Your personal profile (also sometimes known as a career summary or objective) sits at the top of your CV and it's one of the first things a recruiter or hiring manager will read. In a few short lines, it should communicate who you are, what you've achieved in your career thus far, and what you are looking for in your next role.

Not only is it the "first" thing that a recruiter or hiring manager reads about you, it could be the "last" if it doesn't immediately grab their attention.

What Makes A Good Personal Profile?

• Concise: Aim for 3 - 5 sentences maximum. It should be a snapshot of who you are and what you are looking for, not your life story.
• Tailored: If at all possible, tailor it to the role you are looking for. Especially when describing the role you want in the future, make it somewhat aligned with what you are applying for.
• Informationally dense: Focus on being able to drop little pieces of information about who you are without overloading.
• Confident, but not arrogant: Use positive language, but don't oversell yourself, especially if it's a grad role.

A Personal Profile Template

This is the template we give candidates if they aren't sure where to start.

• 2 sentences of "I am"
• 1 sentence of "I'm looking for"

I am is about concisely describing where you are in your career, and what you've achieved thus far. Even for a graduate, you need to be able to describe where you are at.

An example for an experienced engineer might be : "I am a senior fullstack software engineer, with 15+ years experience working in C#.NET, React, and Azure. I strive in fast paced environments where I can learn new technologies on the fly"

An example for a graduate might be : "I am a recent graduate from the University of Otago, majoring in Computer Science. I have skills in Python, C++, and C but I'm always keen to learn new technologies especially for the web."

I'm looking for is a single sentence to describe what your next role should be. Again, this should be tailored to the types of roles you are applying to.

An example for an experienced engineer might be : "I'm looking for a new role where I can lead projects, start to finish, and really own the end to end delivery."

An example for a graduate might be : "I'm looking for my first role to jumpstart my career".

Final Tips

• Read the job ad and try to mirror some of the same key language or technologies they use - but don't lie! If you have never worked with Azure before, don't start dropping it into your personal profile if your work history can't back it up.
• Avoid vague cliche lines like "hard working" or "team player". These are just assumed.
• Avoid generic description of your previous jobs.
• Name drop technologies, certifications, or processes you've worked with.
• If you are unsure, write it once you've completed the rest of your CV. It will give you a clearer picture of what to highlight and how you want to position yourself.

Summary

Overall, writing the perfect personal profile doesn't require a degree in creative writing! It's all about clarity, confidence, and relevance to the role you are applying to.