IMPLEMENTING

UNIT 3 LESSON 4 PERSONAL BRANDING

Lesson 4
Personal Statement Writing
At the end of the lesson, you shall have:
 defined the meaning of personal statement;
 identified effective ways in writing personal statement; and
 written a personal statement using specific criteria.

I ncreasingly, most jobs in public and voluntary sectors require candidates a written statement as part of
the application. It is referred to as a statement of purpose, personal statement, letter of intent, or
personal narrative. Sometimes there will be specific questions to answer. In other cases, candidates
may write about a topic of their choice.

Some application forms, including university applications, require a more in depth personal statement,
often up to two pages, and a different approach is required. For this lesson we will only focus on the
personal statement used for job application. Because personal statements are personal, there is no one
type or style of writing that is set out as a model. However, while every personal statement is unique in
style, its purpose is the same.

A personal statement is:

 A picture. Your personal essay should produce a picture of you as a person, a student, a
potential scholarship winner, and looking into the future as an employee.
 An invitation. The reader must be invited to get to know you, personally. Bridge the assumed
distance of strangers. Make your reader feel welcome.
 An indication of your priorities and judgement. What you choose to say in your statement
tells the committee what your priorities are. What you say and how you say it is crucial.
 A story or more precisely, your story. Everyone has a story to tell, but not all are natural
storytellers. This is when serious self-reflection, conversation with friends, family, and mentors,
and permission to be creative come in handy.

A personal statement is not:

 An academic paper with you as the subject. Papers written for class are typically designed
to interpret data, reflect research, and analyze events or reading— all at some distance. In
academic writing, personal pronoun is eliminated. The goal in personal statement is to close
the distance between the writer and the reader.
 A resume in narrative form. An essay that reads like a resume of accomplishments and
goals reveals little about the candidate, and is a wasted opportunity.
 A journal entry. While you may draw on experiences or observations captured in your
personal journal, your essay should not read like a diary. Share only relevant experiences to
provide helpful context for your story.

Most importantly, a personal statement is authentic. Avoid making the mistake of trying to guess what
the committee is looking for, and do not write what you think they want to hear. They want to know you.

So, what must you include in the personal statement? An effective personal statement will answer the
following questions:

 Who am I?
 Who do I want to be?
 What kind of contribution do I want to make, and how?
 Why does it make sense for me to work in this company?

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In general, the personal statement represents an opportunity for you to humanize your application—to
convert the long lists of qualifications you have included elsewhere into a narrative that essentially
argues for why you are a good fit for the position, and why it is a good fit for you.

Drafting Considerations
Firstly, be absolutely clear about what is required of you. Make sure you understand any instructions
and follow them to the letter. For example, if the prompt for a personal statement reads that you should
discuss personal motivation and career goals, then do so in roughly that order. In the absence of such
directions, re-read other parts of the application for ideas about what the readers are looking for
“between the lines” and structure your statement on that basis. Familiarize yourself with the job
description and person specification – being mindful what will be assessed from the application form.

Structure of the Personal Statement

Employers will be reading a lot of personal statements for each job vacancy so make it easy for them to
find the information which is relevant to them. Use short, well-structured sentences. Long sentences or
paragraphs are harder to digest and the reader may miss some of your vital evidence. Organize your
statement to provide the information that they need in a way that is meaningful to them. For example,
you can use the headings in Person Specification to organize your writing which makes it easier for the
selector to cross reference your evidence against their specification. Using sub headings will also help
you when planning what you want to write. You can start by writing some bullet points under each
heading which you can then flesh out with more detail and examples.

Sample Paragraphs for Key Sections of Your Personal Statement

Introduction
1. Find an interesting angle from which to approach your statement or to “hook” your
reader.
According to the National Adult Literacy Survey though, one of us—representing roughly
one of every two American adults—should lack the basic literacy skills needed to function
successfully in society. Without these skills, one of us should be at far greater risk to be
unemployed, impoverished, and incarcerated. Tragically, that same one of us should have
children likely to bear similar hardships.

2. Identify the specific position for which you are applying.

3. Create a thesis statement in the introductory paragraph.

As an Environmental Science specialist, I see myself as a science communicator,

focusing on research and policy. I want to help create a common language between the
authorities of environmental management—a language that can be used as a strong mediation
and solution-finding tool. To become such an individual, I have set professional goals that will
hone my skills as both a communicator and a scientist.

Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph can build on one specific aspect of your thesis statement. If you have
several different skills or experiences to discuss, stick to one topic per paragraph.

The topic sentence of each paragraph should introduce readers to your major idea for that
paragraph, whether it is a specific skill, experience, or interest. The sentences that follow in the
paragraph should describe how you learned that skill or how you have applied your abilities or how you
pursued your interests.

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As a communicator, my experience centers on writing and teaching. Through the Liberal

Arts Program, I completed the requirements for a technical writing certificate, which included
courses in nonfiction, persuasive rhetoric, and article writing. One of the most rewarding
results of this program was the opportunity to write, film, and edit a fifteen-minute documentary
for local television as an independent studies extension of a technical writing class. The
documentary examined a local natural spring and the current research surrounding its origin
and future in the face of increasing regional development. It was aired last month to gain
public support for protection of the resource.

Conclusion
Make your conclusion meaningful. Reiterate your enthusiasm and suitability for the role and if
possible highlight how you might add value to their organization. You may like to thank the assessor for
their time for reading your personal statement but do not be overly flattering.

My enduring enthusiasm to learn has shaped me into the scientist I am today. I am a

hard-working, persistent, and passionate leader who has a unique eye to the biological,
ecological, and behavioral side of a variety of research questions. With my deep-rooted
interests, I hope you will give my application every consideration.

Tips in Writing Effective Personal Statement for Job Application

1. Align your statement closely to the job specification and job description. Job or person
specifications list essential and desirable qualities and qualifications the company ideally would
like in a candidate (see table 1 below). The shortlisting process looks for people who meet, or
come close to meeting all the qualities listed as ‘essential requirements’. The job description
lists the duties and responsibilities of the post.

Table 1. Sample Person Specification

Essential Desirable
1. self-motivating 1. relevant business public or third sector
experience
2. excellent presentation skills
2. degree or above
3. ability to take initiative and seize 3. aptitude and experience with web-based
opportunities appropriately technologies
4. awareness of public sector environment
4. excellent people skills and organization structure
5. enjoys challenges and
uncertainties
6. able to deliver high quality work to
tight deadlines
7. experience of producing timely
progress reports

2. Use the skills and knowledge you have gained from your degree, extracurricular activities and
work experiences. Interpret and reflect on your skills and experiences, not just list them.

3. Give very specific examples to back up your claims (see example 1 below). It is not enough to
state you possess a certain skill e.g. teamwork. You need to explain why you think you have a
good level of skill.

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4. Make the selection easy for the employer. In public sector many managers have to read forms
squeezed into their normal working day or in the evenings after work.
Example 1: Excerpt from a personal statement

For a job with a housing association which emphasized the need for good team players in the
person specification:

‘In the second year of my degree I carried out a piece of research with a
small team of five into the area of student housing. The outcome was a series of
recommendations to meet the needs of students and offer support when dealing
with landlords. As a group we worked well together, holding weekly meetings
and maintaining communication electronically in between meetings. One person
became ill at a crucial time and I offered to reorganize the tasks to ensure the
project met the deadline. We received a good mark for the project (68%) and the
work was forwarded to the University’s Accommodation Office to be included in a
review of their services.’

This example uses the CAR technique. The applicant describes the circumstances of the
event or situation, he/she outlines individual contribution to the situation (action) and relevant
outcomes are mentioned (results). This candidate explained why he/she thought the team
worked well together, rather than just stating that they did. This technique can be useful in
application forms, CVs and interviews.

5. Once you have drafted, redrafted and refined the statement you can leave it for a while and
come back to what you have written with a fresh eye. Finally, you can also ask a proofreader
to check the grammar, structure and content of the statement.

REFERENCES

Stelzer, R. (1989). How to write a winning personal statement for graduate and professional school.
Princeton: Peterson's Guides.

http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/output/page775.asp. University of London online publication ‘Personal

Statements’.

http://www.careersteer.org/chapters/14.html. Advice on writing statements is from this US based

careers guidance site.

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Let's Check

Name : _______________________________________________________
Program/Year : _______________________________________________________
Class Schedule : _______________________________________________________

Directions: Encircle the letter of the correct and/or best answer (15 points).

1. Which of the following is interchangeably used for personal statement?

A. résumé
B. curriculum vitae
C. application letter
D. statement of purpose

2. What does letter ‘A’ stands for in CAR technique used in writing a personal statement?
A. action
B. associate
C. advantage
D. appropriate
3. Which section of the personal statement is the thesis statement written?
A. body
B. conclusion
C. header
D. introduction
4. Which section of the personal statement is the building on of one specific aspect of the thesis
statement tackled?
A. body
B. conclusion
C. header
D. introduction
5. Which section of the personal statement are enthusiasm and suitability for the role expressed?
A. body
B. conclusion
C. header
D. introduction
6. Which of the following is an effective way in organizing the personal statement?
A. Use long sentences to explain points thoroughly.
B. Use headings in Person Specification to organize your writing.
C. Back up your written claims with few evidences and examples.
D. Include difficult words in your writing to catch the reader’s attention.
7. Which of the following is the description of a personal statement?
A. It is a journal entry.
B. It is a résumé in narrative form.
C. It is an academic paper with the applicant as a subject.
D. It is an indication of the applicant’s priorities and judgment.

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8. Which of the following is the second step in writing the introduction of a personal statement?
A. Create a thesis statement.
B. Identify the specific position applied for.
C. Find interesting approach to hook the reader.
D. Introduce the reader to your topic sentence immediately.
9. Which of the following is NOT true about personal statement?
A. It is just a record or list of qualifications.
B. It uses selection criteria about what is and is not important.
C. It is always an argument that strategically organizes the most relevant qualifications.
D. It fleshes out selection criteria and apply the reasoning behind them to the particular
situation.
10. Which technique is used in writing personal statement?
A. CAR
B. RAC
C. RATS
D. STAR
11. Which question is NOT asked in an effective personal statement?
A. Who am I?
B. Who do I want to be?
C. What can the company do for me?
D. What kind of contribution do I want to make and how?
12. What must be written to introduce readers to major idea in a paragraph, whether it is a specific
skill, experience, or interest?
A. topic sentence
B. thesis statement
C. concluding paragraph
D. introductory paragraph
13. Which of the following is NOT an effective way in writing a personal statement?
A. Emphasize research focus and plan.
B. Give general examples to back up claims.
C. Articulate personal/professional inspiration.
D. Do not highlight relevant experiences and skills.
14. Which of the following is an example of an essential qualification for person specification?
A. aptitude
B. self-motivating
C. educational degree
D. relevant business experience
15. Which of the following is an example of a desirable qualification for person specification?
A. educational degree
B. excellent people skills
C. excellent presentation skills
D. enjoy challenges and uncertainties

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Let's Do

TASK 1. Personal Statement Writing

Name : _______________________________________________________
Program/Year : _______________________________________________________
Class Schedule : _______________________________________________________

Directions: Write a personal statement using 150 words only as requirement for your job application in
Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation in Taganito, Claver, Surigao del Norte based on your educational
degree. Anchor your personal statement on the company’s Vision, Mission and Core Values written
below. (20 points)

Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation Mission, Vision and Core Values

Vision : Achieve the highest standards for responsible and sustainable development of our country’s
natural resources.

Mission : We exist to responsibly and sustainably develop our country’s natural resources to meet
society’s needs, contributing to a brighter future for our people, our communities, and our
other stakeholders, always conscious of being stewards of the environment where we
operate.

Core Values: Responsibility, Leadership, Respect, Integrity, Financial Growth, Safety, and Teamwork

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Scoring Progression
Score Verbal Description Rating
5 Readable; The output is structured according to the required number of sentences; Gives the impression of writing
just to complete the task.
10 Fit for reading and appraisal; The output is structured according to the required number of sentences; Sentences are
relevant and coherent; Some interesting content.

15 Aimed; The output is structured according to the required number of sentences; Sentences are well- organized to
target the posed question; Interesting content and presentation.
20 Faultless; The output is structured according to the required number of sentences; The output has strong and
informative body; Ideas are well conceived and developed with sufficient examples.

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