Topic: Creating A Powerful Personal Profile

Your CV is in essence your sales pitch – a powerful marketing tool that written with flair and packed with informative, relevant content can net you the job interviews that you really want plus, potentially, the career progression you are hoping for.

The sales techniques we are often surrounded by include use of slogans, tag lines and ‘teasers’.
Using a Personal Profile in a CV is a similar technique and can be very effective. Positioned at the top of your CV, underneath your name and contact details, it should immediately capture the reader’s interest and entice them to read on.

Consisting of fifty to eighty words, and written in the third person (a more professional style), your Personal Profile should summarise your career status, progression, success and areas of expertise, plus provide an insight into your workplace characteristics whilst reflecting a little of your personality. You can also include what motivates you about the industry and role that you are in, what you gain the most job satisfaction from and what it is that you take pride in achieving for a company.

Writing in such a confident way does not come naturally to most people and if you find it difficult – ask friends and colleagues how they might sum you up or look out old appraisals and references to see how others have commented on your abilities. This is not a time to be modest.

In general, try and include industry buzz words and key skills – for example think of ten personal qualities or characteristics that you have that are valuable in the work place – you might describe yourself as ‘adaptable, efficient, innovative, proactive or conscientious’ etc.

Next think of ten skills that you have developed and that would be most applicable in the new job for which you are applying – some examples of these might be ‘communication, leadership, decision making, time management or negotiating skills’.

Then consider what three things motivate you most (avoiding the obvious ones such as salary, perks and bonuses etc!) these might include ‘learning new skills, working as part of a team or meeting pressurized deadlines’.

Finally, compare your lists with what the company is looking for. Gather information from the job advert, job description, personnel specification and company website. If the skills are radically different, you may need to rethink the job as a viable option for you. If they are similar however, then that is great – include as many as you can, not only in your Personal Profile but throughout your CV and covering letter. In this way you can ‘match’ yourself into the job and demonstrate that you have the qualities that the company or recruiter is looking for.

Wishing us all the very best...

Culled from: redgoldfish.co.uk

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