writing about dofe in personal statement

Username or email  *

Password  *

Forgotten password?

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8834 4579

How To Use Duke Of Edinburgh's Award In Your Application

Did you know that 330,000 young people work on their DofE each year? Make sure you stand out from the crowd by being strategic with how you discuss your experience in your Personal Statement.

Last year 330,000 young people worked on their Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award and it’s mentioned in countless university applications. Masumah, who blogs at lifeofamedic.com , explains how you can strategically use your experience to enhance your Medicine application .

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is something most of you will have done at various different levels and you’ll probably want to leverage it to help boost your chances of getting into Medical School . However, there’s no advantage to mentioning the DofE if you just briefly state in your Personal Statement “I have got my Bronze DofE award” because almost every applicant would have done the same.

If you mention the DofE you want to talk about specific things, show what you’ve learnt from it, and of course, link it to Medicine.

How To Discuss The Expedition

The expedition is what many people think of when mentioning their DofE experience, and it’s a great example because it teaches you things like leadership and teamwork. When including this in your Personal Statement you should think about the positives and negatives surrounding the team dynamics of your group. Did you run into any problems or challenges during the expedition and how did you resolve them? What was your role within the team? Were you able to look out for your fellow team members?

You would have also had an opportunity to lead the group for part of the walk, so make sure to reflect on your own performance as leader and how you feel your strategy could have been improved. What were your responsibilities as the leader? Why was that important for the particular task you were doing? It’s all about self-evaluation and showing an appreciation for the importance of these qualities.

How To Discuss Your Volunteering Hours

Any form of volunteering is great for Medicine. For my DofE I spent time volunteering at a hospice – and obviously this has a clear link to Medicine, but the place of volunteering doesn’t necessarily have to be medically related for you to be able to mention it.

One of the main things that volunteering is really good for is showing your commitment, especially if you carried on for a long period of time. I know a lot of people continue the volunteering role that they started as part of the DofE, so if you’ve been doing something for six months to a year, or even longer, definitely write about it and make sure to mention the timescale.

Get More Volunteering Experience

Join our Volunteering & Reflection Programme

How To Discuss Your Skills Development

The skill you chose to learn can be quite often linked to Medicine, so this is your opportunity to show how that would make you a better Doctor in the future. Perhaps you chose to learn sign language, for example? I decided to spend time learning a new language, which of course would be helpful.

Teaching children is another skill you might have decided to learn and that would be worth writing about. Being able to teach others is useful in the medical field; at almost every stage of your career you’ll be expected to some form of teaching with your juniors. Even if you can’t see the relevance of your skill to Medicine, being able to show your discipline and motivation and explain what the skill had also taught you is a good way to stand out.

How To Discuss The Physical Section

If you choose to mention this in your Personal Statement, you should focus on your reflections of the experience. Think about the physical activity you chose to do and ask yourself: did it help you to relax? Did it help you to maintain a good work-life balance?

The physical section is important due to the fact that that you’re maintaining your own health and wellbeing, which is something that is drummed into you when you start Medical School . Being able to write about not just a healthy habit but also what you’ve learned from this experience will help Admissions Tutors understand you as a fully rounded person – and it may be a nice talking point when you’re mentioning how you’d fit in well during your Med School interview .

Start Volunteering!

Get volunteering opportunities plus access to modules that will help you reflect on your experience - and a year’s subscription to TMP MedSoc.

Work Experience Guide

Discover Med School work experience requirements, how to build your experience, and how to reflect meaningfully.

General Advice Tutoring

Not sure where to start with your Medicine application? Book a General Advice session and we'll help you get into Medicine.

Join Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list for weekly updates and tips on how to get into Medicine.

PREVIOUS ARTICLE

How Doing An EPQ Can Boost Your Medicine Application

NEXT ARTICLE

How To Make Your Fifth UCAS Choice For Medicine

Loading More Content

Would you like to explore a topic?

LEARNING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

Or read some of our popular articles?

Free downloadable english gcse past papers with mark scheme.

• 19 May 2022

The Best Free Homeschooling Resources UK Parents Need to Start Using Today

• Joseph McCrossan
• 18 February 2022

How Will GCSE Grade Boundaries Affect My Child’s Results?

• Akshat Biyani
• 13 December 2021

What Is The Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS Application Connection?

• November 22, 2021

What is the Duke of Edinburgh award?

How old do you have to be to do dofe, how to apply for duke of edinburgh award, what are the duke of edinburgh award ucas application points, why should you do the duke of edinburgh award, how do i add my duke of edinburgh to my ucas application, does the duke of edinburgh award look good on a cv, is the duke of edinburgh award a professional qualification, is the duke of edinburgh award important for university, d of e and ucas myths and truths, is the duke of edinburgh award worth it.

The DofE award is a program independent from school qualifications that young people choose to undertake. Working towards the DofE leads many young people to gain life skills, work experience and push themselves out of their comfort zone. 

With an emphasis on personal development and practical experience, it is no surprise that many young people take up the DofE to help boost university applications and CVs with something more than academic achievements.

The Duke of Edinburgh award has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. 🏆

Many young people obtain their Bronze DofE award before progressing onto Silver and Gold awards, but teenagers can dive straight into their Gold award if they are 16 years old or over. 

Each level of the DofE becomes increasingly more challenging, with more time required for each section. 

A Bronze and Silver DofE award have the same four sections to be completed, and a Gold DofE award has a fifth section: 

• Volunteering broken down

Physical broken down

Participating in any regular physical activity , for example playing in a football team.

Skills broken down

Participating in an activity that increases knowledge in a certain area, not to be confused with something physical. For example, a course in first aid would be appropriate.

Expedition broken down

Mapping out and preparing for one continuous journey over several days, which could be on foot, bicycle, canoe or another method that requires physical effort (no cars or electric scooters!) This is usually the most challenging element for participants who must trek with their tent, water and cooking supplies carried on their backs. 

The expedition is the part that participants are usually most apprehensive about and a popular question is “How far do you walk on the Bronze DofE ?” 🗺️ There must be a minimum of 6 hours travelling each day, which equates to on average 16km or 10 Miles each day on foot. For Silver this goes up to a minimum of 7 hours per day, and for Gold a minimum of 8 hours planned activity per day before setting up camp for the night.

Residential broken down

Joining a group of new people, staying in accommodation overnight for several days away from home doing valuable work. For example, being a leader at a UK-based holiday camp for disadvantaged young people.

All sections of the award must be completed to pass the DofE award. There are no scores or grades, participants either pass or not. 

• Bronze Award- Minimum of 14 years old 
• Silver Award- Minimum of 15 years old
• Gold Award- Minimum of 16 years old 

The maximum age to complete the DofE Awards is 25 years old.

There are lots of organisations in the UK who are licensed to run the DofE. Many schools , colleges and universities deliver the DofE programme and this can be very convenient for students to integrate into their studies. If your child’s school isn’t licensed to run the DofE a local Youth Group may be. 

After signing up with a local school or institution, progress is managed online in an ‘eDofE’ account. Participants and leaders can access their profile to see the activities completed in each section. Your child can even manage their DofE via the Duke of Edinburgh Award app which can be downloaded from the App store and Google Play.

You might have been invited to a parents information evening about the DofE where the award is touted heavily as an asset to any UCAS application, however the Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS application points breakdown looks like the following:

• D of E Bronze – 0 UCAS points
• D of E Silver – 0 UCAS points
• D of E Gold – 0 UCAS points

That’s right, even with walking 14 Miles a day on the Gold DofE, UCAS points are not awarded (though a shiny Duke of Edinburgh gold medal is up for grabs).

Silver DofE UCAS points also do not exist and so it will come as no surprise that the Bronze DofE follows the same pattern. 

UCAS points are the most important piece of information for universities considering new students . Reach out to a GoStudent tutor to ensure that your child reaches their full potential on exam day. ✍️

There are many reasons to do DofE, in addition to the adventure of the expedition, the confidence building , learning new skills and volunteering. The DofE, if embraced, really does give a well-rounded boost to a young person’s skill set. Many participants speak fondly of their time completing their DofE and some enjoy it so much that they go on to complete the Silver and Gold awards.

So now you might be thinking if all that hard work does not equal UCAS points, then how to add the Duke of Edinburgh Award to my UCAS application at all? 

There’s one section of the UCAS application where the DofE can be utilised, that is what we unofficially call “The Duke of Edinburgh Personal Statement.” 

So perhaps your child has written in their UCAS Personal statement already about their interest in the course and their academic achievements, but they’d like to demonstrate their ability to, let’s say, cooperate in a team. There are plenty of opportunities to connect teamwork to the DofE, for example:

“To become a (enter job aspiration associated with course applied for here) cooperating in a team is of the utmost importance. I was able to demonstrate my strong sense of teamwork under challenging circumstances while trekking Snowdonia this Summer with my Duke of Edinburgh expedition group”  

Depending on what Volunteering, Physical and Skills young people choose to get involved in with their D of E, the ability to relate their DofE experience to their prospective study is endless!

The DofE gives variety to a CV and is certainly an asset. Many employers will recognise the achievement of a DofE and the hard word that it represents. The DofE also demonstrates many soft skills that cannot be communicated through academic grades alone. Plus, a DofE can also provide a good talking point in the interview , especially for a young person without much other work experience. 💼

We’d say that a more appropriate description would be a ‘Youth Award’ rather than a professional qualification. The elements of each person’s DofE can vary widely, depending on how they choose to complete their sections. 

Perhaps your child’s school is heavily endorsing participation in the DofE which might have you wondering “Is DofE important for university applications?” 🎓

The truth is that nobody misses out on a place at university because they did not complete a DofE, but if your child is looking for ways to add something extra to their application, a DofE achievement can be a good place to start. 

Participants may also find that they enjoy the experience more than they expected and acquire new skills to write about in their UCAS personal statement too.

It’s good to keep perspective however, with 330,000 students participating in the DofE in the 20/21 season it’s not an unusual achievement by itself.

• Myth: The D of E equals UCAS points
• Truth: The D of E does not equal any UCAS points
• Myth: The D of E is important for a UCAS application
• Truth: It is a recognisable achievement, but for UCAS applications, exam grades are the most important.
• Myth: The D of E makes my UCAS application unique
• Truth: The D of E may add some variety or interest to a UCAS personal statement, but with hundreds of thousands of young people doing the DofE every year, it is not by itself a unique achievement.

If your child would benefit from support in achieving the grades that they need to apply for university, contact a GoStudent tutor who can help them fulfil their potential.

First decide what does “worth it” mean to your child?

Does your child already have a full schedule , with other extracurricular activities and relevant work experience to the university course they’d like to apply for? If yes, then the DofE may not be able to elevate their UCAS application much further.

Maybe your child does not currently participate in any regular extracurricular activities. Would they benefit from the focus and structure that a DofE programme provides? If yes, then the DofE could be a useful tool to display non-academic achievements in a UCAS university personal statement as well as being a beneficial experience overall.

The DofE has enormous variety and can be tailored to each person’s interests. If your child has an adventurous spirit, the time to spare and would enjoy the challenge then the DofE would certainly be worth it.

Popular posts

• By Guy Doza

• By Joseph McCrossan
• In LEARNING TRENDS

• By Akshat Biyani

4 Surprising Disadvantages of Homeschooling

• By Andrea Butler

What are the Hardest GCSEs? Should You Avoid or Embrace Them?

• By Clarissa Joshua

1:1 tutoring to unlock the full potential of your child

More great reads:.

Helping Your Child with Telling the Time

• By Natalie Lever
• September 4, 2022
• 10 min read

How to Teach Your Kids Times Tables + Free Times Table Chart!

• April 20, 2022

Making a Splash! What’s the Best Age to Start Swimming Lessons?

• By Sharlene Matharu
• April 13, 2022

Book a free trial session

Sign up for your free tutoring lesson..

• Personal statement dos and don'ts

Applying to university

• Getting started
• UCAS Tariff points
• Calculate your UCAS Tariff points
• Amendments to the Tariff consultation
• Offer rate calculator
• How to use the offer rate calculator
• Understanding historical entry grades data
• Admissions tests
• Deferred entry
• Personal statement advice and example: computer science
• Personal statement advice: English
• Personal statement advice: Midwifery
• Personal statement advice: animal science
• Personal statement advice: biology
• Personal statement advice: business and management
• Personal statement advice: chemistry
• Personal statement advice: dance
• Personal statement advice: dentistry
• Personal statement advice: drama
• Personal statement advice: economics
• Personal statement advice: engineering
• Personal statement advice: geography
• Personal statement advice: history
• Personal statement advice: law
• Personal statement advice: maths
• Personal statement advice: media studies and journalism
• Personal statement advice: medicine
• Personal statement advice: modern languages
• Personal statement advice: music
• Personal statement advice: nursing
• Personal statement advice: pharmacy
• Personal statement advice: physiotherapy
• Personal statement advice: politics
• Personal statement advice: psychology
• Personal statement advice: social work
• Personal statement advice: sociology
• Personal statement advice: sports science
• Personal statement advice: statistics
• Personal statement advice: teacher training and education
• Personal statement advice: veterinary medicine
• Personal statement: finance and accounting
• Filling in your application
• Staying safe online
• How to write a personal statement that works for multiple courses
• How To Write Your Undergraduate Personal Statement
• Fraud and similarity
• How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber
• How to end your personal statement
• Introducing the personal statement tool
• What to include in a personal statement
• Using AI and ChatGPT to help you with your personal statement
• Using your personal statement beyond a university application
• Carers, estranged students, refugees, asylum seekers, and those with limited leave to remain
• Personal statement guides
• References for mature students

Shona Barrie – Director of Admissions, University of Stirling

UCAS asked admissions tutors – the people who read and score your personal statement – for their advice on what you should and shouldn’t do when writing your personal statement. 

The most common piece of advice was not to worry about it – and don’t be tempted to copy anyone else’s.

Read our step-by-step guide to writing your personal statement

Then follow our simple tips below.

• Do talk about why you’re a good candidate – talk about you, your motivations and what brings you to this course.
• Do be enthusiastic – if you show you’re interested in the course, it may help you get a place.
• Do make it relevant . Connect what you’re saying with the course and with your experiences.
• Do outline your ideas clearly .
• Do avoid the negatives – highlight the positives about you, and show you know your strengths.
• Do expect to produce several drafts of your personal statement before being totally happy with it.
• Do ask people you trust for their feedback.
• Don’t be modest or shy . You want your passions to come across. 
• Don’t exaggerate – if you do, you may get caught out in an interview when asked to elaborate on an interesting achievement.
• Don’t use quotes from someone else, or cliches.
• Don’t leave it to the last minute – your statement will seem rushed and important information could be left out.
• Don’t let spelling and grammatical errors spoil your statement , but don't just rely on a spellchecker. Proofread as many times as possible.
• Don’t copy and paste – make yours original.
• Don’t post your personal statement on the internet or on social media or share your personal statement with anyone including your friends and family, unless asking for feedback from people you trust.
• Don’t worry about it – we have all the advice you need to help you stand out in your personal statement. 

The personal statement tool image

Don’t be tempted to copy or share your statement.

UCAS scans all personal statements through a similarity detection system to compare them with previous statements.

Any similarity greater than 30% will be flagged and we'll inform the universities and colleges to which you have applied. 

Find out more

Ana ghaffari moghaddam – third year law student and careers coach, university of liverpool.

You’ve got this. Follow those simple steps and use your personal statement as your chance to shine .Use the below as a checklist to make sure you've avoided all common pitfalls.

Want more tips on what to include in your personal statement? Use the links below.

• Get started with our personal statement builder . 
• Five things all students should include in their personal statement. 
• See how you can turn your personal statement into a CV, apprenticeship application or covering letter. 
• Read How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber .

Sponsored articles UCAS Media Service

Make the most of your student experience, top ten student money tips, how to save money at uni.

Get the Reddit app

Verified Discord Partner

A place for sixth formers to speak to others about work, A-levels, results, problems in education and general sixth form life, as well as university applications and UCAS.

A little guide for your personal statement

Hey all. So I'm sure most of your teachers will have been telling you to get your first drafts of your statement done after exams (and if they haven't, do it anyway) and then work on it over the summer. We've had a couple of questions about statements over on r/uniuk and I've seen a few here too so I thought I'd post my reply to one of the questions here as it kinda ended up as a guide.

I am basing it on my own successful - 10/10 offers for Economics/PPE: Manchester, Leeds (reduced offer), Edinburgh, Bath, Sheffield, UEA, Birmingham, Southampton, Exeter (x2, 1 reduced offer) with (predicted) grades lower than the requirements - formula (which, over the course of 2 schools, and tens of teachers who had seen literally 1,000s of students get into Oxbridge between them, was consistently called "the best personal statement I've ever seen"), which was this:

Introduction: A short anecdote/comment about what got me interested in the field originally. Be creative, it doesn't have to be 100% truthful, but make sure it shows awareness of the goings on in the field. For example: "Since I first dismantled my gameboy in order to modify it, aged 8, I have been fascinated by computers..." (go on to say a little more about what you're currently doing to show continued interest). I didn't really use an anecdote, as much as pointing out that the Economy is always in the news, and has been throughout my life, which is what got me interested in it originally.

Paragraphs one and two (possibly three as well): Talk about what you've done to show a passion for the subject. I talked about various books I'd read to widen my knowledge outside of the school curriculum. Choose a niche book(s) you're genuinely interested in. Not Bill Bryson or Stephen Hawking or Freakonomics - everyone reads them. EVERYONE. Be unique, be different. (And remember if you're applying to Oxbridge/somewhere that interviews, you are expected to be able to talk about it in depth, so do actually read it). Just a small section such as "Recently I read book X which focussed on concept Y which was new to me. This led me to do Z". Then "I then read book A which conversely studied B and so I compared this to Y and then further studies the differences of C and Z which has led me to become interest in D".

Paragraph 4: Make your A level subjects/college course relevant. Just a sentence or two on each one. But, obviously they already know your subjects, so you want to be talking about a specific part of the course that has caught your interest/built your skills etc. I studied Economics, History & Mathematics. So for my history section I wrote a little bit about how studying the Wall Street Crash & Great Depression had got me interested in Economic history. For maths I just put a small section on how various topics had helped developed my pattern analysis skills which I then put to use on the ForEx markets. It's not about saying "I study maths which is necessary for Physics". That's blindingly obvious. It's highlighting specific things within the subject that you've enjoyed or make you a better candidate than someone else, even if they've studied the same thing.

Paragraph 5: Extra curricula activities that are relevant to your study. If you want to do Law are you in debating? If you want to do Economics did you do Young Enterprise? Put that in there. Did work experience at a relevant firm? Put that in there and show what value it's added and how it's built upon your understand and passion for the subject.

Paragraph 6: Non-relevant extra-curriculas. This should be no more than 30% of your statement, probably closer to 20-25%. But stuff that will make you seem well rounded: sports teams, prefect, positions of responsibility, part-time jobs, etc. But always demonstrate how value is added. "Outside of academia I play for the school football team". So what? Put it like this: "Outside of classes I am a member of the school 1st XI football team which has helped me hone my dedication, as I have to attend regular training sessions, as well as time management in order to keep up to date with schoolwork while balancing that with our training and fixtures." For example.

The key thing is whenever you say something think: how does this add value? . If it doesn't, either expand upon it so it does, or delete it.

The universities are looking for passionate students who want to study the subject, and will do well. So showing you've put thought into the choice of your course and have put in the extra time and effort to show how much you enjoy the subject is what they want to see.

They're not expecting a fantastic essay, they know you've got a very limited word/character count. So be brief, be succinct, but be clear. You've done X, and it makes you a better candidate because of Y.

A couple of common errors I've seen in other people's personal statements:

Using words or punctuations when they don't know how to, such as (semi) colons, overly verbose or academic words that they've simply googled "synonym for X" and chucked in, Oxford commas etc. Poor grammar, spelling and vocabulary will make your statement look bad. If you're not sure, don't use it.

Not giving reasons for how anything added value. Yes I'm just reiterating it, but it is so important. "I read a book by Milton Friedman, then I read some Karl Marx, then I read Hayek"...So what? That gives no information about what you took away from it, did you even enjoy it? Doesn't really sound like it.

Going off-topic: A lot of people start off fine but then end up veering off-topic at a certain point. Just rambling about how they love the subject but not doing anything to show how they use that enthusiasm. Or they start talking about an activity they did to show their enthusiasm and go into far too much detail. It's got to be brief and to the point.

DofE on Personal Statement

Quick reply, related discussions.

• Is DofE actually useful? ୨୧
• Personal statement writing for vet med
• DofE for medicine
• Worth adding extra curriculars?
• Is DoFe actually useful for university applications
• Dofe medicine application 2024
• Medicine Extracurriculars
• University Application
• Insufficient GCSE grades for Cambridge
• Extracurriculars for uni
• Arts uni personal statement help!
• Is DoFe worth it
• Question regarding personal statement - Maths
• How hard is it to get into LSE???
• Biochemistry Application
• Do you think I have a good shot at Cambridge?
• Edinburgh University - Application + Will I get in?
• how worth it is an epq for oxford
• Personal Statement Procrastination and Dilemma

Last reply 2 days ago

Last reply 1 week ago

Last reply 2 weeks ago

Last reply 3 weeks ago

Last reply 4 weeks ago

Last reply 1 month ago

Last reply 2 months ago

Posted 3 months ago

Articles for you

Writing a physics personal statement: expert advice from universities

Will artificial intelligence put legal graduates out of work?

Why industry placements are so important for business students

You don’t need to take a law conversion course for the SQE… but here’s why you should

Resume personal statements: How to write one

A well-written personal statement can help your resume stand out from the crowd and capture a recruiter's attention. We'll show you how to write a solid personal statement that highlights your unique skills, experiences, and professional goals. Whatever career stage you're in, we've got you covered. Read on to find information on the topic, resume personal statement examples, and helpful tips to help you stand out in the job market.

• What is a personal statement?
• Key elements to include in a good personal statement
• Personal statement examples
• Tips on writing a personal statement for your resume
• Formatting and structuring your personal statement
• Common mistakes when writing a personal statement

What is a personal statement?  

A personal statement is essentially a resume summary. It is a short section on your resume that tells the employer who you are as a worker. You may also see it called resume objectives or CV personal statement.

The personal statement shows your goals and what makes you unique. It can be used to show how your skills, experiences, and job goals make you stand out from other applicants. This can significantly affect how the employer sees you as a potential employee. It's your chance to add personality, passion, and purpose to your resume. You can make an impression that will make you shine during your job search.

Key elements to include in a good personal statement  

To write an excellent resume summary, here are some important details that will help a hiring manager understand your professional identity.

• Who you are:  Start by briefly describing yourself. Give a short but informative summary of your professional background.
• Summary of your experiences:  Give a brief outline of your career. Focus on crucial turning points, accomplishments, and related experiences. This part gives an overview of your career path and shows how broad or deep your knowledge is.
• Your value as an employee:  Define your unique value Emphasize the skills, qualities, and experiences that make you stand out from other applicants. Talk about how your relevant experience fits the needs of the role and how you can help the company succeed.
• Your career objectives:  At the end of your resume objective statement, list your career goals and ambitions. Make your short and long-term career goals clear. This shows that you're committed to professional growth and development.

Personal statement examples  

A good personal statement can be an important part of shaping your career, whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional. Here are some personal statement examples for different career stages. They show off relevant skills, experiences, and goals of job seekers.

Personal statement examples for students looking for internships

"I am a driven undergraduate student majoring in marketing, seeking internship opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. I have a proven ability to develop client relationships and execute marketing strategies. I am ready to share new thoughts and learn from people with more experience."

"Dedicated undergraduate student studying mechanical engineering, looking for an internship opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practical projects. Skilled with CAD tools and has experience making prototypes. Possesses strong critical thinking skills and takes the necessary steps to solve problems. Excellent collaborator who is always looking to learn and improve."

Personal statement example for fresh graduates

"I am a recent finance bachelor's degree holder with a solid grasp of financial principles and robust analytic abilities. I have operated effectively in dynamic settings and provided precise financial analysis. I am seeking an entry-level role in financial analysis to utilize my academic knowledge and contribute to organizational success."

"Highly motivated human resource management graduate who is deeply committed to cultivating positive work environments. Proficient in employee relations, performance management, and recruitment. Seeking an HR position to implement academic knowledge and acquire practical experience."

Personal statement examples for working professionals

"I am an experienced sales manager with more than five years of experience in B2B sales. I am currently looking to resume my professional career. I have a proven history of exceeding sales goals, building strong relationships with clients, and establishing vital client leads. I am looking for a challenging sales manager position where I can use my leadership skills to coach a team of top performers and make the company more profitable."

"I am an accomplished project manager with a background in information technology. I am skilled at coordinating the efforts of diverse teams to complete challenging assignments on schedule and within budget. I have consistently reduced risk and guaranteed project success. I am seeking new opportunities to apply my project management expertise in a dynamic environment."

Personal statement example for workers making mid-career transitions

"Experienced marketer ready to move into digital advertising. Skilled in both digital and conventional marketing tactics, with a particular focus on expanding brands' reach and interaction via online media. Seeks a position to use marketing talents to create modern digital advertising strategies."

"I am a project manager with extensive experience, with a career goal to work in sustainable development. I am passionate about positively affecting society and comfortable in a fast-paced environment. I have expertise at working with stakeholders and planning strategically."

Tips on writing a personal statement for your resume  

Before you start writing your own personal statement, think about the following tips.

Selecting the most impactful experiences to share

Carefully choose which experiences to highlight in your CV personal statement. Consider the following aspects to guarantee that you demonstrate the most effective ones:

• Relevance to job scope:  Select experiences and relevant qualifications that directly relate to the needs of your desired role.
• Significance of results:  Highlight experiences in which you achieved substantial results. Focus on your efforts and accomplishments.
• Business impact:  Show how your work has increased the company's profits. Give numbers to support your results, and explain how your work has helped the group succeed or grow.

Demonstrating problem-solving and leadership through past scenarios

In your resume personal statement, use examples from your past to show how you've solved problems and led others. Try to give an example of a problem you had and how you solved it. Highlight situations when you were proactive, made tough choices , and helped others succeed. By demonstrating that you can deal with problems and lead with confidence, you can show you're ready for new tasks in your next job.

Keeping your personal statement concise

Write a short, clear, objective statement to help you hold the reader's attention. Here are some suggestions to help you keep your resume personal statement short:

• Editing:  Carefully read over your resume and personal statement. Remove unnecessary details or repeated information, and ensure you only include the most useful and important facts.
• Clarity:  Write clearly to make sure your message is easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or academic terms that the reader might not know.
• Length:  Personal statements should be short but full of useful information. There is no rigid word limit, but keep your statement to a few brief lines that get to the point of who you are as a professional and what you want to achieve.

Formatting and structuring your personal statement  

Here are some guidelines for making your objective statement easier to read and more organized.

Formatting tips for maximum readability

The layout of your resume personal statement affects how hiring managers read and interact with your content. To make sure your writing is easy to comprehend, consider the following:

• For a professional appearance, pick a classy font that's simple to read, such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri.
• Keep the font size the same throughout the document. The best range is between 10pt and 12pt.
• When choosing the point of view, think about the tone and setting of your resume personal statement.
• First-person POV allows you to connect with the reader more directly, and third-person POV can present an air of professionalism and objectivity.

Pros and cons of each POV style

Both first-person and third-person POVs have pros and cons. First-person makes it feel like the text is directed at the reader, but it can sometimes come off as too casual. Third-person POV, on the other hand, seems objective and professional. This is common in formal settings but can feel impersonal or distant.

The POV you choose affects the way your personal statement reads. First-person POV creates a more personal and conversational tone. The third-person perspective conveys a feeling of formality and objectivity, setting a tone appropriate for formal papers.

Alignment with your overall resume style

Pick a POV for your personal statement that complements the general tone and style of your resume. The document should flow from one section to the next. To make a good impression on recruiters, change the POV to fit the role, the company culture, and the business. If you’re applying for a creative role, you can make your resume stand out by matching the creative writing style of your prospective employer.

Resume personal statement in first-person POV

“With a strong background in content marketing, I excel in writing, editing, content planning, and SEO. In my previous roles, I was committed to ensuring my team met deadlines and KPIs. I'm eager to leverage my skills and enthusiasm as Content Manager for the Philippine Creative Ad Agency.”

Resume personal statement in third-person POV

“Has a strong background in content marketing. Excels in writing, editing, content planning, and SEO. In previous roles, demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the team met deadlines and KPIs. Eager to leverage skills and enthusiasm as Content Manager for the Philippine Creative Ad Agency.”

Common mistakes when writing a personal statement  

Avoid common clichés and overused phrases.

Don't include phrases such as "hardworking," "team player," and "results-oriented." They don't say much about you and won't help you stand out from other applicants.

What to leave out of your personal statements

Remove any old or useless information that doesn't fit with your story or add value to your application. For example, if your achievements ase a high school student aren’t relevant to your application, don’t include them. Read the job description carefully before adding any information.

Bad personal statement examples

"Motivated individual seeking challenging opportunities to utilize analytical skills and grow within a dynamic organization."

"Passionate team player with excellent communication skills and a strong work ethic."

"Detail-oriented professional with a proven track record of success in various roles."

These examples are too short and vague. They don’t say anything about you as a person or employee. Make sure your personal statements showcase your unique traits and career path. Show the positive impact you had in your previous roles, and highlight what benefit your prospective employer can get by hiring you.

Conclusion  

Personal statements can make or break a job application. Using the ideas, examples, and advice in this guide, you can write an interesting statement that not only interests hiring managers but also connects with them on a deeper level. Remember that your personal statement is more than just a summary of your work history. It's your chance to show potential employers what you can do and how passionate you are about the job.

• What should I write in my personal statement for a resume? Your personal statement should give a brief overview of your professional qualities. Include the skills, experiences, and work goals that are relevant to the role you're applying for.
• Can you provide personal statement examples for a job application? Yes! Here's an example: "As an experienced marketing professional with an enthusiasm for new ideas, I am delighted to use my digital marketing abilities to expand and engage your vibrant team at XYZ Company. I am devoted to delivering measurable results and helping your organization succeed with my experience in creating effective campaigns and analytics."
• How long should a personal statement be on a resume? A few sentences should be enough for a short but powerful statement. They should focus on the most relevant information that fits the job description.
• What are some dos and don'ts for writing a resume personal statement? Dos: Personalize your statement for the position and company. Highlight your job-related abilities, experiences, and accomplishments. Don'ts: Avoid using clichés or generic phrases. Don't make it too long.
• How can I make my personal statement stand out to employers? Make your personal statements special to each role you apply for. Think about your personal profile and the job description. Highlight your unique skills, accomplishments, and goals that match the needs of the role. This will help you connect strongly with managers.
• Are there any online tools to help me craft a personal statement? Yes, tools like Perfect Essay Writer, Paper Help, and BBQ Papers can help you improve and modify your personal statements by giving you language tips and reading-level feedback.

Top search terms

Popular on jobstreet, explore related topics, subscribe to career advice.