CV personal statement examples

A CV personal statement (also called a personal profile) is a short paragraph at the very top of your CV, usually three to four sentences, that sums up who you are, what you are good at, and the kind of role you want next. Keep it under about 100 words, write it in the third person or a neutral first person, and tailor it to each job rather than reusing one generic block.

It is the first thing a recruiter reads, and often the only thing they read before deciding whether to keep going. So it has to earn the rest of the page.

The formula

A statement that works usually has three parts, in this order:

• Who you are: your job title or status, plus years of experience or your current stage (school leaver, graduate, returning to work).
• What you are good at: one or two concrete strengths, ideally with a number or a specific tool, not "hard-working team player".
• What you want next: the type of role you are applying for, so it reads as aimed rather than accidental.

That is it. Three sentences that answer "who, what, and why you". The most common mistake is filling all three sentences with personality adjectives (motivated, passionate, dynamic) and never saying what you actually do. A recruiter cannot verify "passionate". They can verify "two years in a warehouse hitting a 99% pick accuracy target".

The single biggest lever is matching the language of the specific job advert. If the ad asks for "stock control" and "manual handling", those words should appear in your statement, because that is what a human skims for and what an applicant tracking system scans for. Paste your draft CV and the job description into the free checker below to see which of the advert's keywords you are missing before you send it.

Example 1: School leaver or first job

You have little or no paid work history, so lean on school, college, volunteering and attitude. Be specific about what you did, not just that you are keen.

Reliable and organised school leaver with five GCSEs including English and Maths (grades 9 to 5) and a Level 2 in Business Studies. Ran the stock cupboard for a two-week Young Enterprise project and handled cash at the school summer fair. Looking for a first role in retail or customer service where I can learn quickly and turn up on time, every time.

Why it works: it names real qualifications, gives two concrete examples instead of "good with people", and states the target sector. See more ideas in our guide on writing a CV with no experience.

Example 2: Career changer

The risk here is that your history points at your old field. Use the statement to reframe transferable skills and signal the change on purpose, so it does not look like a mistake.

Former hospitality supervisor moving into administration, with six years managing bookings, rotas and supplier invoices for a 60-cover restaurant. Confident with Excel, EPOS systems and handling complaints calmly under pressure. Now seeking an office administrator role where strong organisation and people skills matter more than sector experience.

Why it works: it says the change out loud, then translates restaurant work into office language (bookings, invoices, Excel). It gives the reader permission to see you in the new role. There is more on this in how to tailor your CV to a job.

Example 3: Experienced professional

You have plenty to say, so the danger is a bloated paragraph. Pick your strongest evidence and cut the rest. Numbers do the heavy lifting.

Qualified accountant (ACCA) with nine years in manufacturing, responsible for month-end reporting across three sites and a £4m budget. Cut the reporting cycle from ten days to four by rebuilding the close process. Looking for a finance manager role in a growing SME where I can own reporting end to end.

Why it works: it leads with the qualification, quantifies scope (three sites, £4m), and includes one clear achievement (ten days to four). One good number beats five vague claims.

Example 4: Returning to work after a break

A gap for caring, health or redundancy is normal. State it briefly and factually, then point forward. You do not owe anyone the details.

Experienced customer service adviser returning to work after two years as a full-time carer. Seven years handling inbound calls and complaints for a UK utilities provider, consistently rated above target on customer satisfaction. Keen to return to a phone or webchat support role, and comfortable getting back up to speed quickly.

Why it works: it names the gap in five words without apology, then spends the rest of the space on evidence and direction.

What to avoid

• Clichés with no proof. "Hard-working, motivated team player" says nothing. Show it with an example instead.
• Generic reuse. One statement fired at every job reads as bulk-applied. Swap in the job title and two keywords from each advert.
• First-person overload. Starting every sentence with "I am" gets repetitive. Dropping the "I" ("Experienced adviser with...") reads cleaner and saves words.
• Too long. Over 100 words and it stops being a summary. If it fills a third of the page, cut it.
• Overselling. Do not claim "expert" for something you did once. It falls apart at interview.

Where it sits on the page

Put the statement directly under your name and contact details, before your work history, which is exactly where the National Careers Service tells you to place it. It sets up everything below it. If your CV is running long, the statement is not the thing to cut, but it is the thing to sharpen. For length, see how long should a CV be, and for the errors that sink CVs before anyone reaches the statement, common CV mistakes.

Write it last, once the rest of your CV is done. By then you know your own best evidence, and the statement almost writes itself.