When applying for a role in education, the personal statement is what will help you stand out from the crowd. This is your opportunity to showcase the skills and experiences that make you the perfect fit for the job. It is especially useful for teaching and leadership roles but the tips below can be used for any role within an education setting.
What is a personal statement?
The personal statement is your opportunity to show off your strengths, inform the employer about your achievements and share exactly why you want to join their school/trust.
Your personal statement should be a representation of who you are as a professional, and what you have to offer in terms of experience and ambition. It should also closely match the person specification for the role you are applying for (this is generally attached to the job advert itself).
How do I write an effective personal statement?
1. Do your research
Have a look at the school or trust website, view the careers page on MyNewTerm and book in a visit so you can get a really good feel of the school before applying. You can then explain how you fit in with the ethos and values within your personal statement.
2. Highlight key areas of expertise
You need to be able to highlight the key areas of expertise by answering questions like “what is your speciality?” and “what can you bring to the school/trust?” – the answers should be related to the job you’re applying for, highlighting why you’d be the perfect candidate for the role. You can use the headings in the person specification to make this as clear as possible to the hiring manager.
3. Use the language of the person specification
This shows that you have read the job description and person specification thoroughly and have a comprehensive understanding of what the role requires.
4. Include a brief overview of your career history
Highlight your work history, such as where you have worked previously or what you learnt from the experience you have had.
5. Avoid including unnecessary personal information
No need to include personal information that is not related to the job you’re applying for e.g. recently divorced, married and how many children you may have. Many schools opt for blind shortlisting (this helps to remove bias when they are choosing who to interview) so make sure you haven’t included your name, address or phone number here either.
To find your next job in education, have a look at the vacancies currently available at MyNewTerm.
