Personal Statements on CVs

[TheArchitect]

Should you have a personal statement on your CV? or should your cover letter have that information?

and do you list your "Key Skills" relevant to the role your applying for?

[T89 Callan]

I have an 'other skills' section, turning milling and welding are good conversation starters at interviews for office based jobs.

[Pursyluv]

TheArchitect said:

Should you have a personal statement on your CV? or should your cover letter have that information?

and do you list your "Key Skills" relevant to the role your applying for?

No to PS, because they often read like bullspit and yes to KS because these are factual.

References from previous employers would serve you better then PS

[Pork]

PS if you're American.

Otherwise, no.

[AJS-]

I have a sort of personal statement at the top, basically a one line summary of what I am doing and what I want to do. I also have a section at the bottom for other skills which aren't directly relevant to anything I have used for employment, but might grab someone's attention or prove useful in future.

I definitely don't have any none sense about how many self help books I've read, or how I believe in mental positivity or any of that sort of nonesense.

[crofty1984]

I have a very brief (5-6 lines) personal statement on my CV at the start. All too often I think only the CV ends up going through to the employer rather than both. Also it serves to give a quick heads up to any non-bulletpointable things.

[Boxylady]

crofty1984 said:

I have a very brief (5-6 lines) personal statement on my CV at the start. All too often I think only the CV ends up going through to the employer rather than both. Also it serves to give a quick heads up to any non-bulletpointable things.

+1 and this was recommended by professional CV writer.

[Chim Chim]

I was made redundant last year (correction - my post was I wasn't) and part of the package was time with a consultancy who ripped apart what I thought was a decent CV and came up with a very good (but so far not successful!) CV. At the top is this:-

"Very accustomed to working under pressure and prioritising workload both at team and individual level to achieve tight deadlines. Uses excellent communication and influencing skills to build strong relationships with team and customer. Highly experienced in administration and team building & training, the insurance markets, database use and development. Experienced Database user and software programmer who has worked for many high profile employers. Experienced and trained in ISO 9001 standards. I am hard-working, keen to learn new skills and very reliable."

depending on what the job is I'm applying for I rearrange the order or re-write slightly to emphasize the skills wanted.

I would highly recommend that you get your CV looked at - the bloke who runs Job Patch is a bit of a petrolhead! £20 for a professionally written CV?

http://www.jobpatch.com/company/cv-writing-service...

PS - Job Patch wrote the paragraph above for me.

Edited by Chim Chim on Thursday 25th February 17:54

[Soovy]

TheArchitect said:

Should you have a personal statement on your CV? or should your cover letter have that information?

and do you list your "Key Skills" relevant to the role your applying for?

No.

Repugnant bullsh t.

Immediate binning if I get one.

"I am a multi skilled team player with excellent communication abilities and a will to succeed...... I am target focussed.... blah blah blah."


CV's should be FACTUAL.

[Gargamel]

No issue with them - and I read about 800 cvs a month.

Avoid subjective statements and certainly avoid this type of thing - just an example you understand

My eyes lit up when I saw your advert for this role. Hopefully when you read my CV, you will agree that I am a top-drawer candidate bringing the skills and experience that you are looking for. I have Board level experience in Retail Banking and the transformation experience such as my recent role with as Projects Director. I set out below a brief view of my alignment with your requirements.

[crofty1984]

Soovy said:

TheArchitect said:

Should you have a personal statement on your CV? or should your cover letter have that information?

and do you list your "Key Skills" relevant to the role your applying for?

No.

Repugnant bullsh t.

Immediate binning if I get one.

"I am a multi skilled team player with excellent communication abilities and a will to succeed...... I am target focussed.... blah blah blah."


CV's should be FACTUAL.

That's all bullst I agree, as is IMO the one in the post above yours, apart from perhaps the bit about ISO9000. But a factual "this is what I have done" I think looks good. Then again the CV reviewer I sent mine to did comment that mine was unusual as it wasn't just a smattering of meaningless buzz-words that anyone could have written.

[Soovy]

Gargamel said:

My eyes lit up when I saw your advert for this role.

Each to their own, but Mills and fuc king Boon spring to mind.

[Gargamel]

Soovy said:

Gargamel said:

My eyes lit up when I saw your advert for this role.

Each to their own, but Mills and fuc king Boon spring to mind.

I was using it as an example of what NOT to say - instant bin

[Soovy]

Gargamel said:

Soovy said:

Gargamel said:

My eyes lit up when I saw your advert for this role.

Each to their own, but Mills and fuc king Boon spring to mind.

I was using it as an example of what NOT to say - instant bin

doh.

[Pursyluv]

Soovy said:

TheArchitect said:

Should you have a personal statement on your CV? or should your cover letter have that information?

and do you list your "Key Skills" relevant to the role your applying for?

No.

Repugnant bullsh t.

Immediate binning if I get one.

"I am a multi skilled team player with excellent communication abilities and a will to succeed...... I am target focussed.... blah blah blah."


CV's should be FACTUAL.

Agreed as i said earlier, believe me, one whiff of bull and it's in the bin and that's no bull

[alfa daley]

Chim Chim said:

"Very accustomed to working under pressure and prioritising workload both at team and individual level to achieve tight deadlines. Uses excellent communication and influencing skills to build strong relationships with team and customer. Highly experienced in administration and team building & training, the insurance markets, database use and development. Experienced Database user and software programmer who has worked for many high profile employers. Experienced and trained in ISO 9001 standards. I am hard-working, keen to learn new skills and very reliable."

The PS they have written you talks about you in the 3rd person and 1st person!