How To Write An Exceptional Career Profile For Your CV

When writing your CV, there is often some confusion surrounding the CV personal profile, also called an executive summary or personal statement, and whether or not to include one. It is important as it provides a quick overview of your abilities and suitability for a position, ideal for the busy recruiter or employer sorting through hundreds of applications.

However, writing a short career profile at the top of a CV can prove to be quite difficult. The CV personal statement, or profile, is the first thing that will be read by potential employers and recruiters alike, so it’s important to take the time to create a concise yet well-written introduction to your qualifications, skills and experience.

The statement must be a brief snapshot of you as a professional. While it should only be a few lines long to summarise your CV and what you can offer the employer, it must also be unique to your skill set and tailored specifically to the role you are applying for.

Having spent over five years working for a recruitment company to create stand out CVs and reading through countless personal statements, we have developed top tips to help you write the perfect personal profile.

1. Keep your profile short and concise

Your professional profile should be no more than five brief sentences. You may write your profile as a list in bullet form or as a short paragraph. Include your job title and years of work or training experience. Highlight your professional strengths for the role.

2. Tailor your personal profile to the specific role

It is highly unlikely that every role you apply for will be looking to hire a professional with the same skills and experience. As a summary of your professional experience and suitability for the position, only the most relevant aspects of your CV should be highlighted in your personal statement.

3. Focus on professional experience

You do not need to describe yourself as a person or what your long-term career aspirations are. Highlight your professional achievements and goals. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives such as ambitious, forward-thinker etc. as this will only distract from the core capabilities you should be aiming to showcase.

To come up with the best CV personal profile, aim to address the following: your academic profile and qualifications, the relevant industries you have worked in, the products and processes you have worked with that may cross over and the key job titles you have held. Information outside of these areas should be left out.

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. Include your university grades, the amount of years’ experience within your area of expertise, and any impressive results related to past projects.

5. Proofread

Just like you should ensure your CV and cover letter are error-free and easy to read, your personal statement should also be properly edited, clear and have no spelling or grammar mistakes.

Conclusion

Overall your personal profile CV should be a unique reflection of your career to date. It should aim to tell the employer who you are, what you have to offer and what you are looking for. Depending on the stage you are at within your career, your personal statement may differ.

For more information on how to write a personal profile for your CV, click here to get in touch with CV writing professionals.