements can be written in either the first or third person, but you'll need to maintain this voice throughout - don't switch between the two.

Take a look at how to write a CV .

How can I make it stand out to employers?

'Remember that first impressions count so make sure you're giving the recruiter a comfortable reading experience. Layout and clarity are crucial,' says David.
Tailor your CV personal statement (and CV in general) to each application.
Be honest. Untruths are easy to uncover and lying on your CV is a criminal offence.
Provide evidence of skills and experience but remember to keep it brief. For example, 'experienced event manager, who led a team to organise a charity ball for 150 people, raising £5,000 - a 20% increase on previous years.'
Use the job description to help form your CV personal profile.
Stick to the word limit.
Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. The personal summary sits at the top of your CV so any errors will be immediately apparent.
'Keep it fresh. It needs to be reviewed in each application you make so consider something new to say each time,' adds David.
Read it aloud once you've finished writing to make sure it flows.
Copy and paste from your cover letter or from online CV personal statement examples. Your personal summary needs to be unique and personal to you.
Include unnecessary personal information such as your age, marital status etc.
Use clichés, slang or jargon.
Use bland, empty statements like 'I work well independently and as part of a team'. This tells employers absolutely nothing about what you’re capable of.
Overuse buzzwords.
Include quotes from previous employers.
Ramble. Recruiters don't have time to read through waffle, so get to the point.

Think about the connotations of the words you use - 'currently studying' implies things might change, 'trying' implies failure, 'might' or 'maybe' sounds like you're not sure. The words you use have power so choose them carefully. You want to sound confident, positive and enthusiastic.

Find out more about the top 7 CV mistakes .

CV personal statement examples

To help you get started take a look at the following CV personal profile examples.

As a recent graduate from the University of Townville, with a 2:1 honours 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 commercial awareness, communication and negotiation and analytical skills. My career aim is to gain a role which allows me to further my expertise and take on increased responsibility at a market-leading digital marketing agency.

I am a highly motivated 2:1 forensic science graduate from Groveshire University, looking to secure a graduate position that enables me to use and develop my analytical, attention to detail and communication skills. I have gained relevant experience in both scientific and hospital laboratories, which allowed me to build on my problem solving, concentration and team working skills. My career goal is to assume a role that enables me to analyse and interpret forensic data and to eventually move into crime scene investigation.

Remember; avoid copying and pasting ready-made examples. Instead use them as a guide to craft your own, tailored CV personal statement. Take a look at our example CVs .

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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.

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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CV Personal Statement: Examples and Actionable Tips

Fact: recruiters spend only 6 seconds reviewing each CV. So poorly organized CVs inevitably get discarded.

Having an effective CV layout is the first step to attracting their attention. And the second step is topping that CV with a compelling personal statement (also known as a personal profile, personal summary, or executive summary).

What is a Personal Statement in a CV?

A personal statement for a CV is a short and compelling paragraph that summarizes why you’re the most qualified person for the offered role. It tells the reader who you are and what valuable qualifications you will be bringing to their company.

NB : Opening statement, personal profile, personal summary, or executive summary are the other common names for a personal statement.

Many believe that the work experience section is the most important element of a CV. Yet, it is your personal statement that can end up making or breaking the success of your job application.

Because it provides the reader with a quick answer to one question they have on their mind: Are you qualified for the job or not?

Remember: You’ll be directly competing with numerous other applicants with similar skills and work experiences. A compelling CV statement sets you apart by giving the reader a condensed snapshot of who you are as a person.

Do I Need To Include a Personal Statement On My CV?

The short answer is YES! A personal statement entices the reader to read your entire CV by giving them a preview of your most valuable skills. It also helps you differentiate from other candidates by explaining your background, motivation, and personal character traits concisely.

In essence, a personal statement helps you express why you are the right choice for the job in one condensed paragraph.

Where Should a Personal Statement Go in a CV?

A personal statement goes into the header area of your CV. Include it right under your name and contact details as a separate, highlighted area. A good personal statement is about 3-4 sentences long and occupies not more than 1/4th of the page.

Alternatively, you can design a two-column CV and allocate the upper sidebar area for your personal statement. As a recent survey found, 77% of recruiters prefer two-column CVs to single-column ones.

Sample personal statement placement on a CV template

What Do You Write in a CV Personal Statement?

A compelling personal statement summarizes your professional and educational background; highlights the main skills and accomplishments. It can also express your career objectives and/or interest in the particular industry or subject if you’re a current student or recent graduate.

Personal Statement Examples for CV

To give you an idea of how to write your statement, let’s look at some examples.

Remember: You need to write a unique personal statement for your CV. Simply copying and using these examples may not be the best move because the sample CV statements won’t reflect your unique experiences and personality.

Good CV Personal Statement Examples

Employers want to see experts. Therefore, your personal statement must speak directly to your most marketable skills.

You should never come off sounding desperate or diminish your worth (even if you have been recently laid off ). Use a confident tone with first-person implied and strong verbs to describe your core competencies and other benefits you can bring to the workplace.

General Jobseeker Personal Statement Example

Highly motivated, fully trained engineer with 15 years of experience in the telecoms industry. Worked with XYZ Telecoms Ltd, Cool Mobile Carrier, and Acme Telco as a field engineer and project team leader. Successfully managed large commercial telecom infrastructure installations. Currently unemployed due to the relocation of the company. Open to new opportunities in NOC.

Personal Statement CV Example For an Administration Position

Adaptable and resourceful facilities manager with experience in supporting enterprise-sized organizations in real estate, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing industries. Strong organizational skillset: Six Sigma, standardized method of procedure (MOP) policies implementation. Was responsible for facilities operations on 2.4 million square feet in a 20-building chemical manufacturing campus, serviced by a 20+ people team of building engineers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and cleaners.

Accountant Personal Statement CV Examples

Below are two samples for a senior and a junior accountant.

Chartered Accountant

ACCA-certified accountant for mid-market and enterprise-sized companies. Conducted due diligence and tax audits for FTSE 500 companies. Commenced for a 100% accuracy track record in financial reporting, as well as fast turnaround on complex analytical reviews. Provide on-demand advisory on trust setup, company incorporation, and tax deferrals.

Account Assistant

Detail-oriented, certified accounting assistant with experience in payroll administration. Familiar with Gusto, Xero, and Intuit software. Effectively process payroll, benefits, taxes, and social contributions for over 1500 employees per month. Possess a strong foundation in employee classification, tax reporting, and financial management.

CV Personal Statement Examples for Students

Whether you’re applying for an internship or looking for a part-time job , a compelling personal is a must-have for a student CV.

Since your work experience history may be a bit “thin”, you need to persuade the employer via other means — your transferable skills, academic interests, and personal traits. A personal CV allows you to spotlight all of these.

Remember that you are bringing your energy, dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn to the table. As you will not have any employment history, you need to make sure to get your personality and your soft skills over in your statement.

CV Statement for a Student Looking for a Full-Time Summer Job

Junior copywriter, enrolled in a BA Writing Program at the University of Manchester (graduation date: fall 2025). Alumni of the 2022 Copywriting Bootcamp program from Matters Agency. Well-versed in target audience analysis, brand positioning, and editorial campaign planning. Writing clips for eCommerce and SaaS brands are available in my portfolio.

CV Statement for an Internship

Second-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Leeds, seeking to apply theoretical knowledge in safety system design. Proficient in AutoCAD and completed a series of blueprints for fire and water safety systems as part of my coursework. Fast learner, self-starter, and team player, I’m excited to contribute my technical expertise to a dynamic engineering team.

CV Statement for a Student Looking for a Part-Time Job

Junior front-end developer (React, Angular JS), seeking a part-time programming position in the Great London area. Current availability is 10-15 hours per week, preferably with hybrid work arrangements. Solid understanding of design systems and UX/UI best practices. Past work experience in finance and eCommerce sectors.

CV Personal Statement Examples for 16-Year-Olds

Joining the workforce straight after high school makes sense if you want to take a gap year or pursue trade education later on. The wrinkle, however, is that most employers may be wary of your age and lack of experience.

The goal of a personal statement is to dispel those doubts by showing that you’re a serious, mature, and hard-working candidate, eager to learn and hone your craft.

Personal Statement for a Barista Position

Genuine coffee lover and frequent guest at Maddie’s Cafe, I would love to join the barista team. As a former head of the prom planning committee, I understand the importance of good teamwork, efficient planning, and following instructions. My main objectives are to learn more about beverage prep and deliver exceptional experiences to customers.

CV Personal Statement Examples For A Graduate

Your personal statement should focus on your main educational attainments and experiences. If you are applying before you have had your degree results, it is fine to give a projected grade. You can also mention any specific modules you have studied that are relevant to the job on offer and how much you enjoyed working on them.

Remember: Your goal is to explain why you’re interested in this role and what you could bring to the table.

Graduate Personal Statement Example

Business administration graduate with a 1:1 honors degree from XYZ University. Interested in an entry-level merchandising position within your Commercial Sales Department to expand my knowledge in retail merchandising, procurement, and inventory management. Looking to apply my analytical and data modeling skills for merchandising strategy optimization.

Personal Statement for High School Graduate

Energetic and enthusiastic high school graduate (June 2023) with top A-levels grades in English, Maths, and French. Seeking an entry-level role in sales, where I can make use of and develop my language skills. My long-term career goal is to further my language qualifications and position myself as a European sales manager living and working overseas for a global company.

Personal Statement Examples for CV With No Experience

Lack of experience in a particular role or industry should never discourage you from applying. Although you may not tick all the criteria boxes, you still have transferable skills and unique work experiences to showcase.

Moreover, ongoing talent shortages are prompting employees to reconsider their hiring criteria, plus invest more in new hire training and upskilling. Four in five companies now struggle to fill in open vacancies, which is the highest number in the past 17 years.

So take your chances and apply even if you don’t have sufficient work experience.

Personal Statement Example with No Relevant Work Experience

Former front-desk hotel employee, looking for an opportunity to leverage strong service orientation and organizational skills in new roles (Customer Success or Customer Support). Familiarity with appointment booking software, digital chat apps, and CRM software. With my strong commitment to personal growth and my adaptable nature, I believe I could be a valuable asset to customer-centric teams.

Personal Statement Example with No Industry Experience

Self-starter with a BA degree in Communication and experience in corporate event management seeking a transition to music festival management. Experienced in organizing off-site events for 100+ people (including location scouting and travel coordination). I thrive in fast-paced environments and am eager to build a strong network of new partners.

Discover even more personal statements from our collection of CV examples .

CV Personal Statement For A Career Change

Career change is a big decision, but it can lead to a more fulfilling professional life. Besides, you’re not completely starting anew. Many of the hard and soft skills are quite universal. There is any number of different jobs that need the same set of skills that you have developed, so always try to lead with these and use real-life examples of your experience.

Career Change Personal Statement Example:

Working for the past 10 years as a regional sales manager has allowed me to develop keen skills in building strong working relationships and lucrative networks. Communication skills I developed during my time at my current employer enabled me to win vital contract wins that increased sales revenue by 20% over three years. I am now ready to take on a new challenge and want to work in the charity sector so that I can use my skills to give something back for the direct benefit of others.

How To Write A Strong Personal Statement for a CV

An effective personal statement summarizes your skills and experience in a relevant way i.e., it indicates how you can be of help to the employer.

In short, a compelling CV personal statement:

Lists your most marketable skills and qualifications
Highlights your industry knowledge and work experiences
Mirrors some of the key phrases, used in the job description

And here’s how to write a personal statement that makes a mark.

1. Review the Job Description Once Again

As you go through the role description, pay attention to the words, used by the employer, to describe the candidate’s requirements, duties, and personality. Keep those in the back of your head.

These are the keywords you’d want to use all around your CV — in the personal statement, work experience, education, and skills areas.

2. Do a Mental Tally of Your Skills

Try to remember the times in your previous work roles when you accomplished notable objectives, went above and beyond expectations , or otherwise did better than your peers.

Note down everything that springs to mind including your years of experience in a similar role, challenges you took on and the positive results achieved, new projects you kick-started – anything that has close relevance to this new position.

3. Make a Draft Personal Statement

Write down a sample personal statement. Don’t worry about the length – just put as many details as you’d like on paper. Once you’re done, revisit the job description. See how your personal statement compares to the description. Does it paint a picture of someone who would fit the role?

4. Edit for Clarity and Briefity

A good CV personal statement shouldn’t be longer than 3-4 sentences. Take a critical look at your draft version and condense it to the bare essentials: 2-3 main skills, a major accomplishment, and a note on your motivation and/or personal traits.

Other things that don’t belong in your personal statement are:

Explanation of employment gaps or present unemployment status
Information about hobbies or personal interest
Any mention of references or recommendations
Irrelevant skills or work experiences

Want to stand out even more? Add a persuasive opening statement that highlights your strengths as a candidate.

A compelling personal statement can be the key between your CV making the ‘yes’ pile or the reject bin. Take some time to get your statement right and always write a new one for each job you apply for by mirroring the employer’s language.

Finally, to give your CV a polishing touch, try out one of our fancy, but free CV templates , coming in multiple styles: professional, modern, simple, and creative!

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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Home » CV Personal statement and profile

Personal Statement for CV

Your personal statement for your CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a shortcut to highlight your skills, experience, and career goals.

Our customers have been hired by: * Foot Note

Your personal statement or CV personal profile is the first thing a recruiter reads when they look at your Curriculum vitae .

As it is your opening paragraph, it’s vital that the personal statement for your CV draws recruiters in and gains their interest. Many recruiters will only read your CV personal statement and decide if you sound like a suitable candidate before reading anything else.

CV personal statement examples

Art teacher
Web designer
Personal trainer
Radiographer
Software engineer
Sales assistant
Human resources officer
Digital marketing manager
Head bartender

Art teacher CV Personal Statement Example

Professional Art Teacher focused on maximising student educational potential by applying diverse instructional strategies and classroom management techniques. Gifted in lecturing students, facilitating discussions, and planning hands-on activities to enhance learning.

Web designer CV Personal Statement Example

Seasoned graphic artist and web designer bringing 8 years of experience applying technical and creative abilities to diverse customer projects. Highly effective at collaborating with artistic, project, production and administrative leadership to complete tasks according to budget and schedule goals.

Personal trainer CV Personal Statement Example

Health and fitness professional who is driven to teach and inspire clients to reach their personal fitness goals through a combination of proper diet, tailored exercise regimes, rest and stress management. Caring, compassionate and outgoing with a strong reputation for maintaining long lasting professional relationships with clients.

Radiographer CV Personal Statement Example

Proactive Radiographer with extensive experience across a diverse range of general and specialist examinations. Offering expertise in X-ray and ultrasound processes, with maintained CPD to offer comprehensive, thorough, accurate radiology services.

Software engineer CV Personal Statement Example

Results-oriented software engineering professional with 8 years’ expertise in building secure applications. An excellent team player with a positive attitude. Seeking a role building web and mobile applications for a well-established software company.

Babysitter CV Personal Statement Example

Enthusiastic Babysitter experienced with children ages 6 months to 10 years old. Able to watch up to 5 kids at once. Certified in first aid and CPR.

Sales assistant CV Personal Statement Example

Highly experienced Sales Assistant with expertise in store opening and closing procedures, money handling, and merchandising. Able to manage all tasks with efficiency and accuracy. Proficient in monitoring security and serving diverse customer needs.

Human resources officer CV Personal Statement Example

Detail-oriented Human Resources Officer with 12 years of experience in human resources. Adept at double-checking logistics with a talent for accurate evaluations and effective time management. Successful at quality assurance and complex problem-solving.

Digital marketing manager CV Personal Statement Example

Decisive Marketing Manager with 12 years of experience driving company growth through creative and innovative strategies. Resourceful team leader skilled at analysing market trends and customer needs to develop highly effective and targeted marketing campaigns.

Bookkeeper CV Personal Statement Example

Experienced Bookkeeper with a history of financial statement preparation and servicing accounts. Adept at writing detailed reports and budgets, completed detailed financial analysis and planning strategically for top client services.

Head bartender CV Personal Statement Example

Outgoing Bartender highly skilled in mixing and serving drinks in high-volume establishments. Established positive rapport with customers whilst maintaining productivity. Experienced, qualified mixologist with in-depth knowledge about high-end service standards and laws regarding serving alcoholic beverages.

Barber CV Personal Statement Example

Proficient Barber versed in hairstyles, cutting techniques, and shaving customers. Collaborative team player with strong communication and relationship building abilities.

Personal statement for a CV: Tips

Many people freak out when thinking about their CV personal profile because it’s the bit where they have to “think” the most. We have good news – there’s a straightforward approach to writing a personal statement on your CV that ensures you include all the best bits of your career and make the right impression!

Stay concise

The most important tip we can give you is not to go overboard. You want to keep your CV personal statement clear, fluff-free, and above all else, factual.

Use the third person

Another CV writing tip : write in the third person and drop all pronouns (I, me, he, she, they, them). It’s acceptable to write in the first (I), but trust us, using the third person sounds more professional. All our personal statement CV examples will show you how to draft your statement in the third person.

Three simple sentences

Personal statements and CVs use an abbreviated sentence structure, which allows you to fit more information into limited space. We recommend following this format:

Sentence 1 (Who you are): Opening statement including years of experience and career focus.
Sentence 2 (What you can achieve): Results you can, or have accomplished.
Sentence 3-4 (How you can achieve it): Your unique skill sets or areas of expertise.

Sound confident

Proudly highlight your true capabilities – it’s essential to present your achievements in your CV personal statement. This isn’t the time to downplay the importance of your experience and skills. Remember: this might be all the recruiter reads about you – make it interesting!

Mention numbers

Whether you’re in a sales career or not, numbers help to show recruiters how much you’re capable of in your CV’s personal profile. How many people you’ve managed. How many facilities you’ve run. How many awards you’ve won. Quantifying your experience with numbers is only ever a positive – do it wherever you can.

Use adjectives

All good personal statement examples are descriptive. Give your CV personal profile the energy it deserves by using adjectives to describe yourself and your abilities. A dull statement that reads like a list won’t turn heads.

Be clear and concise

As with our CV profile examples, the ideal length for a personal statement is 50 to 200 words maximum. Note how this accountant’s statement concisely details their fundamental skills, relevant work experience, and future aspirations in a short paragraph:

“Dependable accounting professional acknowledged for reliability, integrity, and quick-learning ability. Highly skilled with an eye for identifying and correcting errors. Brings enthusiasm for solving client’s challenges and providing first-class financial services.”

Use short, punchy sentences.

Keep a neutral tone, taking care not to write in the first person. You can see how it’s done in this excerpt from one of our personal statement CV examples:

“An ambitious and talented professional with a proven academic background in science and valuable experience in teaching and lecturing. Possess first-class academic written skills and is also an effective verbal communicator.”

Personal statement for a CV: Common mistakes to avoid

Exceeding 4 sentences.

Though it can be tempting, keep the personal statement on your CV to a maximum of 3-4 sentences, depending on sentence length. You want to grab the hiring manager’s attention – but not bore them!

Telling the recruiter what you're looking for

It can be very tempting to write sentences like “seeking a new role in a fast-paced environment where I can thrive.” Why not? Because that’s what a cover letter is for, and also it’s just a waste of space where you could be talking about your capabilities and achievements.

Including jokes

While you want to inject some personality into your CV personal statement, humour and jokes will undermine your professionalism, and may even offend.

Forgetting to use the spell-checker

There’s nothing more off-putting for a recruiter than reading personal statements for CVs that are littered with spelling and grammar mistakes. Take a moment to check over what you’ve written before hitting the ‘save’ button.

Copying someone else’s personal statement

If you’re stuck on what to write or are short on time, it may be tempting to copy a friend’s or a colleague’s personal statement, or follow personal statement CV examples a bit too closely. Don’t do it — a recruiter may notice that what’s written in your personal statement doesn’t reflect what’s in your CV. This could lead them to reject your application.

Making it difficult to find

As with our CV examples, a personal profile should sit at the top of the CV between your contact details and work experience.

Frequently Asked Questions about Personal statement for CV

What is a personal statement.

In simple terms, it’s a short paragraph of 3-4 sentences which introduces your experience, key skills , area of expertise, and results you can accomplish or have accomplished in your career to date.

What to include in my personal statement?

When you write your CV , use the personal statement to give the reader an introduction to your professional profile and your background. You can mention years of experience, exceptional achievements, plans or aspirations. The personal statement gives the hiring manager an insight into who you are as a candidate. For example, in addition to listing ‘data analytics’ in the skills section, you could describe yourself as ‘data-driven’ in the personal statement of your CV.

How to start my personal statement?

The first sentence of your CV’s personal statement establishes the years of experience you have and your career focus. It starts to build the foundation of who you’re as an individual in the workplace.

Let’s look at some supporting statement examples for the first sentence:

Nurse “Energetic registered nurse with 10 years of experience caring for the elderly in care home environments.”
Electrician “Licenced electrician with over 15 years of hands-on experience leading large-scale, commercial electrical projects.”
Entry-level candidate “Confident and enthusiastic worker with assured customer service skills and a deep passion for the transport industry.”

What to include in the middle sentence of a personal statement?

The middle sentence of your personal statement will paint a picture of the things you’ve achieved in the past or are performing currently. Giving recruiters this information offers them a window into your capabilities.

Here are some CV personal statement examples demonstrating that:

Nurse “Maintained medical needs for 20 residents, leading in times of high-stress, administering high-level medical care to all individuals.”
Electrician “Responsible for Hightrees development which was given an industry award for low energy consumption.”
Entry-level “Exceptional communication and PR skills honed while editor on engineering faculty newspaper during university.”

How to end a personal statement?

The closing sentence of your statement is all about your unique skill set, including hard (learnt) and soft (personality-based) skills, as with these examples of personal statements for CVs:

Nurse “Cool and calm at all times, ready to handle medical emergencies.”
Electrician “Offering both practical and strategic project management skills.”
Entry-level “Hard-working and diligent with outstanding attention to detail.”

Create the perfect CV personal profile and get seen!

The key to a robust personal statement for a CV is to include as much information as clearly and as briefly as you can. With a perfect CV profile in place, you can be sure recruiters will want to keep reading your application.

Hopefully, our tips and CV personal profile examples have given you a better idea for your own CV’s personal statement. The next step? Head on over to our CV builder and choose a CV template to start building your detail-packed personal statement and get your CV placed on a recruiter’s ‘interested’ pile. Good luck!

*The names and logos of the companies referred to above are all trademarks of their respective holders. Unless specifically stated otherwise, such references are not intended to imply any affiliation or association with myperfectCV.

Resume personal statement examples

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

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

In this guide I have included 17 resume 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

Resume templates

17 resume 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 resume summary examples instead.

College graduate resume personal statement (no experience)

College graduate no experience resume personal statement

Although this college 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.

College graduate resume personal statement (part time freelance experience)

Graduate with part time freelance experience CV personal statement

This candidate has graduated college with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in 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 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.

High school leaver resume personal statement (no experience)

High school leaver no experience resume personal statement

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 high school work-placements, to strengthen this student resume further.

Top tips for writing a resume 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

High school leaver resume personal statement (part time experience)

High school leaver part time experience resume personal statement

Although this person has only just left high school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call center 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 future studies, 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 resume personal statement (no experience)

College leaver no experience resume personal statement

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 honor results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this summary 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 resume personal statement (freelance experience)

College graduate freelance experience resume personal statement

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 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 resume personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their resume’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 colleges.

High school leaver resume personal statement with sports experience

High school leaver sports focussed resume personal statement

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 organization.

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 at college and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate resume 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 organizational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate resume personal statement

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

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

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 resume personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal summary 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.

College graduate career changer personal statement

College graduate career changer resume personal statement

Switching careers as a college 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

Business management graduate CV 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 summarizing some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their college 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 resume 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 resume is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your resume

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 resume – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a resume personal statement?

Resume personal statement or resume summary, personal statement format, what to include in a resume personal statement.

Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your resume 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 resume 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 resume summary?”

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

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

A resume summary 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 resume writing guide , or example resume summaries 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 resume, 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 minimizing the space taken up by your contact details.

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

We have a resume 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 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 color 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 resume will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy Resume Builder to create a winning resume in minutes with professional resume 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 resume 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 or your GED. 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:

High school/college work placements
Voluntary work
Personal projects
Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your resume , 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.

Resume 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 resume will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy Resume Builder to create a winning resume 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 college graduate resume example , our best resume templates , or our library of example resumes from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!

CV Examples
CV Templates
Cover Letter
Job Interview

what to write in personal statement on cv

Best CV Personal Profile Examples

What is a CV personal profile?

A personal profile, also known as a CV summary, is the opening statement of your CV. It is a short introduction which outlines your personal characteristics, telling the prospective employer what kind of a person you are, the attributes and qualities that you possess and the work experience that you have.

How to write a CV profile statement from scratch

When writing your personal profile, ensure it is:

Short (no more than 6 lines);
Relevant to the job you are applying for, and;
Contains some real-world examples .

Be bold, be confident and talk about yourself in a positive way.

Your personal profile is not the place to be humble; it is your chance to be noticed and tell the potential employer exactly who you ‘really’ are and what you can do for them.

Warning: Do not go ‘over the top’ and give the impression that you are either very arrogant or simply too good to be true! Keep it balanced and realistic, bearing in mind the needs of the employer.

Click here if you want to see a bad example of a personal profile.

What information to include on a personal profile

The purpose of your personal profile is to concisely present your skills, qualities, work experience, and your career goals and ambitions. Consequently, you can mention anything from the following categories when constructing your personal profile:

Personal Qualities

Self-motivated
Having an eye for detail
Management skills
Communication skills
Problem-solving skills
Design skills
5 years experience in …
Excellent track record of …
Extensive background in …
Previous work experience in …

An ideal statement should have at least one example for each of these three categories.

How long should my profile statement be?

There are no set rules about the length of a personal profile, however, it is highly recommended to keep it ideally within the 50/80-words boundary (no longer than six lines). The reason for this is because employers, in the first instance, tend to scan CVs rather than extensively read it. Keeping it short and to the point increases the chances that they will actually read it.

Furthermore, as the total length of a CV is only 2 A4 pages long, having a short statement frees us valuable space for other key sections of your CV such as the work experience, education and skills sections .

Winning personal profile CV examples from all job sectors

Business management cv profile.

The candidate mentions their key personal skills and qualities that are relevant and important when managing a business.
The candidate mentions their relevant work experience in the field, indicating that they are able to work within multiple job sectors.

IT CV profile

The candidate correctly highlights their areas of expertise, such as designing websites, networking and managing databases. It is clear from these examples that the individual has a broad understanding of IT and would be able to work on a wide range of IT projects.
The candidate reassures the prospective employer that although they are working in a very technical field, they have the ability to work with a wide range of people. Interpersonal and communication skills are key to any job.

Student CV profile

The above personal statement is clear and informative, making it clear that the applicant is a student, currently completing their university degree, and are looking to work part-time in the industry.
It is always a good idea, as the candidate has done in this example, to clearly mention your availability for work and also the reasons for why you are seeking work. “Making money” is not a good enough reason for an employer to give you a job. The candidate has mentioned that they wish to put into practice what they have learned and make a positive contribution to the employer.

HR CV profile

The candidate highlights that they have previous work experience in Human Resources (HR), making them familiar with the payroll systems and employment law. Additionally, they indicate some personal qualities (such as interpersonal skills and being sensitive to people’s privacies) which would be highly beneficial for the role that they are applying for.

Manager CV profile

The candidate not only states that they have three years’ of experience in management but they also mention the positive contribution that they made to that organisation. In this case, it was a significant improvement in the performance of the team that they were managing.

Sales/retail CV profile

Just by looking at the profile statement of this individual, we can conclude that this person has thorough experience of sales and is able to handle the various aspects of the selling process. Additionally, their promotion indicates that they are a high achiever.

Teaching CV profile

In just a few lines, the candidate demonstrates a great deal of compassion, empathy and care for young people and their futures. This level of care and concern, along with an enduring passion for teaching, are the key ingredients of being successful in any teaching careers.
The candidate indicating that they are able to work with young children from all backgrounds and walks of life. This is important, especially when living in today’s multicultural and diverse societies.

Engineering CV profile

The candidate correctly highlights their previous work experience and areas of expertise. This makes them look like a very competent and accomplished chemical engineer, increasing the chances of being invited for an interview.

Designer CV profile

This is an effective statement because the candidate highlights their valuable 1st class degree in Graphic Design and previous work experience in the design industry. Additionally, the candidate makes mention of their personal qualities, such as having the ability to think outside the box, to further indicate their suitability for the job.

Hospitality CV profile

The above is an excellent example of how profile statement should be constructed; it contains references to their previous work experience in the same industry, personal qualities that are relevant to the job (e.g. having a passion for food and socialising with people) and their job achievements (e.g. winning an award). Any employer reading this statement will have to think twice before they put it in the rejection pile!

Admin CV profile

The candidate mentions their previous work experience project management and providing administrative support to businesses.
This admin personal statement clearly demonstrates that the individual is aware of all the challenges that administrators face; working in a busy working environment, handling multiple projects simultaneously, prioritising tasks and achieving the highest standard of work.

Customer service CV profile

The candidate indicates that they are able to resolve customer enquiries and complaints face-to-face, over the phone or via email. This ability enables them to work in a variety of different job settings, i.e. a call centre, on the shop floor or at a desk.
Their statement contains a tangible example of accomplishment (i.e. successfully resolving 150 customer enquiries or complaints).

Media CV profile

The candidate has included many examples of their previous work experience and competencies in the field. Any employer interested in hiring an experienced camera operator will most certainly be impressed and continue reading the remainder of their CV.

Healthcare CV profile

The candidate highlights that they are able to work with a variety of different people, something which is essential as physiotherapists will be working with people from all backgrounds and ages.
The statement includes personal qualities that are important to have as a physiotherapist, such as being caring and friendly. Although some careers advisors do not recommend generic words such as ‘caring’ and ‘friendly’, it is nevertheless recommended to include them if they truly reflect your personality and if the rest of the personal statement contains specific information which is not generic in nature.

Writer CV profile

This profile is short and punchy, increasing the chances that it will be read in full by the prospective employers
The candidate highlights their career achievements by stating that their works have been accepted and published by leading newspapers and magazines – a testimony to the high quality of their work.

Science CV profile

This statement is short and to the point; highlighting all the important information such as the candidates work experience, expertise and some personal qualities and characteristics.

Do I need to include a personal statement on my CV? No, it is entirely optional to include a personal profile on your CV. However, it is generally recommended to include one, particularly as it serves as a little “About me” section at the top of your CV. Every written document has an introduction, why shouldn’t a CV?

Can I use the first person tense in my statement? Yes, the first and third person tenses are both fine to use – but not both. Decide on the one tense and stick to it.

Where should I include the profile statement on my CV There is no fixed place in which you should put your personal profile. Some candidates place it at the bottom of their CVs. Ideally, you should position it at the top of your CV.

What is the most important thing to include on a personal profile? Real-world examples and tangible performance indicators, for example; increased sales by x percent, managed x number of people, won such-and-such awards, improved productivity by x percent, etc. These types of information are highly valuable, as opposed to saying that you are the “best salesperson in the country” and not backing it up with any evidence!

Need help with other sections of your CV?

While you’re still here – don’t forget to check out our amazing How to write a CV guide for more practical tips on writing your perfect CV or this useful resource.

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CV and Cover Letter
Craft a winning personal...

Craft a winning personal statement for your CV to stand out

8 min read · Updated on April 18, 2024

Let the personal statement on your CV speak volumes about you

You probably have a fairly good idea of how to write a CV . Your employment history , education , and qualifications are relatively easy to pull together as you just need to look at dates, your previous job specs, and what you've achieved over the years.

The personal statement is often the trickiest component of a CV to write. Thankfully, we've got this comprehensive guide to help you write a winning one.

What is a personal statement for a CV?

Your personal statement is a short paragraph that sits at the top of your CV, just below your name and contact details. Diving into three key aspects, this section offers the recruiter or hiring manager a powerful overview of you as a professional:

1. Who you are

2. Your suitability for the role and the value you can add

3. Your career goals

Why include a personal statement on your CV?

It is estimated that recruiters spend an average of less than 8 seconds reviewing a CV before deciding whether the applicant is a good fit.

As the personal statement is the first section they will read, it must be powerful and tailored to the job you're applying for to successfully showcase your suitability. If it's not, you're unlikely to convince the recruiter you're the talent they need for the job.

5 tips on writing your personal statement

Before we look at some personal statement examples, let's take a look at the basics. Here are some expert-backed tips for writing a good personal statement on your CV.

1. Keep it short and on point

Keep your personal statement clean and concise. It's typically around four sentences long, or about 50 to 200 words. If you're overshooting that word count, see which nonessential parts can be omitted.

2. Get the layout right from the start

Make sure that your layout is consistent with the rest of your CV's formatting . That means maintaining the same font size , font type, and text justification. Recruiters will notice these minor details, and so it's smart to get ahead of the game here.

3. Use a heading (if there's space!)

You can add a “personal statement” heading in the same way that you'd title the subsequent sections of your CV. However, if you're tight on space, you can cut the heading as recruiters will know what this paragraph is nonetheless.

4. Choose the right perspective

The first person is acceptable for a statement (“I am an IT professional looking for a job in…”) as is the third person (“An IT professional looking for a job in…”). Choose the point of view that's most comfortable to write in, but, as always, keep it consistent with the rest of your CV.

5. Cut back on unnecessary words

If you're writing in the third person, remove all pronouns. Otherwise, it sounds existentially awkward, rather than objective. For example, “She is a retail professional seeking a management role…” would become “A retail professional seeking a management role…”

How to write a personal statement for a CV

We've looked at the purpose of a personal statement, what it should include, and how it should look on the page. Now let's zoom in on exactly how to write a winning statement.

When writing, keep in mind that the personal statement on your CV is your elevator pitch; it's the equivalent of the “Tell me about yourself” or “Why should I hire you?” question in an interview. Below, we break down what you need to include in your personal statement.

Part 1: Who you are

Your opening statement needs to tell the prospective employer where you stand in your career.

This introduction could include your current role, years of experience, and what you like the most about your career or professional field. It gives the recruiter a hint of the qualities that make you valuable to the vacancy.

Your first sentence may read like so:

As a successful digital marketing professional with five years specialising in e-commerce, I have recently worked with several global brands in the sector to improve their marketing strategy and boost their reach.

Part 2: Your suitability and value

The next part of your statement should line up with the requirements in the job description and prove your relevant and impressive qualifications.

It's always best to address here the essential job specifications to articulate from the beginning that you're the right person for the job. For example, if the role requires management experience or a certain degree and you have these, say so.

Your middle sentences may look like this:

I have experience in optimising quality digital products via my most recent role and am therefore in tune with the latest developments across the online landscape. As a result, I have devised winning branding strategies for e-commerce businesses that are robust, customer-centric and set for aggressive growth.

Part 3: Your career goals

The last part of your personal statement should be short and snappy as it's reaffirming why you are applying for this vacancy.

It might read something like so:

I am currently looking for a senior branding or marketing management role within the e-commerce sector where I can maintain my strong track record and deliver similar results.

Complete CV personal profile examples

In addition to the samples above, here are a couple of complete personal statement examples to give you an idea of what yours should look like.

For a graduate, written in the third person:

A recent graduate with a first-class BSc degree in Mathematics, specialising in analytics and statistics. Holds commercial experience within the finance sector, thanks to an internship with a corporate UK business, and has resultantly developed technical skills in data science and data engineering. Has a proven ability to meet deadlines, prioritise, problem solve, and maintain high standards having balanced a part-time job alongside studies over the last three years. Now looking to secure a place on a graduate programme that will provide exposure to data science and career progression opportunities.

Addressing a recent redundancy, written in the first person:

I am a skilled and successful Product Engineer within the automotive industry, with an HND in mechanical engineering and seven years of experience in the sector. Having worked in a number of labs handling vehicle-based testing and mentoring development technicians, I am confident in managing teams in a hands-on environment and running new development projects from briefing to sign off. Currently looking for a role that complements my skill set and experience. Available immediately.

Writing your personal statement: common mistakes to avoid

There are some common profile errors that you should avoid. Steer clear of these popular pitfalls to keep your personal statement as powerful as possible.

Buzzword overload

Are you an extremely self-motivated, ambitious professional with extensive experience and passion for a certain industry? We thought so.

Buzzwords are great, and you'll find them in abundance in job adverts. But it's best to sprinkle just a few through your personal statement as they don't particularly provide evidence of your skill or ability. It's much stronger to show the employer how you're self-motivated and ambitious with an example.

Using a generic personal statement

You might think that your personal statement can work for every application. For the most part, it will, because, in theory, the jobs you're applying for will be similar and match your skill set.

However, you must tweak and tailor your statement (and your entire CV) so that it targets the skills each vacancy requires. Otherwise, it won't be as impactful.

Including too much waffle

As you begin to plan and write the personal statement for your CV, you'll most likely find that you have a lot more to say than you originally thought. Be careful not to overwrite as you may be left with a statement that's clogged with too many adjectives and is clunky to read.

As a rule of thumb, highlight your best bits in your personal statement and save the details for your cover letter .

FAQs about your personal statement

Now that we've shown you some examples of a personal statement on a CV, there's just one last thing to cover. Here are some frequently asked questions on the topic:

How long should a personal statement be?

When you're writing a personal statement for a CV, your word count should be between 50 and 200 words. Be sure not to waste any space with unnecessary waffle here.

Does a personal statement have other names?

Yes! The personal statement on your CV may also be called a personal profile, a CV summary, or a professional summary.

Does a CV (really) need a personal statement?

Yes, most CVs require a personal statement at the top of the page. Use our guide to help you write a summary that grabs the hiring manager's attention for the right reasons.

Stand out with a winning personal statement

Writing a captivating personal statement on your CV is a quick way to hook potential employers. Make sure that your summary showcases what makes you unique and adds value to your application.

Still unsure about your personal statement? Get in touch with one of our career experts by requesting a free CV critique today!

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

How To Write A Resume
Resume Skills Section
Resume Objective Section
Career Objective Section
Resume Reference Section
Resume Summary Section
Resume Summary Example
Resume Interests Section
Address On Resume
Relevant Work Experience
Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
Education Section On Resume
Contact Information On Resume
Statement Of Qualifications
How To List Publications On Resume
Accomplishments On Resumes
Awards On Resume
Dean's List On Resume
Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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Crafting Effective Resumes for International Students – Stand Out to U.S. Employers

For international students aiming to secure opportunities in the United States, understanding how to write an effective resume that caters to U.S. employers is crucial. It is worth understanding how and when to turn to a skilled and qualified paper writer for help if you know your weak points in advance. In this article, we’ll dissect the anatomy of an American resume, detailing the nuances, sharing actionable tips, and offering a step-by-step approach to ensure your resume stands out.

Understanding the U.S. Resume Format

Unlike CVs prevalent in many other countries, U.S. resumes typically follow a reverse-chronological layout, listing the most recent experience first. They’re concise, direct, and employer-oriented, focusing on the candidate’s skills, accomplishments, and relevant experiences.

Crafting a Compelling Resume Introduction

Begin your resume with a concise introduction or objective statement. This section should summarize your career goals and highlight your unique selling points. It sets the tone for the rest of your resume and provides context for recruiters, making it easier for them to understand your career trajectory and aspirations.

Highlighting Relevant Experience and Achievements

Your work experience is one of the most crucial sections of your resume. Here, highlight your relevant professional experiences, whether paid or unpaid. Describe your roles, responsibilities, and, most importantly, your achievements. Where possible, quantify these achievements with tangible metrics, showing the potential impact you can bring to the employer’s organization. Ensure you use active language and power words, such as “achieved,” “earned,” or “accomplished.”

Streamlining the Education Section

The education section should clearly outline your academic qualifications. List all your degrees, diplomas, and certifications in reverse chronological order. Also, highlight any relevant coursework, academic achievements, or honors. For international students, detailing any U.S. qualifications or certifications can be particularly advantageous.

Including Appropriate Personal Information

While you should include essential personal information, be cautious about sharing excessive details. U.S. recruiters focus on your skills and qualifications rather than personal attributes. Therefore, limit your personal information section to your full name, contact number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile or personal website (if applicable). For international students, it’s essential to clearly state your work authorization status.

Optimizing for Keywords and ATS Compatibility

With the proliferation of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), it’s vital to optimize your resume with relevant keywords. These keywords should align with the job description and required skills listed in the job posting. Including these keywords increases the chances of your resume passing through ATS filters and catching the recruiter’s attention.

Prioritizing Brevity and Simplicity

Aim for a one to two-page resume that’s easy to read and visually appealing. Use a clean, professional font and well-structured bullet points to ensure readability. Also, maintain reasonable margins and spacing. Remember, your resume should be a summary of your skills and experiences, not an exhaustive autobiography.

Emphasizing Skills and Proficiencies

The “Skills” section is your chance to showcase your abilities. List both hard skills (technical abilities or job-specific skills) and soft skills (interpersonal skills, problem-solving, etc.). Make sure the skills you list align with the job requirements. Highlighting language proficiencies can be a significant advantage for international students.

Crafting a Professional Summary Statement

Replace the old-fashioned “career objective” with a modern “summary statement.” This section should succinctly encapsulate your education, skills, experiences, and achievements. Use it to explain why you’d be an excellent fit for the role. Remember, this section plays a pivotal role in capturing your potential employer’s attention, so make it count.

Ensuring Proper Effective Resume Length and Format

While U.S. employers prefer a particular format for resumes, you should also be mindful of the length. For most roles, a one to two-page resume is acceptable. However, if you’re applying for senior-level roles or positions in academia or research, a longer resume might be necessary.

Including a Cover Letter

While not always explicitly required, it’s a good practice to include a personalized cover letter with your resume. A well-crafted cover letter can help you stand out and provide additional context to your resume. Make sure to tailor each cover letter to the specific job and company you’re applying to.

Proofreading and Review

Before you hit the ‘submit’ button, take the time to meticulously proofread your resume. Look out for any grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or inconsistencies. Having a second pair of eyes review your resume can also be beneficial.

Remember, writing an effective resume is an art. It requires a strategic approach and a good understanding of U.S. employers’ expectations. By following these tips, you can create a standout resume that not only highlights your qualifications and skills but also showcases your unique perspective as an international student.

Your journey to landing your dream job in the United States begins with a standout resume. Make it count!

What Is a CV and How Do You Write One?

Title: What Is a CV and How Do You Write One?

URL: /what-is-a-cv

Meta: Are you applying for a position requiring a CV? Continue reading for what to include, how to format it, and how to stand out.

So you are on a job hunt and looking for a new and exciting career. You have your resume ready when the hiring manager asks for your CV.

This causes you to panic because you have no idea what that is.

In today's job economy, job seekers must ensure they are prepared for any questions a prospective employer may ask them.

Continue reading for everything you need to know about what a CV is and how to write one.

What is a CV?

The term CV, Curriculum Vitae, is a Latin word meaning "course of life."

It is a document containing your academic credentials and previous work experience.

You typically don't require one unless you are applying to graduate school or have completed your master's or doctoral program and are now applying for an academic teaching or research position.

Related: These Tips can Help You Find the Right Job | Entrepreneur

What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

The key difference between a CV and a resume is that a resume is what you typically use when applying for a standard job application. A CV is used when applying for an academic program or teaching position.

The main point of a CV is to accurately depict any academic and research experience that you have acquired either through schooling, teaching experience or research and to provide this to potential recruiters.

This includes a detailed record of presentations and publications and tends to be longer and more detailed than a standard resume.

It is important to note that some employers use CV and resume interchangeably during job interviews.

This can be confusing, but the general rule of thumb is that if you apply for a position in academia , you will submit a CV.

If you are applying for a job outside of academia, you will provide them with your resume.

Related: 10 Tips For Writing An Impressive Resume | Entrepreneur

What should you include in your CV?

Now that you know the difference between a CV and a resume, what should you include in your CV?

Continue reading for everything a prospective employer, or a graduate program admissions committee, will look for in your CV.

Your personal information

Much like a typical resume, at the top of your CV, you can include the following contact information:

Your full name.
Your mailing address.
The best phone number to reach you at.
Your email address.
Your date of birth.

Education section

CVs are mainly used to apply for positions in academia, so this section of your CV is crucial.

In this section, you can list the educational programs you attended, the years you attended them, and the name of the institution where you attended.

You may want to break this information down using bullet points or follow a CV template to make it easy to read.

Some prospective employers may require you to provide more in-depth information, such as your grades for your completed programs.

They then use this information to determine whether your educational background matches the position you are applying for.

Related: 5 Components of an Attention-Grabbing Resume | Entrepreneur

Work experience section

When you add your work history to your CV, you will want to list all your recent work experience and any fellowships or internships you were a part of that relate to the position you are applying for in reverse chronological order.

For each of your previous jobs, you can include:

The name of your employer.
The specific role you had, including your job title.
How long you were employed at that specific job.
A detailed job description.
A list of any accomplishments or awards your employer awarded you.

Related: Not Enough Experience on Your Resume? Rise Above 'Requirements' | Entrepreneur

Any awards and honors you received

This is where you would include any awards or honors you have received while gaining professional experience at the academic level or during your previous employment.

These awards and honors may include:

Dean awards you were awarded.
Honorary degrees you received.
Presidential awards you obtained.
Professional certifications or awards.
Any awards you received from an employer for excellence.

List your relevant skills

If you have acquired a specific set of skills pertinent to the position you are applying for and haven't yet mentioned them in your CV, you can list them here.

These skills may include, but aren't limited to:

Language skills (such as being fluent in more than one language).
Computer skills you have acquired.
Advanced software skills you have obtained.

Related: 19 Best Skills to Put On a Resume That Employers Will Love | Entrepreneur

Your publications and presentations

If you were in school or working and published any academic or conference papers , you can list them here.

These include any papers that you wrote by yourself or co-wrote with other people as well as any papers that you helped contribute to.

You can include the following information regarding these published papers:

The name of the paper that was published.
The year it was published.
The names of any co-authors, if applicable.

You can also include any papers you have written and presented at a conference or association. Here you may want to include the following:

The name of the paper that was presented.
The name of the conference that it was presented at.
The date the paper was presented.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Writing the Perfect Resume | Entrepreneur

Any professional associations you are a member of

If you are a member of any professional associations, you can list those here.

This section is typically only required when you are applying for a position such as an accountant, engineer, surveyor or IT professional.

You can list all the associations you have an affiliation with here, as well as the current status of your membership.

How do you format your CV?

Now that you know what to include in your CV, you must ensure it is appropriately formatted.

Here are some tips and things to remember regarding your CV format.

Build your brand

You want to build your brand and stay consistent throughout your CV.

This is accomplished using the same font and formatting throughout your application for a cohesive feel. This can include:

Cover letter.
Reference list.
Research statement.

Emphasize only when necessary

Make sure only to use all capital letters, bold, underline and italics for the most critical information in your CV.

For example, you might want to bold the names of the schools you attended, especially if they are well-known, impressive institutions. But you wouldn't want to bold the dates you attended as this information isn't as important.

Separation is key

Separating dates from your other content using white space can make it easier for the reader to skim and take in the vital information.

You may even decide to line up all the dates on the right or left-hand side of the page to distinguish the more important parts for the reader.

Related: 13 Must-Have Words to Include In Your Resume | Entrepreneur

Make section headings easy to find

You can bold and use all capital letters to help distinguish your section headings and make them easier to find.

You can also strategically space them to help separate the different sections. This is typically done by entering two returns before a subheading and one return after.

Headers and footers

Having your name in a header or a footer on every page of your CV and other attached documentation is a good idea.

You may also want to include page numbers to ensure the pages don't get mixed up and out of order for the reader.

If you don't want a header or a footer on the first page of your CV, simply select "different first page" in the header/footer menu.

Listing your references

When listing your references, it is a good idea to include them on a separate page at the end of your CV.

You can list them one below the other or in two separate columns depending on the number of references you have and the look you are going for.

What is a personal statement?

Typically, admission committees also require you to provide a brief essay (anywhere from 500 to 2000 words) called a Personal Statement along with your CV. This is also known as a Statement of Interest or Purpose.

This is a crucial part of deciding whether or not you are a good fit for the job or program and also a good judge of your writing capabilities.

In general, what you may want to include in your Personal Statement includes:

Your research and professional interests.
What your future goals and career plan include.
How their workplace or program helps meet these goals.
What you will contribute to their organization.

Related: Use Your Personal Brand to Score Big at Job Interviews | Entrepreneur

How do you make your CV stand out?

There are a few things to remember to make your CV stand out from the rest .

Choose the proper format and font

Choosing the proper format and font can make a huge difference. You can't go wrong selecting a font such as Arial or Calibri for your CV.

Choosing a good, clean layout also helps you stand out and get noticed by potential recruiters.

Related: 8 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out From the Pack

Include a list of your soft skills

While a CV typically focuses on your schooling and work experience, list your soft skills to help you stand out.

These soft skills can include:

Communication skills.
Fast learner.
Emotional intelligence.
Resilience.
Team player.
Self-motivated.

Related: Soft Skills to Put on Your Resume | Entrepreneur

Explain any employment gaps

Did you take a year off of school or work to travel? Or maybe a family member became ill, and you took some time off to care for them.

Don't be afraid to explain why there is a gap in your employment history on your CV, as recruiters will notice this anyways.

Related: A Sabbatical Must Not Spoil your CV. Here's How you Can Explain the Gap | Entrepreneur

Remove outdated information

Before you start applying for any positions using your CV, ensure all the information on it is accurate and up-to-date.

This means taking off any old jobs irrelevant to the position you are applying for.

What have studies shown regarding CVs?

Studies have shown that a typical recruiter only looks at a CV for seven seconds before deciding whether a candidate is a good fit for the position.

This is why taking the time to make sure your CV is written clearly and professionally can make all the difference.

It has also been shown that 59% of recruiters will immediately reject an application if they find any typos, bad grammar or other spelling mistakes.

Showing you have gained knowledge and experience from your education and work experience can help you stand out. A recruiter wants to see that you have learned a lot and want to expand your knowledge as you move forward.

A recruiter will pay extra attention if you can show that you know the specific industry you are applying in, so always ensure your CV is up-to-date with any pertinent education or work experience.

Attention to detail matters

Whether you are applying for a graduate program or that dream job you have been working so hard for, ensuring you have a clear and concise CV is critical.

Ensuring your CV is formatted correctly, free of grammar and punctuation mistakes and includes all your relevant education and work experience can help you stand out.

Following the suggestions above and double-checking your CV once you have completed it, you may be on your way to landing that dream job.

Check out Entrepreneur's other guides and resources for more information about this topic.

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Create a custom curriculum vitae using free CV templates.

A curriculum vitae offers an excellent way for job seekers to showcase their academic background, career experiences, and skills. Now, you can customize your CV using professional layouts and graphics from Adobe Express. Print, email, or share your CV digitally with potential employers. Select a template to get started and see how easy it is to create an impressive CV. No design experience required.

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Showcase your breadth of experiences while letting your personality shine when you upload your own logo and apply a color scheme to your Adobe Express CV template of choice. You’ll even get curated font recommendations for your project, so you can be confident your design looks good. In minutes, you’ll have a polished document ready to be printed or sent out via email. Go back anytime to edit or update your CV as your professional experiences grow.

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Free CV templates for every possible career.

Build a CV in any style for any industry with the free Adobe Express editor. Then, duplicate your CV in the same project and use it as a template to make a matching cover letter or resume. When you’re finished, save your file as a PDF, JPG, or PNG to publish on your website and LinkedIn, or email it to the recipient in mind. You can print and mail it out, too.

Showcase your line of expertise.

A good CV allows you to promote yourself to potential employers and show them why they should hire you. Making a custom CV design lets you highlight skills or experiences that help you stand out and make a good first impression. The Adobe Express CV maker helps you create a CV in just a few clicks, no prior design experience necessary. Whether it’s for a part-time job or a full-time position, you can use the Adobe Express CV maker for free to create a CV online.

Impress recruiters with an up-to-date CV.

When writing a CV, include your general contact information and references. Also include important sections, such as your education and experience, honors or awards, publications and presentations, relevant professional activities, and skills. Format your CV in a way that makes it easy to read and carefully check your CV for any typographical or spelling errors. The online CV maker from Adobe Express gives you plenty of customization options so you can create a CV that best fits your needs quickly and easily.

Create easier with the Adobe Express CV maker.

With the Adobe Express CV, you can make your own CV design in minutes, no creative experience required. Choose from tons of CV templates to help you bring your CV vision to life. Drag and drop icons, graphics, and shapes to liven up your custom CV using simple editing features. If you plan on sharing your CV digitally, you can even add animated effects to any element and make your design pop. Making a CV from start to finish couldn't get easier with Adobe Express. All you need is an idea to get started.

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More From Forbes

The ultimate guide to writing a career change resume.

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Changing careers doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with a resume crafted to highlight your ... [+] transferrable skills.

Your resume is one of the most critical tools during a career transition. Crafted thoughtfully, a career change resume can effectively highlight transferable skills and experiences from your old career to the new one, showcasing you as a prime candidate for your dream job .

Career change resumes offer a different narrative of a person’s experience versus someone looking to advance in their current industry. Transferrable skills are the most important to highlight.

What Success Looks Like In A Career Change

A successful career change doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. It can involve leveraging existing skills in a new context or applying knowledge from one industry to another. Success is about finding a role where you can make a meaningful contribution, and it often requires a blend of determination and strategic planning. The story you tell so far in your career that paints you as the right person for the job is vital to your resume being seen by the hiring manager.

Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Your Career Change Resume

It’s a fine line between highlighting what makes you unique and ensuring your document aligns with industry expectations. Here’s how to do it right.

Identify Your Transferrable Skills

Before opening a Word document or choosing a resume template, the first step is to take stock of your skills. Begin by closely examining your previous roles and jotting down the skills they entailed. Try categorizing them into hard skills—like technical skills and software proficiencies—and soft skills—such as communication and leadership abilities.

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Katy perry met gala dresses go viral but they re ai fakes, huawei pura 70 ultra global version just available with features that outdo samsung galaxy, brainstorm your narrative.

What is your career change story? Who’s the audience that will be listening to it? These are the overarching questions that will guide your resume writing process. You’ll want to combine your reasons for changing careers with your past experiences and future aspirations.

When crafting your career change narrative, consider these critical questions to create a cohesive and compelling story:

What motivated your career change? Reflect on the reasons behind your decision to shift careers. Was it a pursuit of passion, a need for a new challenge or an inevitable industry change affecting your previous role?
How do your past experiences contribute to your new direction? Evaluate how your previous roles have equipped you with unique skills and perspectives that will benefit your target industry or role.
What accomplishments in your career thus far can illustrate your suitability for this new path? Identify specific achievements that demonstrate your capability and readiness for the change.
How have you prepared for the transition? Consider any additional training, courses or self-led learning you’ve undertaken to bridge any skill gaps.
What are your long-term goals in this new career? Define what success looks like for you in this new field and how you plan to achieve it.

Choosing The Right Resume Format

The format of your resume is dependent on your career trajectory. A functional resume may be the best way to draw attention to your skills if you’re making a big career leap. A hybrid resume, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats, can also work well for career changers, as it allows you to detail your skills while still providing a job history.

Elements Of A Stand-Out Career Change Resume

The typical resume sections are still relevant: Skills, competencies, accolades, experience, volunteer work, education and training. For career changers, add a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of a snapshot as your elevator pitch. Instead of explaining what you are looking for, you highlight your top accolades, position and projects you’re currently working on; it shouldn’t be any longer than three sentences.

For example, “I’m Jane Doe, a marketing professional who brought the newest Target campaign to 100 million Instagram accounts. I’ve excelled in connecting influencers with top brands and have hosted over 150 brand activations.”

Make sure to include all the important elements on your resume to make you stand out. Having a short ... [+] story or narrative of who you are also helps.

Words and Phrases To Include In Resume

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to the job you’re applying for, but also aim to include industry-specific terms from your previous career to highlight the breadth of your experience.

Cross-functional expertise: Demonstrates the ability to work across various departments, enhancing team synergy and project outcomes.
Quick Learner: Indicates your capacity to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills, reducing the learning curve in a new role.
Innovative Thinker: Shows your capability to think creatively and bring new ideas to the table, driving progress.
Versatile Professional: Indicates a broad skillset and flexibility, positioning you as a candidate capable of handling various responsibilities

Do’s And Don’ts Of Resume Etiquette

Do focus on your achievements and how they demonstrate your capabilities, not just the tasks you’ve performed.
Do quantify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages whenever possible to add weight to your claims.
Don’t include unrelated job experiences that don’t align with the position you’re targeting.
Don’t gloss over any employment gaps resulting from your career change. Instead, use these gaps to explain how you spent that time productively, such as through continuing education or volunteer work.

Your career change resume aims to get your foot in the door for an interview. Invest time in perfecting your career change resume, and you’ll find that employers will be more than willing to listen to the rest of your story.

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How To Write a Personal Statement on a CV (with Examples)
Therefore, it should be compelling, attention-grabbing and tailored to the particular position. Here are three steps to take to create a compelling and effective personal statement: 1. State who you are. Start with a statement detailing where you are in your career. This should communicate your current position in your profession and field of ...
17 CV personal statement examples 2024
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.
20+ Good CV Personal Statement Examples (& How to Write)
Here's a personal statement from an administrative assistant's CV that shows you how to write your own: 2. Customer service CV personal statement. This personal statement for a customer service CV underscores the applicant's years of experience with strategic bolding and showcases their customer service skills: 3.
How to Write a CV Personal Statement [20 Examples Included]
Here's how to write a CV personal statement and pitch yourself to a hiring professional: #1. Introduce Yourself. The very first sentence of your personal statement should indicate that you're a serious candidate for the position. Describe yourself and your work experience using strong adjectives and action verbs.
How to Write a Resume Personal Statement (6 Tips + Examples)
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.
Resume Personal Statement: How to Write & 7+ Good Examples
Here's a well-written final sentence for a personal statement: Proven expertise and results in financial planning for rapidly growing companies are a perfect fit for your company as it undertakes aggressive international expansion. Resume personal statement examples. Here are five good examples of professional resume statements: 1.
How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples]
CV Personal Statement Examples #1: Personal Statement Example for Recent Graduate CV #2: Personal Statement Example for Returning to the Workforce CV #3: Personal Statement Example for a Career Change CV #4: Personal Statement Example for a Experienced Professional CV Conclusion. Creating an effective CV takes time and close attention to detail.
How to Write a CV Personal Statement + Examples
Here's how to write a personal statement step-by-step: 1. Say Who You Are in the First Sentence. The first sentence of your personal profile must show that you're a serious candidate for the job. So, skip your zodiac sign or your favorite football team, even if they're a big part of who you are.
How to write a personal statement for your CV
Get straight to the point: avoid lengthy descriptions and make your testimonies punchy and informative. Keep it between 50 to 200 words maximum. If you have enough space, use 1.5 line spacing to ...
Writing a personal statement for your CV
Tailor your CV personal statement (and CV in general) to each application. Be honest. Untruths are easy to uncover and lying on your CV is a criminal offence. Provide evidence of skills and experience but remember to keep it brief. For example, 'experienced event manager, who led a team to organise a charity ball for 150 people, raising £5,000 ...
CV Personal Statement Examples and Tips
The personal statement on your CV is the one place where it's okay to talk about yourself in the third person. However, using pronouns, for example, "he is a conscientious worker with 12 years of experience..." is a step too far. Instead, drop the pronouns, so that would become "A conscientious worker with 12 years of experience…".
How To Write A Resume Personal Statement (With Examples)
If a personal statement is the one you need, stay with us. The Elements Of A Good Personal Statement. A good CV personal statement or personal profile has 5 simple elements: State who you are; Write 2-3 suitable skills; Include 2-3 achievements; Write the name of your target company; What you hope to do for your new employer.
CV Personal Statement: Examples and Actionable Tips
A good personal statement is about 3-4 sentences long and occupies not more than 1/4th of the page. Alternatively, you can design a two-column CV and allocate the upper sidebar area for your personal statement. As a recent survey found, 77% of recruiters prefer two-column CVs to single-column ones.
Personal Statement for CV: Examples & Tips
Here are some CV personal statement examples demonstrating that: Nurse "Maintained medical needs for 20 residents, leading in times of high-stress, administering high-level medical care to all individuals.". Electrician "Responsible for Hightrees development which was given an industry award for low energy consumption.".
17 resume personal statement examples 2024
17 resume 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 resume summary examples instead.
Best CV Personal Profile Examples
18 Apr 2021. What is a CV personal profile? A personal profile, also known as a CV summary, is the opening statement of your CV. It is a short introduction which outlines your personal characteristics, telling the prospective employer what kind of a person you are, the attributes and qualities that you possess and the work experience that you have.
Craft a winning personal statement for your CV to stand out
Here are some expert-backed tips for writing a good personal statement on your CV. 1. Keep it short and on point. Keep your personal statement clean and concise. It's typically around four sentences long, or about 50 to 200 words. If you're overshooting that word count, see which nonessential parts can be omitted. 2.
How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)
You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my). Resume objective.
Best Resume Formats for 2024 [8+ Professional Examples]
Learn the ins and outs of writing a resume. From formatting to fonts, we cover every topic. Cover Letter Help. ... Include essential sections like contact information, a summary or objective statement, work experience, education, and relevant skills. Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise language to convey your accomplishments and ...
Crafting Effective Resumes for International Students
Begin your resume with a concise introduction or objective statement. This section should summarize your career goals and highlight your unique selling points. It sets the tone for the rest of your resume and provides context for recruiters, making it easier for them to understand your career trajectory and aspirations.
What Is a CV and How Do You Write One?
What is a personal statement? Typically, admission committees also require you to provide a brief essay (anywhere from 500 to 2000 words) called a Personal Statement along with your CV.
Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab
The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives.
Free CV Maker: Create a Curriculum Vitae Online
Impress recruiters with an up-to-date CV. When writing a CV, include your general contact information and references. Also include important sections, such as your education and experience, honors or awards, publications and presentations, relevant professional activities, and skills.
The Ultimate Guide To Writing A Career Change Resume
Words and Phrases To Include In Resume. When it comes to the actual writing, it's essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to ...

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

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

What is a Personal Statement?

Why do I Need a Personal Statement?

Where do I Start?

CV Personal Statement Examples

#1: Personal Statement Example for Recent Graduate CV

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

#3: Personal Statement Example for a Career Change CV

#4: Personal Statement Example for a Experienced Professional CV

How to Write a CV Personal Statement + Examples

What Is a Personal Statement for a CV or Resume?

How to Write a Personal Statement in 6 Steps

1. Say Who You Are in the First Sentence

2. Show Skills Tailored to the Job Posting

3. State a Specific Goal That Aligns with the Company

4. Mention Relevant Experience or Background

5. Provide Facts & Figures to Back Up Achievements

6. Keep It Short and on Point

Personal Profile Template

CV Personal Profile Example

20+ Personal Statement Examples

Personal Statement Examples for Experienced Candidates

CV Profile Example: Marketing Jobs

Personal Profile for CV Example: Teaching Assistant Jobs

Profile Summary for CV—Sample for IT Support Jobs

Personal Career Profile Sample for a Graphic Designer

CV Profile Sample for Software Engineers

Personal Statement for Nurse CV

Personal Profile for Project Manager CV

Personal Statement Example for Teaching Jobs

CV Profile for HR Jobs

Personal Statement Examples for Students

Personal Profile for College Student CV

CV Profile Sample for Business Administration Graduates

Personal Statement for a High-School Student CV

CV Profile for Internships

Personal Statement Examples for Entry-Level Applicants

Personal Profile for Entry-Level Customer Service CV

CV Profile Sample for Entry-Level Sales Jobs

Entry-Level Personal Statement Example for Personal Assistant CV

CV Profile Sample for Entry-Level Cashier Jobs

Entry-Level Personal Statement Example for Waitress Jobs

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How To Write A Resume Personal Statement (With Examples)

In This Guide:

1. State who you are

2. Add measurements to your achievements

3. State your career objectives

4. Keep your personal statement short

Resume Personal Statement for Career Changers Example

Resume Personal Statement for Entry Level Job

Resume personal statement for experienced professional

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CV Personal Statement: Examples and Actionable Tips

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