Personal Statement vs. Cover Letter: A Guide

What is a Personal Statement?

If a job advert asks you to include a personal statement, this could be one of two things. Firstly, if there's an application form to complete, this might include a personal statement, which is typically a summary of a few paragraphs explaining why you think you're a suitable candidate for the job. You might use this type of personal statement in place of a traditional cover letter. In it, you would outline why you want the role, how it fits with your career objectives and what skills and experience you offer to make you a strong candidate.

You might need to prepare a personal statement for academic applications such as UCAS, for job applications where the process is primarily completed via an online form, or for vocational courses and qualifications such as apprenticeships. Personal statements differ in length depending on the requirements of the employer, but you might expect a typical personal statement to be between 300 and 750 words long.

The second type of personal statement is a brief paragraph included in your CV. This type of personal statement, also called a 'CV summary' or 'CV objective' typically wouldn't be referenced in the job advert, but most people include it as part of a standard CV format. This personal statement is normally only two or three sentences long, and briefly touches on one or two of your main qualities, achievements and career objectives. For the purpose of this article, we'll be discussing the first, longer type of personal statement and comparing it to a traditional cover letter.

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a formal letter that accompanies your CV and introduces you and your application to the recruiter or hiring manager. Similar to a personal statement, cover letters outline your reasons for applying for the role and highlight several key skills or career achievements that you want to draw particular attention to. These are traditionally your most relevant, unique or impactful qualities, that show the reader why you're the most suitable candidate for the job.

Cover letters can come in different forms, depending on the type of job you're applying for, and the way you're applying. While most job applications are now submitted online, many still require a traditional cover letter to accompany the CV or application form. In this case, you would write a cover letter using formal, professional letter-writing conventions. If you're sending your application via email, you may opt for a shorter, more informal cover letter in the body of your email. This type of cover letter, or 'cover note', introduces yourself, confirms the role you're applying for and directs the reader to the attached application or CV.

Cover letters tend to follow a traditional letter structure with three main paragraphs. The first introduces you and the role you're applying for, the second outlines your key skills and qualities, while the third provides a call to action for employers to follow up with you. In total, a cover letter should be a concise single side of paper, or between 300 and 500 words in length.

Personal statements are all about highlighting your best skills and qualities in a way that resonates with recruiters, hiring managers or admissions officers.

Key Differences Between a Personal Statement and a Cover Letter

While the content and tone of a personal statement and a cover letter are very similar, there are some notable differences. Here are the key differences between the two documents:

Personal Statement vs. Cover Letter: When Should You Use Each?

A cover letter tends to be the most appropriate document for traditional job applications - even if you're applying via email or submitting your CV to an online job portal. Personal statements are more relevant for applications you complete via an online form.

Always check the job description to understand whether the employer or recruiter requires a cover letter to accompany your CV. If they don't specify on the job advert or you're not sure, you could always ask the employer. However, if you're sending your application as a CV, it makes sense to also include a formal cover letter, even if this isn't explicitly requested on the job advert, as this matches established job application conventions.

If you're filling in a job application via a step-by-step process online, there may be a section for a personal statement. In this case, write a bespoke statement rather than simply pasting in the text from an existing cover letter draft or template. Online application forms may also ask you to submit a cover letter as part of the application process.

Personal statements are much more common in academic settings. If you're applying to a university or educational establishment, either for a degree or another formal qualification, you may be asked for a personal or supporting statement. You might also use a personal statement for apprenticeship applications, or when applying to graduate recruitment programmes.

How to Write an Effective Personal Statement

If your job application requires a personal statement, follow these tips to give yourself the best chance of success:

• Reflect on your key skills and qualities: Personal statements are all about highlighting your best skills and qualities in a way that resonates with recruiters, hiring managers or admissions officers. Before writing your personal statement, make a list of your top skills and qualities, and compare them to the job description to understand how you can write the most compelling and impactful personal statement.
• Make it personal: The whole point of a personal statement is for it to be personal and specific to your unique qualities. Don't be afraid to discuss your personal ambitions, your motivations and the qualities that you make a unique prospect for the job.
• Focus on storytelling: A personal statement gives you the opportunity to reflect on your career to date and your objectives. Focus on storytelling and form your experiences into a compelling narrative that helps to persuade the reader you're right for the job (or for an academic application, the course or qualification).
• Get into the details: While a cover letter typically necessitates a concise, to-the-point approach, the storytelling approach of a personal statement gives you more opportunity to get into the details, and provide a more comprehensive account of your skills, achievements and ambitions.

How to Write an Effective Cover Letter

If you've decided to include a traditional cover letter with your job application, these tips can help you make the best impression with recruiters and hiring managers:

• Tailor it to the job description: The key to an impactful cover letter is to tailor it to the job description. You can't get away with a generic cover letter because employers will want to know the details of why you're you a strong candidate for that particular role.
• Focus on a few key skills and achievements: Cover letters tend to be concise documents of no longer than a single side of paper, with three main paragraphs of content. Some of this space is taken up with greetings, professional letter-writing conventions and pleasantries, so you don't have much space to make your case. Pick out your strongest skills, unique qualities and greatest career achievements and build your letter around them.
• Use a formal, professional tone: While a personal statement gives you the opportunity to dig deeper and be more reflective, a cover letter requires a formal, professional approach to tone and language. Match the tone of the role and industry you're applying for, but always err on the side of formal and professional with your approach.
• Keep it concise: Aim for a cover letter length of three paragraphs, or around 300 words. Being disciplined with the length of your letter doesn't just make it easier to scan and read, it's a useful exercise for writing in an impactful, persuasive manner.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common mistakes to give you the best chance of creating a successful personal statement or cover letter:

• Confusing a personal statement with a cover letter: While personal statements and cover letters are similar, it's critical not to confuse the two. Don't submit a cover letter when the job advert asks for a personal statement, and vice versa.
• Using the wrong tone for either document: Personal statements allow more personalisation and a less formal tone, while cover letters require formal, professional language throughout. Make sure you use the appropriate tone and language for each document.
• Using a generic cover letter layout: When preparing a cover letter, you'll want it to stand out and leave a strong impression on the reader. Use an eye-catching cover letter template like those offered by CVwizard, to help your cover letter stand out from the crowd.
• Ignoring UK job application conventions: Check the job advert before writing your personal statement or cover letter, but be aware of UK job application conventions, which tend to require a formal, professional tone and a concise, to-the-point approach to your applications.
• Failing to tailor your content: Using the same generic content for personal statements or cover letters, regardless of the role you're applying for, is a sure-fire way to harm your chances of success. Always spend time understanding what the employer is looking for, and tailoring your personal statement or cover letter accordingly.

Key Takeaways for Personal Statement vs. Cover Letter

Whether you're writing a personal statement or a cover letter, make sure you tailor it to the job description and focus on your best skills and achievements, providing evidence of the impact you've made in your career to date. Be aware of the slight differences between the two documents, and the circumstances in which you might need to use them. For help making your job applications as memorable and impactful as possible, use professional CV templates and cover letter examples from CVwizard. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started with your winning job application.