How to write a CV personal statement (with 10 examples)
Updated
A CV personal statement — also called a profile or summary — is the short paragraph at the top of your CV that tells an employer who you are, what you offer and what you want next. Keep it to three or four lines (roughly 50–80 words), write it for the specific job, and back up any claim with something concrete. Below is a simple formula and ten examples you can adapt.
A simple 3-part formula
- Who you are: your current role or status and years of experience ("Qualified electrician with 8 years' experience…").
- What you bring: one or two strengths with proof ("…completed 300+ domestic rewires with zero failed inspections").
- What you want: the role you are applying for, linked to the employer ("…looking to join a commercial contractor as a site supervisor").
Rules that make it work
- Write in the first person without "I" ("Experienced nurse…" rather than "I am an experienced nurse…") or in full first person — just be consistent.
- Use words from the job advert where they are true for you; this also helps with applicant tracking systems.
- Replace vague adjectives ("hard-working, passionate") with evidence.
- Do not repeat your whole CV; pick the two facts that matter most for this job.
10 personal statement examples
All examples are fictional. Change every detail so it describes you accurately.
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| Graduate | Business Management graduate (2:1) with a final-year project on supplier costs that identified £12k of savings for a local manufacturer. Seeking a graduate analyst role where I can apply Excel and data skills. |
| School leaver / first job | Reliable sixth-form student with weekend experience at a busy café, used to handling cash and serving up to 200 customers a shift. Looking for a part-time retail role alongside my studies. |
| Career changer | Former secondary-school teacher moving into learning and development, bringing 7 years of designing lessons for mixed-ability groups and a recent CIPD Level 5 certificate. |
| Retail | Sales assistant with 4 years' experience in fashion retail, consistently in the top three for monthly sales in a team of 15. Seeking a supervisor role. |
| Administration | Office administrator who manages diaries for three directors and introduced a digital filing system that cut document search time by half. |
| Customer service | Contact-centre adviser handling 70+ calls a day with a 92% first-contact resolution rate, ready to move into a team leader position. |
| IT / software | Junior developer with 2 years' experience in JavaScript and React, contributor to an open-source accessibility library, seeking a front-end role in a product team. |
| Healthcare | Registered nurse with 5 years on a busy surgical ward, experienced in mentoring students and leading shift handovers, looking for a theatre recovery post. |
| Hospitality | Commis chef with 3 years in a 120-cover restaurant and a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, aiming to progress to chef de partie. |
| Returner after a break | Experienced bookkeeper returning after a two-year career break, with current Xero certification and recent volunteer work as treasurer for a community group. |
Mistakes to avoid
- Writing more than five lines — recruiters skim this section in seconds.
- Using the same statement for every application.
- Clichés without proof: "team player", "thinks outside the box", "go-getter".
- Mentioning salary, personal circumstances or reasons for leaving.
Put it into your CV
Your statement should match the rest of your CV. Follow the full structure in how to write a CV, pick the right skills for your CV, or add it directly in the CV builder.