Career starter
Most of us will be asked to write a personal statement at some point - whether applying to college, university, or for an apprenticeship, job, or volunteering opportunity.
We know this can be a daunting task, so we’ve put together a series of simple tasks and support materials to help young people identify their skills, values, qualities and achievements, and give them the confidence to write an effective personal statement.
Task 1: Take a look at you!
Start building a personal profile by thinking about the things you do at school, at home and in your own time.
Sheet 1 | Sheet 2 | Sheet 3
Task 2: Find your match
Pick out the statements that relate to you to add to your profile – you may not have thought of these before!
Find your match worksheet
Task 3: Identifying values
Think of examples that demonstrate you have some or all of these values and personality traits, and add them to your profile.
Identifying values worksheet
Task 4: Ask a friend
Friends often see things in us that we can’t see – ask a friend to answer these questions and add their answers to your profile.
Ask a friend worksheet
Task 5: Find the right words
Look over the last 4 tasks and note key vocabulary / statements about you to include in a personal statement.
Find the right words worksheet
Task 6: Before you start
We’ve provided 4 sample personal statements. Choose one and identify what skills and values have been expressed.
Before you start worksheet
Helpful resources
The following resources will help you understand how to write an effective personal statement.
Example personal statements
Find out more
Knowing more about the job or course you are applying for, day-to-day requirements, skills, qualifications and potential pathways can really help when you are writing a personal statement.
Find out more about job roles in care