I hate personal statements

[FrainBart]

I absolutely detest writing personal statements. I never know what to include in them. People often say to include things that sell yourself to the employer. List your positives. List things you are good at. But I try to look at things I am good at, and I can't find them. I am not a pessimist, I would consider myself a realist. People often say I am good at x or good at y... But I don't see it as being good at something. I just see it as a basic ability that everyone should have. I don't excel in them. My skills are nothing notable, and writing about them feels incredibly awkward.

Because of this I know I am losing opportunities because people see the mess that is a personal statement and will throw it away. Does anyone have some practical tips that may help me when it comes to writing a personal statement?

 

[Daphna]

I absolutely detest writing personal statements. I never know what to include in them. People often say to include things that sell yourself to the employer. List your positives. List things you are good at. But I try to look at things I am good at, and I can't find them. I am not a pessimist, I would consider myself a realist. People often say I am good at x or good at y... But I don't see it as being good at something. I just see it as a basic ability that everyone should have. I don't excel in them. My skills are nothing notable, and writing about them feels incredibly awkward.

Because of this I know I am losing opportunities because people see the mess that is a personal statement and will throw it away. Does anyone have some practical tips that may help me when it comes to writing a personal statement?

I would Google what skills employers are looking for in the field you hope to get into. Do you have them? If not, can you learn them? It used to be, employers wanted dependable, and efficient employees. Pretty simple skills but you’d be amazed at the fact that many people don’t have them or care to have them. Those two skills always got me noticed. Tell them why you want the job, and why you believe you’d be a good candidate for the job. Do you believe you can do the job? Do you have a passion for the job? What interests you in the job etc? Hope this helps. What about that resume book I told you about? They should have free books at a library to help you write an awesome resume.

 

[johnDoen]

I absolutely detest writing personal statements. I never know what to include in them. People often say to include things that sell yourself to the employer. List your positives. List things you are good at. But I try to look at things I am good at, and I can't find them. I am not a pessimist, I would consider myself a realist. People often say I am good at x or good at y... But I don't see it as being good at something. I just see it as a basic ability that everyone should have. I don't excel in them. My skills are nothing notable, and writing about them feels incredibly awkward.

Because of this I know I am losing opportunities because people see the mess that is a personal statement and will throw it away. Does anyone have some practical tips that may help me when it comes to writing a personal statement?

To those people, you have skills that they don't have and that's why they say you are good. It's just compliments and admiration and you deserve it. It's like most of us have an underlying thought that we are not good enough or something, so it's always cringy and awkward to write about our achievements and skills.

The whole point of a personal statement is to simply express self-confidence in both strengths and weaknesses and to be honest about why you fit for the position, maybe to test some writing skills as well.

 

[Kiwi2016]

I agree these are the hardest things to write. Maybe include 1-3 projects/situations which show your interest/ability to think on your feet/attention to detail/plan/ability to learn new things in your field. Also checking out the company/organization's website or newsletters can be helpful to get a sense pf them and their vision/mission and weave into your statement how you would be a good fit for them.. And also asking a friend/colleague to read it over I found quite helpful as they were able to tweak it as they say. Wishing you good luck in your job search.

 

[Walker]

Can you have someone close to you write it on your behalf? We're the worst at seeing what we're best at.

 

[FrainBart]

so i had written replies but never actually sent them.

@Daphna the job description and application pack had all the information needed, and while talking about them i could list everything in that, but it was turning it into sentences on paper that i struggled with. they wanted a personal statement of about 2 - 3 pages... so i just was set to fail. it also feels such an open ended option that i just dont know how to direct it.

@johnDoen i dont have any confidence in me as a person, but when i work i create the person i need to be. if its someone that is confident then i become that. its exhausting. i work in customer service currently, and i am a different person for different jobs. but they have rarely seen me as i really am (mostly because i am not someone who is desirable to be aroound). when i get myself in to the frame of mind of the job i am applying for i can list everything relevant... but i cant put it down (mostly because i have nothing to back it up)

@Walker only people i have is my mum. and shes not too good at writing these sorts of things. shes worse at it than me.
i am awful at seeing what i am good at because i dont see things as something i am good at, i see them as basic skills everyone should have. i dont see them as anything signifficant. but people have often told me i am good at things, so when it comes to listing my skills i list them as what others have said. but once again its turning them about me.

 

[Walker]

Perhaps you can hire someone from a service? People do that for a living - write resumes / CVs
I looked real quick and you can get someone on fivver to do it for $10. Maybe that's an option?