PERSONAL STATEMENT WRITING A SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL STATEMENT

PERSONAL STATEMENT

WRITING A SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL STATEMENT Purpose of a Personal Statement 1) To describe you as a person 2) To add a personality to your numbers 3) To bring your motivations to light 4. To reflect on your relevant personal and professional experiences 5. To demonstrate your understanding of the profession as a manager you wish to pursue

GENERAL POINTS • Write a simple, clear, concise, well-organized essay • A simple essay that captures all the important points is better that a poetic/philosophical essay that lacks necessary content • Your essay should be easy to read and understand in 2 -3 minutes • Remember your audience is management professionals, so get to the point • Write your essay yourself and make sure it is your own language • Your written and verbal communication style should be consistent in your primary application, supplemental applications, and interviews •

Five C’s of Good Business Writing 1) Conciseness (eliminate unnecessary wordiness, redundancy (“past experience”), too long words (matriculate vs. enroll) 2) Completeness (provide critical information as when, what, where) 3) Courtesy (appropriate tone, thank-you’s are never redundant) 4) Clarity (no too long sentences , no stream of consciousness) 5) Correctness ( “no misstaiks” in spelling, style, grammar)

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD BUSINESS WRITING • Simplify your writing without oversimplification. Keep your writing concise (at all times vs, always; due to the fact vs. because) • Avoid clichés • Use the active voice. • Write to, not down, your reader. • Write directly to the interests of your reader.

Approaching the Personal Statement STEP 1. Brainstorm and Generate the Content STEP 2. Organize the Content STEP 3. Proofread and make edits STEP 4. Trim the excess

GOOD LUCK!