Crafting a Compelling CV Personal Profile: Tips and Examples

A personal profile is your opportunity to set out your stall within seconds. When you first meet a recruiter, they'll often ask, "Tell me about yourself". Your CV's personal profile is the paper version of this.

Often regarded as one of the most difficult sections of your CV to prepare, you need to concentrate on extracting evidence from your career that matches the role you're applying for.

What is a personal profile?

A CV's profile (often referred to as a personal statement or just "introduction") is a few brief lines at the top of your CV providing recruiters with a quick overview of you and your experience without having to read your entire CV. When reading a personal profile, recruiters essentially want to know:

• Who is this candidate? Your professional identity, seniority level, and area of expertise.
• What have they done? Relevant experience, key achievements, and quantifiable wins.
• What can they offer us? The specific value you bring to this role and this organisation.

Personal Profile Tips

• Tweak the personal profile for every job application The more experience you have, the more this tip applies. Go through the job description with a fine-toothed comb to extract the skills and keywords they use, then mirror that language in your profile. This shows the recruiter what you can and will do if they recruit you — and becomes even more useful when ATS systems scan your CV.
• Avoid overused clichés If we had a pound for each time we read "hardworking" and "works well in a team" in a CV, we'd be on a tropical island rather than writing this article. A CV should tell a recruiter what makes you different — clichés have the opposite effect. Besides, wouldn't a recruiter simply expect every candidate to be "hardworking"?
• Avoid pronouns in your profile (and throughout your CV) You can write your personal statement in the first or third person, but you don't need to use 'I', 'he' or 'she' — its use is implied. Try starting each line with a power verb such as "Implemented" and cut the pronoun. "Implemented a marketing campaign resulting in…" immediately attracts attention.
• Be factual 90% of personal statements are full of hot air. Avoid overstating your skills — a recruiter will see straight through it. Include facts you can back up: how many years' experience you have, and definitely mention figures relating to past achievements such as sales increases and the number of staff you've led.
• Touch on your future ambitions Although your profile is primarily needed to highlight what you're bringing to the table, it's also worth including a line about your future goals. If you're returning to the workplace after a career break, mention it. If you've recently completed a degree and are looking for an entry-level role, let the recruiter know.
• Don't make your personal profile too vague Be specific about your achievements and skills. Instead of saying you "contributed to sales growth," provide numbers or percentages to demonstrate the actual impact of your work.
• Avoid excessive use of industry-specific jargon While it's good to demonstrate industry knowledge, avoid jargon that might not be understood by everyone — including HR generalists or ATS systems. Focus on clarity and simplicity.
• Keep the tone natural Once you've prepared the content, read your profile out loud to ensure it reads naturally.

Example of a CV Personal Profile

In the above example, the Marketing Manager candidate starts by mentioning their years of experience and expertise in digital marketing. They then provide specific skills such as SEO, SEM, and data analysis, along with their ability to drive revenue growth. Finally, they reference their leadership experience. This profile is tailored to a specific job and showcases the candidate's qualifications and aspirations effectively.

Common Questions

More Profile Examples

Profile for a retail professional in customer service

Profile for a recent Electrical Engineering graduate