What is a personal profile?
Sometimes called the personal statement or personal summary, the personal profile is a brief section right at the top of your CV that ‘sells’ you to the reader. It should grab attention and make them want to read the rest of your details.
Why is a personal profile needed on my CV?
It’s more than just needed, it’s essential. It’s a brief overview of who you are; your ideals and your goals. After reading it, the reader should feel like they have an idea or ‘feeling’ about you, without having met or even seen you.
It really is your chance to create a good first impression. And you only get one chance to make a first impression, as the saying goes. Summing up your specific skills and experience relevant to the role you are applying for, the reader will be compelled to read on.
How long should it be?
About four or five lines of text should be plenty for your personal summary – think a max of around 180-200 words. Keeping it succinct and to the point is the idea here – keep in mind that it’s a summary, not a Cover Letter.
Does my personal profile need a title?
A simple, to-the-point CV is best, so placing your personal statement right at the top should be enough (under your name and contact details) don’t waste space stating that it’s a personal profile – it should be obvious, consider increasing the font size slightly and make it bold or italicise it to make it stand out.
How to write the personal profile
Ok, so who are you? Answer that question in the first sentence – “An ambitious university graduate with a 2:1 degree in Economics and a commitment to pursuing a career in a related field.”
Remember to point out the most important information immediately after; why you’re applying for the role and what you’ll bring to it. Mention any relevant skills and finish with a summary of your professional goals – where you want to end up, professionally – but don’t suggest that this job is merely a steppingstone.
So, your finished personal profile may look something like this:
“An ambitious university graduate with a 2:1 degree in Economics and a commitment to pursuing a career in economics or a finance-related field. I have two years of work experience with XYZ company, giving me real-world skills to apply to what I have learned. I wish to excel in an Economics-focused role, eventually resulting in leading a team of Economists.”
Dos and don’ts
Before you craft your own personal statement, please check out our simple checklist of dos and don’ts:
Do
- Keep it brief and clearly expressed – no waffle!
- Evidence of your skills and experience – but again, no waffle – just enough to spark interest.
- Remember that it’s YOU that you’re selling – keep it focused on you.
- Make the profile purposeful – show that you know your subject, but don’t sound arrogant.
- Meet the job spec in your statement – show that it’s you they need for this role.
- You do you – show the recruiter who you are, be real.
- Proofread – always, get someone else to check it for you, then check it again.
- Read it out – if it sounds natural, great, if not, give it a tweak
- Use an Active Voice – words like, ‘built’, ‘planned’, ‘created’, etc.
Don’t
- Get carried away with ‘buzzwords’ – a list of empty, overused phrases isn’t very helpful, if you really must, then use them sparingly
- Use poor grammar – make sure to keep the tense and person the same.
- Be dull – you want to keep the reader engaged with your exciting profile, not turn them off.
- Copy – by all means use guidance and examples but keep it fresh.
- Ramble or waffle – keep it succinct and to the point.
Article courtesy of CV Library