How to Write a Personal Statement for a Part-Time Job

Writing a CV is stressful work if you don't know how to write. Although a CV consists of several parts, a personal statement is an essential part of making you stand out from many other candidates. It is not always one-size-fits-all, so you need to think carefully and write properly to draw a hiring manager's attention.

Here are the top tips for writing a personal statement for your CV.

What should I write in my personal statement

A personal statement needs to explain who you are, what you can offer, and what is your goal (if you have one). It is written in the first paragraph of your CV. To catch a hiring manager's eyes, you must focus on summarising your strong points which are relevant to the post you are applying.

You must include;

・Job title

・Experience

・Particular skills you have

Work experience

If you have any work experience, you should write down the skills you have learned and how it is going to be beneficial for the employer. If you don't have any relevant experience, remember that soft skills are transferable. For example, if you have worked at a restaurant, you can say, "I can work under pressure and have excellent communication skills."

Achievements at schools or clubs

For some roles, your achievement at schools or clubs is highly appreciated by employers. Don't forget including your overall grade, a degree, diploma, and relevant qualifications that you achieved at schools. If you got some award or a title at any competitions, such as music or sports, show off your unique experience and the skills, which are adaptable to many part-time positions.

Hobbies and interests

If you have any unique and useful hobbies relevant to the position you are applying for, you must write them down. However, generic hobbies, such as listening to music or reading books, may not be considered as valuable skills, unless the post is relevant.

Which skills I can include in my personal statement

There is nothing to dismiss what you have learned from work experience or school life for your CV. Think about skills and unique experiences that make you stand out from other applicants!

Hotel and restaurant staff

Hotel or restaurant jobs give you many skills because their duties include not only serving food, but also event planning, reception, table and food preparation and cleaning. They work as a team to create a pleasant experience for all customers. The type or size of the hotel or the restaurant does not matter as the skills are transferable to any industry. The skills you can write about are teamwork, customer awareness, verbal communication, numeracy, time management and prioritisation, persuasion, working under pressure, initiative, motivation, resilience and ability to learn quickly.

Movers

Movers usually load, unpack and pack items, disassemble and assemble furniture for residential and commercial accounts and provide safe, on-time and dependable transportation. If you have the experience, why not demonstrate your skills, such as physical strength, stamina, attention to detail, customer service, conflict resolution, teamwork and time management?

Caregivers

Caregiver experience develops many invaluable soft skills. The essential skill is compassion. Caring and expressing sympathy to clients who are in painful situations is a must. Other skills you can write about include communication, observation, interpersonal skills, time management, organisation, cleanliness, patience, flexibility, initiative, physical strength and stamina.

Factory workers

Factory workers typically operate machinery to produce different items, monitor the process and test the quality. The duties also include processing, sorting and packaging products. You are equipped with operational knowledge and many other skills, such as teamwork, concentration, ability to follow instructions and methodical approach, physical stamina, communication and dependability.

Cleaning staff

Cleaning jobs do not only mean mopping floors. It includes many more tasks so that it requires skills. You can put down skills like time management, consistency, attentiveness, communication, problem-solving, versatility, ability to work autonomously, endurance, self-motivation and physical fitness.

Examples of a personal statement

When you write your personal statement, you need to be concise. Usually, a hiring manager has a vast stack of CVs to look through. Your statement needs to be attractive to be successful.

When writing, keep in mind:

・150 words of maximum.

・Focus on skills that are relevant to the job

・Include languages or words that are included in the job description, social media websites or their websites.

・Keep it simple. Do not use jargon.

・Use correct grammar and spelling

・Include your immediate goal

Read on several examples to learn the ropes!

English teacher

Passionate and dynamic teacher with a proven record of helping young people's progress through engaging lessons. Excellent behavioural management skills with vast experience of working in diverse schools outside and inside Japan. Experienced in developing a curriculm and lessons for international students. Hoping to hone my teaching skills.

Cleaner

Hard-working and reliable cleaner with three year's experience and knowledge of cleaning and maintenance. Skilled in a wide range of cleaning service with excellent attention to detail. Exhibits the communication skills to build a good relationship with customers. Enjoy working as a team and have an outstanding time-management.

Convenience store staff

Reliable and friendly shop staff with excellent communication skills and numeracy. Strives to achieve the best customer service. Enjoy assisting customers with outstanding problem-solving skills and initiative to overcome challenging situations. Eager to work in a fast-paced environment.

Restaurant staff

A friendly and hard-working team player with a high standard of personal hygiene. Thrives under pressure and always makes sure that the service meets customers' expectation. Exhibits great attentiveness in a polite manner. Possess excellent observation skills and ability to learn quickly. Hoping to join an innovative restaurant and develop my customer service skills.

Last remarks

A personal statement can be different individually, depending on experience and skills that you want to highlight. Focus on which skills the post requires and write the relevant skills in your personal statement.