Writing a CV personal profile that sells you and your skills is one of the most vital components of your CV / resume.
Your CV is often referred to as a marketing tool that should be designed to sell you, your skills and experience. When a prospective employer receives your CV /resume, the first thing they will normally read about you that will capture their attention is your personal profile.
But what exactly is a Personal Profile and what should it contain?
What to write in a CV personal profile
A Personal Profile is a description of you both as a professional and as an individual. It is usually placed at the top of your CV below your name and contact details.
This will be your first chance to impress the reader. You can tell them who you are and what you can offer them; so it should grab their attention straight away and get them to read further.
Your Personal Profile should normally consist of no more than 5 or 6 sentences.
Many people write in the first person, (e.g. “I have excellent communication skills.”). However it is highly recommended that you avoid over-using “I”.
For that reason your profile should be written in the third person as this is regarded as more professional.
The first (and possibly second) sentence of your personal profile should describe you. This should be followed by a summary of your skills and experience.
The final sentence should be an explanation of your career goals.
A good CV personal profile will give the reader a positive mental picture of you and encourage them to contact you.
Useful tips for writing a CV personal profile
As your CV may be scanned by computer programmes searching for ‘keywords’, you should consider including industry or professional terms or ‘buzz words’ in your Personal Profile.
This will also serve to indicate and emphasize your level of knowledge to the reader. Make sure your Personal Profile matches the role you are applying for by reading the job description, person specification or advert.
Including the skills you possess that the employer requires will give you a greater chance of success. Use positive terms and adjectives such as “highly motivated,” or “proven achiever,” etc. to describe skills and achievements.
Remember that it is your CV and you are the person who must be happy that it reflects you positively and honestly.
If your personal profile paints you as a loud, gregarious person, imagine the effect on the interviewer if they were faced with a serious, confident person at interview.
Go to hobbies and interests to learn about another section of your CV/resume that is often overlooked. Or visit our CV content section where you can see an example of a bad CV and find out how to eliminate the mistakes in your CV / resume.
Remember that your CV or resume never travels alone. If you are looking for great example cover letters in your field to introduce your CV/resume to a prospective employer then go to our sample CV cover letters section.
Build your online CV
Once you have constructed a great CV and a covering letter that will impress, you can search for a job in your country, find the latest jobs and start applying instantly by uploading your CV / resume online.
Here at The Personal Development Cafe we know that one of the best things to do with knowledge is to pass it on. Would you like to share your experience with others?
If you need specific help or confidential information on how to eliminate a particular weakness in your CV please use our contact form and we’ll be more than happy to help you.
