Any tips about writing a good personal statement?

[Atalanta]

Each time I sit down to write out my personal statement I seem to have writers block - I've already sent out one application with no success, which isn't helping the creative juices! So any tips/advice on what I should include and what I shouldn't? I am truly passionate about becoming a Cadet but I just can't seem to manage to put it into words!

[mak]

Don't worry about the other application not coming off because of your personal statement, MN seems to be pretty popular just now. As for personal statement, I was always told not to lie too much or make any ludicrous connections between what you've done and what you're going to do, sometimes it's either applicable experience or it's not. Bit of "don't mind a bit of hard work" and "look at all the different nationalities/cultures I've worked" is always good if it's true...I talked a lot about my teenage years building bikes/cars out of bits of other ones, but I'm not sure what the deck equivalent is.

[thebrookster]

Hell, I'm glad I managed to sneak in before they tightened up the interview process!! I was a bit bemused when I realised that had I sat Clyde Marine's current interview program, I quite likely would not have gotten in. Mind you, turning up at the interview and confessing a complete and utter lack of knowledge about the MN was a fairly unique approach............



In terms of personal statement, you are trying to sell yourself. Tell them what your strengths are, what you have done, how this will apply to the job. As has been said above, do not lie or exaggerate, this looks very bad, and interviewers are quite practiced at spotting such things. However, remember that you want a positive spin on anything you put in.

[Atalanta]

Thank you both for the advice, I think I'm winding myself up over it! I just want to make sure I get across how much I want to do this but as you both said, not exaggerate any experience or lie and potentially make a complete tit of myself! Alot of what I want to include is already on my CV but I suppose as long as I'm getting across the relevant experience etc I already have and using it, wish me luck I'm going to sit down and hammer it out - let's hope it catches someones eye!