Top Tips For Writing A CV Personal Profile

“What is the point of writing a CV personal profile when you already have a cover letter?” Jonathan asked. We were having a conversation about writing a winning CV that can get you an interview. The question captured my attention as many people ask the same.

To begin, what is a personal profile?

Otherwise known as a personal statement or CV profile, it is essentially the blurb of your career portfolio. It is the small paragraph that sits at the top of your CV. Personal profile concisely and effectively displays who you are, your skills and strengths relevant to the sector or job role, and your career goals.

“The first impression matters a lot! Just like any other written document, how you introduce your CV determines its effectiveness. This will either make an employer continue going through your CV or toss it,” I told Jonathan.

A personal profile is similar to a cover letter but in this case, you need to talk about your best qualities in about 6 sentences, maximum.

I asked him to imagine a scenario where there are thousands of applications. An employer will find the easiest ways to pick out the best applications. Having a summarized version of your qualifications on your CV will be the surest way of making your application noticed. In about two, or three seconds, you would have already captured your potential employer’s attention.

Isn’t this the main aim of writing curriculum vitae?

You should however note that simply having a personal statement on your CV does not guarantee you will have the employer in the picture from the onset. The content of your statement and how you present it will determine that!

“How do I write a perfect personal profile?” he asked.

To help him come up with a perfect personal statement for a CV, we discussed the following guidelines.

1. Tailor it to the specific role

It’s unlikely that every role you apply for will be looking to hire a professional with exactly the same skills and experience. Only the most relevant aspects of your CV should be highlighted in your personal statement.

For example, an IT expert’s personal profile could look like this;

I am a highly competent IT professional with a proven track record in designing websites, networking, and managing databases. I have strong technical skills as well as excellent interpersonal skills, enabling me to interact with a wide range of clients. I am eager to be challenged in order to grow and further improve my IT skills. My greatest passion in life is using my technical know-how to benefit other people and organizations.

2. Keep it brief.

You should aim to describe all you deem important in no more than six sentences, at best, 4. If you can limit your words somewhere from 50 to 200 words, the better.

3. Structure Your CV Personal Profile

Remember, your profile is a perfect way to grab attention. It gives you a chance to highlight your career goals and strengths as well as give your CV more context.

To structure your summary well, split it into three sections;

• Who you are: Tell the employer about yourself as a professional e.g. I am a dedicated, hardworking, and proactive Chemical Engineer…


• What you can offer: Here, state what your skills are. Ensure you narrow it down to your best skills and relevant to the jobs for that matter. For example, I have solid work experience in designing, testing, and analyzing processes to increase the overall efficiency of operations.


• Your career goals: What are your objectives? Vision? For instance; I am currently looking for an opportunity to utilize my technical skills in a challenging working environment and become a valuable asset to the organization that I work for.

4. Use facts and figures

To ensure your profile isn’t just a paragraph of empty claims, be sure to back up your statement with facts and figures.

If you are a teacher, you can say ‘’in my previous role as a primary school teacher, I have taught and nurtured more than 100 pupils from all backgrounds, successfully preparing them for the next stages of their young lives.’’

Conclusion

There is no ‘one size fits all’ personal profile. No two statements should be the same and you should ensure you take the time to make it as unique and impactful as possible, to ensure you stand out.

Will your current career profile get you interviews?

Find out by getting a FREE CV review from a professional CV writer who will also help you craft the perfect one!

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