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Posted on: 16/05/2012 11:05.
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Writing a personal statement

Some application forms leave a large empty space at the end for you to “sell yourself”, in terms of your suitability for the job or course. You might be asked to “provide evidence in support of your application”, including your reasons for applying. This type of section is usually found on application forms for postgraduate courses and on some job application forms.

This part of a form is extremely important and it is a chance to present your strengths to the reader and to show why you are a good candidate. As this is usually a substantial section, take time to plan it so that your information comes across effectively.    

Give your statement a clear structure, possibly using sub headings based upon the wording of the question, to enable the reader to see that you have addressed their criteria.

Personal statements for job applications

Organisations which tend to have a personal statement section in their application forms include many public sector organisations such as local authorities and the NHS, but private sector companies do have them too.

A typical example of what you are asked to write is:

“In this space please give your reasons for applying for this job and additional information showing how you meet the person specification, including relevant skills and experience.”

What should I include?

Think about what you can bring to the job, paying close attention to the employer’s requirements. The person specification should be kept in mind when you write your statement so that your content is relevant.  Some suggestions to include in your statement are:

Your reasons for applying for the job

If you are asked to give your reasons for applying for this job, this can be a good starting point for your personal statement. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the job, your motivation to do that kind of work and your interest in that particular organisation.

Keep the focus of your answer on what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you. This means concentrating on what you can bring to the job, rather than writing about your hopes of a huge salary and frequent trips overseas to exotic locations! 

The relevance of your studies at university

Your degree subjects might be directly relevant to the job, in which case do capitalise on this and emphasise any modules which are particularly useful. If your degree is not relevant, there will still be “transferable skills” you have developed on your course which the employer is likely to be interested in. See the section below on “skills” for more about this.

Your work experience, including voluntary work

This is important to refer to, even though you will have recorded this on another part of the form. Experience in the workplace will have given you an appreciation of employers’ perspectives, their business needs and their expectations of their employees. Draw attention to any particular achievements and responsibilities you have experienced at work, unless you have written about these in some detail already elsewhere on the form.

Skills

Providing evidence of the skills the employer requires is usually a key part of a personal statement. Make sure that you complement rather than duplicate any sections you have filled in about your skills in “competency based questions”. Give examples of when you have used the skills, but do not go into as much detail as you would in the competency based questions sections, if these occur on the form.

Interests and Responsibilities

These can show you to be a well rounded person and can also provide evidence of some of the personal qualities and skills the employer is looking for. State what you have got out of hobbies rather than just listing them e.g. have you been able to show leadership ability through your interests, taken part in team based activities or shown initiative?

Final Points

Keep to any word limits and check to see if you are invited to continue on a separate sheet.  Avoid long, complex sentences and be clear and concise. Use positive language and express your enthusiasm for the job. Check your draft statement for spelling and grammatical errors and give it to a friend to read too as it is easy to miss your own mistakes.

Sample Personal Statement

The following statement gives an example of how you might complete the large empty space at the end of a form in which you have to “sell yourself”, in terms of your suitability for the job. Take care to answer the question directly with clear supporting information so that you are backing up your claims with actual evidence. In this case the applicant is asked to write about why they have chosen to apply for this kind of work and to refer to the Key Criteria which will have been given stating the skills and other criteria of relevance to the job.

Why have you chosen to apply for this particular type of work? Please demonstrate how you meet the Key Criteria.

"I believe that training as an Audiologist will give me an opportunity to join a healthcare profession, to which I feel I can make a real contribution. My passion to work in the NHS has developed through the many placements I have experienced in various parts of the NHS as well as extensive experience of working in other public sector organisations such as local government. 

I have always found that I have a genuine care and concern for patients during my work experiences, such as in St Mark’s Hospital’s Audiology Department, by listening diligently and wanting to know more about their problems. During my month here I found that Audiology is a satisfying and challenging area of work and I enjoyed the practical aspects of the job and the use of scientific knowledge in assessing patients and finding appropriate solutions to hearing difficulties.

I enjoy interacting with others and am able to work well under considerable pressure, which I have been faced with on a weekly basis during my time as a Sales Adviser. My positive personality has allowed me to handle uncomfortable situations at work in a calm, collected manner, for instance dealing successfully with complaints from customers. My ability to speak three different languages and communicate effectively with people of all ages,  will help me to fulfil the requirements of the job further.

My interpersonal skills, including my communication skills, have been developed through working with others on group projects, giving presentations and also through my Personal and Professional Development module. This module has also allowed me to reflect on my actions and write notes in an orderly, accurate and clear manner. Feedback from members of my project group showed that I am thought to be good at co-operating with others and this will be important when working in a multi-professional environment in hospitals.

I have also gained excellent marks in my laboratory reports, through modules such as Mechanisms of Disease and Immunology. My accurate use of laboratory equipment during practicals, shows my dexterity and attention to detail. Other modules such as Statistics have helped improve my analytical and numerical skills, and I ended year 2 with the overall average mark of 76%. 

The commitment that I have to Audiology, my relevant skills and the realistic understanding that I have about the nature of the work make me an excellent candidate for this opportunity."

Don't forget that when you have written a personal statement you can get it checked by a Career Development Adviser.

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