The personal statement is the short paragraph at the top of your CV, under your name and contact details. It's also called a personal profile or a CV summary. It's the first thing an employer reads, so it has one job: say who you are, what you can offer, and what you want next, in a few lines. This guide covers what to put in it, how long to make it, what to cut, and examples for common situations.
The short answer
- Keep it to a few lines. The National Careers Service (England) calls it "a few short lines". Prospects says no longer than 150 words. Most good ones are 3–4 lines.
- Cover three things: who you are (your field and level), what you offer (two or three strengths, each with a fact behind it) and the job you want next.
- Write it for this job. Prospects and Michael Page both say to tailor it to each application.
- Use facts, not adjectives. "Trained 5 new starters" says more than "excellent communicator".
- No heading needed. Prospects says it's usually one paragraph without a title.
What to put in it
The National Careers Service describes it as a few short lines that sum up who you are and what you hope to do, placed just under your name and contact details. Prospects breaks it into three parts. Most good statements follow the same order.
- Who you are. Your job or field, and roughly your level: "Store supervisor", "Office administrator returning after a career break", "Year 13 student".
- What you offer. Two or three strengths the employer will care about, each backed by something you've actually done. Hays says to give the reader numbers and hard facts. A number doesn't have to be impressive. It just has to be true: a team of 6, about 40 calls a day, a rota for 20 staff.
- What you want next. The kind of role you're applying for. If you have an advert in front of you, use its job title.
How long should it be?
There's no official length. The sources agree it should be short:
- National Careers Service (England): a few short lines.
- Prospects: no longer than 150 words.
- Michael Page: only a few lines long.
- University of Sheffield: it's optional, and if you write one, keep it concise and to the point.
In practice, 50 to 100 words is about 3 to 5 lines on an A4 page, and leaves room for the rest of your CV.
First person, third person or neither?
Prospects says you can write it in the first person ("I") or the third person, but not to switch between the two. Many UK CVs use a third way: drop the "I" and start with the job title. "Store supervisor with 6 years in retail…" reads cleanly and saves words. Whichever you choose, use it all the way through.
What to leave out
- Empty phrases. Prospects gives "I work well independently and as part of a team" as an example of a bland, empty statement that tells employers nothing. Michael Page says to avoid unnecessary adjectives such as "ambitious". The same goes for "hard-working", "team player", "motivated" and "passionate". Replace each with a fact, or cut it.
- A copy of your bullet points. If the statement just repeats your first job's bullets, it wastes the space. Pick the two strongest facts and say them differently.
- Personal details. Prospects says your date of birth is irrelevant to a CV. Leave out your age and marital status too.
- Claims you can't back up. If you couldn't talk about it for a minute at interview, leave it out.
Worked examples
These are made-up examples, not real people.
Retail, moving up. Before:
Hard-working and motivated team player with excellent communication skills, looking for a new challenge.
After:
Retail supervisor with 6 years in fashion and homeware stores. Plans the weekly rota for 20 staff and trains every new starter on the tills. Set up a returns log that cut repeat complaints at the branch. Looking for an assistant store manager role in a busy high-street store.
Every word in the "after" is something the person has done. None of it is an adjective they gave themselves.
School leaver with little work history.
Year 13 student at Riverside College, studying A levels in Business, Maths and Geography. Works 2 Saturdays a month at a garden centre, serving customers and restocking shelves, and runs the college's charity tuck shop. Looking for a business administration apprenticeship from September.
Prospects' advice to graduates without much work experience is to focus on what they gained from their degree. The same works for school or college. Part-time jobs, volunteering and responsibilities at school or college count too.
Returner after a career break.
Office administrator with 5 years in lettings, returning after a career break raising a family. Ran the diary and tenancy paperwork for a team of 6, and has since completed an online Excel course. Looking for a part-time admin role in property or a local office.
If you have a gap, the statement can say what you're returning to. Our guide on how to explain a gap in your CV covers the gap itself.
Tailoring it to each job
Prospects and Michael Page both say to tailor the statement to each application. You don't need to rewrite it from scratch every time. Usually you change two things:
- The last line, so it names the job you're applying for.
- Which two facts you lead with, so they match what the advert asks for first.
If the advert asks for "experience handling customer queries" and you've dealt with complaints by phone and email, say it in the advert's words, as long as it's true.
FAQ
Is a personal statement the same as a personal profile? Yes. On a UK CV the names are used for the same paragraph: personal statement, personal profile, profile or CV summary. A personal statement for a university or college application is a different, much longer document.
Do I have to have one? No. The University of Sheffield calls it optional. Most CVs benefit from one, because it tells the reader in a few seconds what you're applying for and why you fit.
Should I put a heading on it? You don't need to. Prospects says it's usually shown as a single paragraph without a title or subheading. A plain "Profile" heading is also common and fine.
Can I use AI to write it? Prospects advises against letting AI write the whole thing, and suggests using it for ideas, structure and proofreading. Whatever you use, every line has to be true and sound like you. Read it aloud: if you wouldn't say it at interview, change it.
What if I don't have any numbers? Use the honest ones you do have: how many people, how often, how long. "Served about 50 customers a shift" is fine as an estimate if you'd stand by it. If you don't know, describe what you did without a number.
Sources (checked 14 Nov 2026)
- National Careers Service (England): How to write a CV
- Prospects: Writing a personal statement for your CV
- Prospects: How to write a CV
- Michael Page: CV personal profile: How to write yours
- Hays: CV writing tips: Your CV questions answered
- University of Sheffield: Writing a CV
This isn't careers or legal advice. Check the National Careers Service (England) or a careers adviser for your situation.
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