Introduction

The aim of this guide is to walk you through, step by step, how to create a personal statement for a job application that will maximise your chances of securing a job interview. A personal statement is all about telling the employer why you meet the requirements for the job. Providing relevant evidence will make it easier for them to see you as a match and therefore put you through to interview stage. The hard part comes long before you begin writing a personal statement; you need to make sure you have evidence that you meet the requirements of the job to write about in the first place. This is usually developed from paid work or voluntary experience but can also be gained through club and society membership, course group/project work and other developmental opportunities, such as placements. Therefore, aim to get as much experience as you can, relevant to the field of work you are interested in. Give yourself plenty of time to write your statement, as the more effort you put in, the more responses you will get back. Each statement must be written specifically for the job you are applying for, although you will be able to reuse bits from past statements once you have done a few. Personal statements are not easy documents to write, especially at first, but if you can master the art of writing a good personal statement each time you apply for a job, then you will find that you are never job searching for long. If you require any clarification or more in-depth one-to-one guidance, please do not hesitate to contact one of the Faculty Employability Advisers at the University.