A professional statement is a short paragraph at the beginning of your CV that provides a summary of your experience, education, and skills to potential employers. The goal is to draw busy recruiters and hiring managers’ attention to the CV when they first open it, encouraging them to read the rest of it.

This is accomplished by producing a customized self-description that highlights your value.

Examples of professional statements

1. Project Manager:

“As a Project Manager who excels in identifying problems and finding solutions, I can save your company a considerable amount by speeding up project execution. My track record tells my story better than I can: I saved my previous employer over $250,000 in the past three years by completing projects an average of 15% faster than my peers.”

2. Technical Writer:

“I am a senior technical writer with 10 years of experience writing software documentation, templates and user manuals to explain highly complex systems and processes. I am passionate about making my documentation both clear and efficient so users can understand these complex processes. I adapt well to the changing needs of businesses and enjoy researching new document management systems to streamline the revision process.

3. Design Assistant:

“Recent graduate from Missouri College with a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design looking to apply skills and passion for design in an entry-level assistant role. Spent the last five years designing and creating dresses to sell at the monthly St. Louis Arts Fair. Quick learner who thrives on challenges.”

4. Data Scientist:

“While focusing on statistics and analytics at my university, I worked in the financial sector through an internship at a major multinational firm. My education and tactical experience helped me develop technical capabilities in data engineering and science.

I have consistently proven my ability to meet deadlines and achieve project objectives, solve mission-critical problems and prioritize crucial tasks while maintaining the high standards expected of my role. I am currently seeking a position in an established data science firm to further my career goals.”

5. Digital Marketing Specialist:

“Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with extensive experience in E-commerce. Have experience working with several multinational brands in the development of global marketing strategies, improving market reach and coverage. Currently seeking a senior marketer position in an international firm.”

6. Sales Representative

“Results-driven Sales Representative with a decade of experience in B2B sales. Proven track record of closing multimillion-dollar deals in art and design markets and a reputation for adhering to the highest standards of personal and team excellence.”

7. Talent Recruiter:

“I’m a Talent Acquisition Specialist with an interest in building the most effective workforces possible. For more than 10 years, I’ve helped hundreds of businesses find their perfect hires. I also consult companies on compensation, benefits, new hire processes and company culture.

8. Career Counselor

“I’ve helped thousands of job seekers land their dream jobs at Fortune 500 companies via my coaching programs. From resumes to cover letters and optimizing their presence online, I enjoy teaching people the science of crafting materials for every stage of their career.”

9. Business Analyst

“Experienced Business Analyst with a background in project and team management, accounting and process engineering. I am always looking for new ways to mitigate risk, increase company efficiency and create new partnership opportunities.”

10. Trial Lawyer

“Growing up in a working-class neighborhood of St. Louis, I developed a thick skin and a disciplined approach to problem solving by discerning people’s interests and motives. This motivated me to study law to fight against bullies and injustice. In the past decade as a trial lawyer for Morgan, Brooks and Blake, I’ve developed a conflict resolution model that has won more than 90% of the time and always put my clients’ interests first.”

11. Teacher

“Elementary school teacher with 5+ years of experience managing classrooms of 20-30 students. Adept at using positive reinforcement teaching techniques to encourage student behavior and development. Looking to use my creativity and experience to engage at-risk students.”

12. Social Media Specialist

“Social media and Branding Specialist with a proven track record of over 35% engagement increase across various channels with different companies. Experienced in public speaking and enthusiastic about teaching executives how to fine-tune their marketing efforts in the digital sphere.”

13. Graphic Designer

“I’m an award-winning freelance graphic designer who has delivered creative and engaging solutions across brand identity, print, packaging and digital media. My work has been featured in a variety of publications, including Folio, Arizona Byways and Beach Magazine.”

Tips for writing a great professional statement

1)     Ignore the word count in drafts:

Regardless of the target word count for your personal statement, create your drafts without worrying about the limit. When you start your paragraph, it can be difficult to try to stay within a certain number. Instead, write as many words as you need to tell your story, then narrow it down to the most important details in subsequent edits. Not only does this make your work easier, but it also improves the overall coherence and messaging of your personal statement.

2)     Make it personal:

Your personal statement gives you the chance to reveal qualifying attributes that are not apparent in your application and CV. You can explain how someone influenced your life, but try to keep the focus on your experiences. Use real-life examples of situations that will demonstrate the qualities the program wants.

3)     Focus on your strengths

A great personal statement is a sales pitch that highlights the attributes that qualify you as a worthy candidate. Concentrate on your knowledge of the field, your experiences and your projections for the future.

4)     Own it

Personal statements are unique paragraphs that differ from person to person and define the experiences and qualifications that make you the right candidate. Write a compelling paragraph that not only shows who you are to the hiring committee, but also encourages them to invite you to the next stage of the admission or hiring process.

Crafting a winning personal statement will take time, especially if you haven’t done it before. However, job applicants should make sure that their interest for the program, as well as their abilities and expertise, are clearly visible. You can also use the examples above as a loose framework to your statement, which you can expand on as your knowledge grows. You should also take into consideration that you must try to alter your personal statement for each job you apply for. Therefore, you will be presenting yourself specifically to the role rather than presenting the same generalist statement for each application. It may only take a few minutes longer to complete. If it is enough to spark an employer’s interest, however, the time spent will be well spent in the long run.

If you are looking to have the perfect statement for your CV, check out our CV Formatting service here:

Cv Building | Propel Consult

For more information about the CV Submission service, please send an email to: jenan@propelconsult.com

Written by:

Jenan Sarhan (Marketing Executive of Propel)