Guide · Jobs · About a 6-minute read
How to write a personal statement for a job (UK)
"Personal statement" means two different things in UK job hunting. It can be the short profile at the top of your CV, or the longer supporting statement on an application form. Here's how to write both, with examples you can adapt.
1. The CV personal statement (profile)
Three to five lines at the top of your CV that answer three questions: who are you, what are you good at, and what do you want next? Change it for each type of job you apply for.
A simple formula
- Who you are: your current role or level, plus years of experience.
- Proof: one or two strengths with a result or number.
- Goal: the job you're applying for, in the employer's words.
Examples
Experienced: "Customer service team leader with six years' experience in busy contact centres, managing a team of 12 and consistently beating response-time targets. Trained on Zendesk and Salesforce, and known for coaching new starters to full speed in their first month. Looking for an operations supervisor role where I can improve service and team performance."
Career changer: "Former retail supervisor moving into office administration, with five years of rota planning, stock control and handling customer complaints. Confident with Excel, Outlook and booking systems, and recently completed a free online Excel course. Looking for an administrator role in a friendly, organised team."
School or college leaver: "Reliable and well-organised college leaver with a Level 2 in Business and part-time experience at a busy café, where I handled cash, opened up on Saturdays and trained two new staff. Looking for an apprenticeship in business administration."
2. The supporting statement on an application form
Councils, schools, charities and the NHS usually shortlist by ticking off the person specification. Your supporting statement should make that easy.
- List the criteria. Copy every essential and desirable point from the person specification.
- Give one real example per point. Use a simple shape: the situation, what you did, and what happened.
- Follow their order and words. Use the criteria as headings, or at least in the same order, so nothing gets missed.
- Open and close briefly. One short paragraph on why you want this job at this organisation, and one line to close.
- Check the limit. If the form gives a word count, stay under it. If not, 500 to 1,500 words is usual.
Example paragraph for one criterion
Criterion: "Experience of handling difficult conversations with members of the public."
"In my role at Harlow Leisure Centre I was often the first point of contact for complaints. One example was a parent upset that their child's swimming lesson had been cancelled without notice. I listened, apologised, explained why it had happened, and offered a free make-up lesson and a place on the waiting list for a different time. They left happy and later wrote to the manager to thank me. I now handle around ten complaints a week and escalate fewer than one a month."
Common mistakes
- Clichés without proof. "Hard-working team player" means nothing unless an example backs it up.
- One statement for every job. Shortlisters can tell. Change at least the goal line and the examples.
- Missing a criterion on the person specification. A missing essential point is often an automatic no.
- American spelling for a UK employer, and unexplained abbreviations.
- Personal details such as age, date of birth or marital status. UK employers don't need them.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a personal statement on a CV be?
- Three to five lines, about 50 to 150 words. It sits at the top of your CV under your name and says who you are, what you're good at and what job you want next.
- What is a supporting statement on an application form?
- It's the longer free-text box on many UK application forms, especially for councils, schools and the NHS. It's where you show, with examples, how you meet each point on the person specification. It's often 500 to 1,500 words, unless the form gives a limit.
- Should a personal statement be in the first person?
- On a CV profile, many people leave out "I" ("Reliable warehouse operative with four years' experience..."). On an application form supporting statement, write naturally in the first person. Either way, be consistent.
- How do I match the person specification?
- Copy the essential and desirable criteria into a list, then write a short paragraph for each one with a real example: what the situation was, what you did and what happened. Use the same headings or order as the specification so the shortlister can tick them off.
- What should I leave out?
- Clichés with no proof ("hard-working team player"), anything you can't back up at interview, salary expectations, and personal details such as age, marital status or a photo, which UK employers don't need.
Want it written for you?
TCH Works rewrites CVs to a clear UK standard, including a personal statement written for the job you're applying for. A CV rewrite is £25, CV plus a cover letter is £40, and the full pack with your LinkedIn headline and About section is £60. You get Word and PDF files within 2 working days, and we never add experience you don't have.