Your CV personal profile (also called a CV opening statement or personal statement) is a brief paragraph or bulleted list that sits at the top of your CV structure and highlights your key skills, years of experience, and job-relevant achievements:
Interested in seeing some on-screen examples of what a great CV personal profile looks like? Watch this video for a quick explainer:
CV Personal Profile Template (Copy & Paste)
Dedicated [job title] with [number] of years of experience working in the [name of industry] industry. Specialise in [top skill] and [top skill]. Possess a [name of degree or relevant education] from [name of institution]. Looking to leverage my knowledge and skills to aid [Company’s name] in its [Company’s mission] goals.
To help you create your own standout CV profile, we’ve provided 14 CV personal profile examples from a variety of candidates below along with tips on how to write a CV profile.
1. CV personal profile with no work experience
Writing a CV with no work experience? This is a good example of what it could look like:
Why this CV profile stands out:
- Shows the employer the applicant is genuinely interested in the type of work they would be doing if hired (‘passion for food service’)
- Highlights relevant voluntary and personal work that’s related to the target job
- States the name of the company and job title to tailor the CV to the specific employer
2. CV opening statement with work experience
When you have relevant work experience, this is how to write your CV introduction:
What this CV personal profile gets right:
- Lets the employer see right away that the applicant knows how to do the job they’re applying for
- Uses hard numbers (‘100 million+ people’, ‘£65 million+ in revenue’) to show the scale of the projects the applicant has worked on
- Specifies how they plan to assist with solving an issue for the company
3. Student CV profile
Here’s how to create a job-winning CV opening statement when you write a student CV:
Why this CV opening statement makes a good impression:
- Highlights job-relevant skills using keywords from the job advert (‘market research’, ‘collaborating’)
- Details a specific university project the applicant completed that shows how they can make a valuable contribution to the employer
- Focuses on how the applicant can benefit the company
4. Graduate CV personal profile
If you’re writing a CV as a recent graduate, this is a good example to follow:
Why this is a good CV profile:
- Showcases internship experience that’s relevant to the job the applicant is seeking
- Name drops well-known companies that the applicant has been associated with within the employer’s industry
- Uses keywords and phrases from the job post to get the reader’s attention
5. Engineering CV profile
Even if you’re looking for your first job, you can still write a great CV personal profile. Take a look at this recently graduated engineer’s CV personal profile:
Why this personal profile works:
- Tailors language to highlight core soft skills (for instance, ‘attentive civil engineer’ suggests they are highly detail-oriented)
- Includes full degree title and expected graduation date — which employers will be scanning for if hiring for a graduate position
- Sets clear career goals that align with company values
6. Retail CV profile statement
This personal profile statement from a retail worker’s CV highlights the applicant’s customer service expertise:
Friendly and customer-focused Sales Assistant with 2+ years of retail experience. Recognised by my supervisors for providing accurate product knowledge to new and repeat customers and exceeding monthly sales targets. Seeking a responsible sales position at House of Fraser to help maximise sales and enhance shopping experiences for customers.
What’s great about this personal profile:
- Targeted adjectives (‘friendly’, ‘customer focused’) highlight desirable traits for a customer serving role
- Demonstrates understanding of customer service by naming two relevant achievements (‘providing accurate product knowledge’, ‘exceeding monthly sales targets’)
- Tailors personal profile to the job by including the company name
7. Teacher CV personal profile
If you’re writing a CV for a teaching job, try emphasising your ability to connect with students, like so:
What this CV profile does well:
- Includes hard numbers to emphasise extensive teaching experience
- Highlights valuable job-specific skills (familiarity with the National Curriculum and GCSE exam preparation)
- Demonstrates appropriate traits for a secondary school teacher by using student-centred language (‘creating engaging lessons’, ‘preparing students with helpful feedback and assistance’)
8. Customer service CV professional profile
Here’s a customer service CV personal profile that showcases the applicant’s people skills and foreign language skills:
Customer Service Representative with 5 years of experience serving clients of all ages and backgrounds. Sustained a 100% customer satisfaction rating from 2021–2023. Fluent in English, French, and Italian. Experienced with using Microsoft Office Suite. Ready to establish positive client relationships and provide excellent communications for all queries and requests at Trescal Limited.
Why this profile will convince a customer service employer:
- Uses one sentence to emphasise a noteworthy relevant skill (fluency in four languages)
- Includes a percentage to emphasise an impressive achievement
- Outlines two benefits that the applicant will bring to the company
9. Accounting CV profile
Below is an example of an applicant’s profile statement for their accountant CV:
What stands out about this CV opening statement:
- Includes CIMA qualification to confirm the applicant is fully certified to work as an accountant
- Uses numbers to illustrate experience working with large clients
- Highlights valuable technical skills (proficiency in Sage Line 200 and Navision)
10. School leaver CV personal profile
This candidate’s school leaver CV personal profile statement highlights their academic accomplishments:
What makes this school leaver personal profile effective:
- Successfully compensates for lack of work experience by focusing on education and volunteering experience
- Advertises strong work ethic by including relevant personal qualities (diligence and enthusiasm)
- Includes relevant personal interests to present themselves as a well-rounded candidate
11. Marketing CV professional profile
Look at how this candidate started their CV for a digital marketing agency and how they presented one of their previous roles:
Why this is an engaging personal profile:
- Specifies the candidate’s areas of expertise
- Includes hard numbers to emphasise success at core digital marketing tasks
- Presents a clear career goal and aligns it with employers’ interests
12. Graphic designer CV profile
Here’s an example of what to include in a CV for a graphic design role:
Innovative Graphic Designer with 8+ years of experience. Equipped with an MA from the University of Bristol and a UX Design Institute certificate. Possess an intuitive eye for art as well as a strong knowledge of design thinking, UI/UX principles, colour theory, and information architecture. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Affinity, Figma, Sketch, and Zeplin.
Why this is an eye-catching personal profile for a graphic designer:
- Includes two noteworthy design qualifications
- Uses appropriate language to highlight creativity and analytical skills (‘intuitive eye for art’, ‘strong knowledge of design thinking’)
- Highlights knowledge of relevant software tools
13. Architecture CV personal profile
Here’s a candidate’s architecture CV that describes their previous freelance duties and full-time roles:
This personal profile lays the foundations for job-hunting success because it:
- mentions experience in a variety of industry roles
- includes an essential qualification (Architecture and Design BA)
- hints at the excellent quality of the applicant’s work — a great approach to take if you’re planning to submit a portfolio with your CV
14. Project manager CV professional profile
This personal profile from a CV for a project manager makes an impact on recruiters by listing the applicant’s previous workplaces:
Communicative Project Manager with 12½ years of experience in fast-paced tech environments. Previously worked at Google, Facebook, and Discord. Specialise in resource and budget management. Recognised by team members for bringing forth actionable results, clear communication, and meeting key project deliverables by every deadline. Applying for the role of Senior Project Manager at Twitter.
What makes this an impressive CV personal statement?
- The applicant has several years of specific industry experience
- They’ve worked at several high-profile companies
- The writer highlights employer satisfaction in previous roles, inviting the hiring employer to ask for references or discuss the applicant’s strengths in a job interview
How to write a CV profile
Unsure how to begin writing your CV personal profile? Don’t fret. Use these five tips to create an original CV profile statement:
1. Begin with your years of experience and top skills
Employers want to know if you’d be a good fit for their team. So start with essential information about your previous experience, including your:
- years of relevant experience
- educational background and certifications
- duties that relate back to the role you’re applying for
- key skills
Adding examples of your previous work duties or relevant education in your CV personal profile makes your opening statement more persuasive. Examples help inform employers you’ve got the qualifications they’re looking for and helps them decide whether they should keep reading your CV.
Additionally, mentioning any relevant hard skills (like using Adobe Photoshop) and soft skills (such as time management ability) gives employers a better understanding of your capabilities and personality.
2. Impress employers with an achievement
Because employers need to decide between several applications for each job opening, your CV personal profile needs to stand out. So include a noteworthy accomplishment such as:
- identifying, optimising, or solving a problem
- increasing revenue or sales for the company
- introducing an innovative idea
- working on a special project
Use hard numbers to highlight your CV achievements. Numbers like percentages, time worked, and money saved gives employers a more detailed understanding of what you can do, making your CV more impressive.
3. Tailor your CV profile to each job you’re applying for
Employers don’t like receiving applications with generic CVs. If your CV isn’t specific to their company’s needs, you’ll appear just marginally interested in the role.
So optimise your CV personal profile by reading each job description carefully — then you’ll know what specific keywords a company is using and can include them on your CV profile and the rest of your CV.
Also, include the job title and company name in your profile. Doing so is a simple yet effective way to tailor your CV to your target job.
4. Keep your CV personal profile between 50 and 80 words
Employers don’t have time to read waffly CVs that are long or unclear. So keep your opening statement at 50–80 words (or three to five sentences).
Remember to include only essential information about your skills and experience that relates directly to the position so your CV profile is brief and easy to read.
If everything you want to say doesn’t fit in your CV profile, make a cover letter that gives more details to employers.
5. Avoid using clichés
Certain words, phrases, and jargon such as ‘team player’, ‘hard-working’, or ‘think outside the box’ are vague and clichéd.
Instead, use good CV buzzwords, such as keywords from the job advert and unique adjectives that describe who you are. And add specific details that accurately demonstrate your work ethic and skills.
Here’s an example of a CV profile with clichés in red, and one written using clear, descriptive language in green.
CV profile example using clichés
Hard-working Digital Marketing Manager and thought leader with 5+ years of experience thinking outside the box and working in agile environments. Dedicated to going the extra mile with technical SEO efforts and pushing all content forward to the fullest.
CV profile example using clear, descriptive language
Analytical and creative Digital Marketing Manager with 5+ years of experience working with remote and in-house teams to enhance SEO efforts, Google Ad campaigns, and customer traffic. Specialise in technical and on page SEO. Dedicated to researching the latest marketing trends and sharing detailed insights with my colleagues in a friendly and accessible manner.
Frequently asked questions about CV profiles
Still unsure how to write your CV personal profile? Here are answers to three common questions about creating an effective personal profile for your CV:
- What’s the difference between a personal profile and a personal statement?
- Does my CV need a personal profile?
- Can I use the same personal profile for multiple applications?
1. What’s the difference between a personal profile and a personal statement?
A personal statement and a personal profile are the same thing. Both are brief summaries of your experience that highlight important qualities the employer should take note of when considering whether to hire you.
2. Does my CV need a personal profile?
Yes, your CV needs a well written personal profile.
CV profiles help you stand out from other applicants. Because they briefly summarise your experience, skills, and goals, they make your application memorable. The employer is also more likely to read the rest of your CV carefully if you’ve given them a few compelling reasons to consider your application at the top of the page.
3. Can I use the same personal profile for multiple applications?
Don’t use the same personal profile for multiple applications.
CV profiles tailor your application to one specific job by highlighting parts of your experience and education that are particularly relevant. If you use the same personal profile for different job applications, employers will be able to tell because parts of your statement won’t be relevant to the vacancy they’re trying to fill.
Worse still, sending an employer a generic personal profile suggests you haven’t put much thought or effort into your application.
More FAQs to help you with your job application
