Writing a personal statement
A personal statement is always helpful to have and update at intervals, this is most commonly referred to on an application form as ‘additional information’. It’s your chance to really sell yourself and let an employer know why you are the best person for the job. It will need to be tailored for a specific job depending on the job specification.
A personal statement needs to be clearly communicated and concise, don’t just waffle! It should be written in continuous prose with short paragraphs. You can use sub-headings for each point on the job specification to help break it up into sections.
What to include
- All the skills you have learnt from your previous work experience that is relevant to the job, including any experience from volunteering or internships.
- Include experience and relevant knowledge that you gained from education.
- Say what attracts you to this job.
- Set out your skills, qualities and knowledge that would make you an ideal employee
- What unique contribution can you make to the company?
- What are your career aims? What do you want to achieve by working for the company and how can you add value?
Top Tip
Make sure you have asked someone to proof read your personal statement!
Click here for advice on how to create a personal statement.
Dealing with knockbacks
- You are not always going to get the job you apply for. Everyone has been through this and you are not on your own. Ask the company who has interviewed you to provide feedback on why you didn’t get the job. This is helpful and will help you prepare for your next interview. If you haven’t managed to get to the interview stage, it may be worth taking some time to review your personal statement or CV. Perhaps you didn’t fulfil the person specification requirements.
- Of course, you are going to feel down and anxious about your future prospects, but keep positive!
- If you did make it to the interview stage, that is surely one thing to be positive about, it means that they thought that you must have been a good candidate. You have gained the value of the interview experience. So what can you do now?
- Reassess the interview. Think about what you could have done better. Did you sell yourself enough?
- Get back out there straight away and start looking for another job, while you still have the buzz, don’t sit back and sulk!
Problems At Work
People experience different problems in the workplace; this can lead to unhappiness and depression. There are a range of avenues you can explore to resolve any issues that arise in the workplace.
First of all, read your company policy on grievances so you will know what procedures you need to follow to resolve a matter. Follow the company procedure and always document any written communication for future reference.
Steps to take for a grievance:
- Speak to your employer informally about the situation
- Write a formal letter to your employer
- Meet with your employer
- Appeal to your employer, this can be done through a union representative
- Go to a mediation meeting
- Make a claim to an employment tribunal