Sometimes the smallest detail can let a whole CV down. Your personal statement is the first thing on your CV that a potential employer will read so you want to make sure it sends all the right messages.

Writing a personal statement is not an easy task and might take some time and effort, especially if you’ve never written one before. If you have written a CV and personal statement before, or even many times before, it’s a good idea to regularly go back over what you’ve written in the past to make sure it’s still relevant and appropriate. A bad personal statement can scupper your efforts to land that dream job.

We’ve already covered the basics of why and how to write a personal statement, but below is our list of personal statement dos and don’ts to consider when you’re writing yours.

Do:

• Get straight to the point. The best personal statements are short and concise. Cut out anything which is not relevant to the job. Aim for roughly 100-200 words.
• Make sure you cover the key information: who you are, what you can bring to the role, and what career goals you hope to achieve in the future. Using these three key points as guidance will help keep your personal statement structured and relevant.
• Back up what you say with examples or figures. Giving evidence of your statements makes them more credible and keep statements specific.
• Avoid clichés. You want your CV to stand out from the rest, and chances are many other people have included the common cliché statements, and the reader has heard them all before. Keep your CV as individual as possible to stand out from other applicants.
• Use the job description as guidance. You want to show employers that you meet the requirements for the role – follow what’s written in the job description and highlight your strongest skills which are relevant to the job. If you can show that you tick all the boxes of what an employer is looking for your application is much more likely to be shortlisted.

Top tip: use words and phrases like successfully, developed, proven, track-record, experienced, delivering results. Although cliché statements should be avoided, buzzwords like these can help make your CV stand out to a reader.

Don’t:

• Be vague or generic. Although you’ll have to put in more time and effort to tailor each CV you send out, you’ll vastly increase your chances of being hired and so will save time in the long run.
• Focus too much on yourself. Of the three key points to get across you want to focus most on what you can bring to the role that others can’t i.e. why you should be hired over everyone else.
• Include information that should be in your cover letter. Remember that your personal statement is a brief introduction. Keep statements and examples short and concise to get the reader’s attention. You can then elaborate on successes and achievements in your cover letter and employment history.
• Write a list. Try to avoid starting every sentence with “I…” as this soon gets boring and doesn’t serve to tell the reader anything they don’t already know i.e. that your CV is about you! Choose your main points and write them in a short but engaging style.
• Underestimate the benefit of reading your personal statement out loud. This will help make sure it flows nicely. Ask friends or family members to read it back to you. Collectively you’ll be more likely to spot mistakes or awkward wording. You want to make sure the writing of your CV doesn’t let down its content.

Top tip: remember not to switch between tenses and writing styles, always re-read and spellcheck your work, don’t include any personal information, don’t write in slang or colloquialisms.