How to write a supporting statement
- Write in short paragraphs to avoid a wall of text. Choose a clear font such as Arial, to make sure that your statement is easy to read.
- Lay your answers out in the same order as the criteria.
- Remember to save your work as you go along.
- There is a word/character limit.
Contents
- 1 How long should my supporting statement be?
- 2 How do you sell yourself in a supporting statement?
- 3 Is a supporting statement a cover letter?
- 4 Is a supporting statement the same as a personal statement?
- 5 What is a good personal statement examples for CV?
- 6 Is 4 pages too long for a personal statement?
- 7 Is 700 words too long for a personal statement?
How do you start a supporting statement?
Introducing Yourself – The first paragraph should introduce you and give a brief summary of who you are and why you are best for the role, e.g. ‘I am an award-winning fundraiser with strong corporate experience.’ It is important to give a strong and positive impression of yourself right from the start.
What is a supporting statement example?
For example: ‘I am now looking to apply the skills I earned throughout my career as a commercial marketing manager into a challenging career role with an organisation that has a clear social purpose mission and impact. ‘ Remember to add your name to the supporting statement, and to date it.
Is a supporting statement a CV?
5 Tips to Write a Brilliant Supporting Statement A cover letter is something that’s become requested less frequently by recruiters in recent years. With many CVs now being submitted by email or via an online system, it’s rare you’ll be asked to submit a cover letter; what is more common, however, is being asked to provide a ‘supporting statement’.
- The idea of writing a supporting statement might seem like a drag, however you should think of this as an extra opportunity to tell your potential employer how brilliant you are and make a great first impression.
- Here are some of Webrecruit’s top tips to help you get started and write a stand-out supporting statement:
- 1. Make it bespoke
- Searching for a new role is time consuming and if you’re applying for several jobs at once, the idea of writing a unique supporting statement for each one can be exhausting.
However, we can’t stress the importance of a bespoke supporting statement enough. Copying and pasting something generic that covers all bases just isn’t going to get you noticed in such a competitive market. If you’re applying to the company directly or you’re aware of who the end employer is, take a look at their website and the work they’ve completed so far.
Does a particular project interest you? Pop a line in your statement saying ‘I love the work that you completed for XX company, it’s right along the same lines of what I like to create, which is why I feel that I’d be the ideal match for your organisation.’ This shows that you’ve taken the time to research what they do and you’re interested in working for them, rather than just applying for any job you can find.
Make them feel special. If you’re applying through an online job advert where you don’t know who the end employer is, pick some of the key details out of the advert about the role and relate it back to your experience and the results you’ve achieved.2.
- Think of your supporting statement as your opportunity to explain why you want to work for the company and why your skill-set is a suitable match for what they’re looking for, rather than just reeling off details of your previous roles.
- 3. Triple check spelling and grammar
- Just like when you create your CV, don’t spend hours crafting a perfect supporting statement only to have it dismissed within a few seconds because you’ve made spelling mistakes.
After you’ve finished writing your supporting statement, read it back carefully. Then read it for a second time, aloud. You might feel a bit silly but it’s easier to identify any mistakes or clunky sentences when you read it out loud. If you get the opportunity, ask someone else to read through your statement as well. Nothing beats a fresh pair of eyes for picking out a typo!
- 4. Keep it short and easy-to-read
- Recruiters will be looking at dozens of applications every single day so keep your supporting statement as short and succinct as possible, ideally no more than one A4 document in length.
- Write in short paragraphs to avoid any walls of text and choose a clear, appropriate font, such as Arial, to ensure that your statement is easy-to-read.
- 5. Always refer back to the job advert
When constructing your supporting statement, always have a copy of the job advert that you’re applying for in front of you. Note down the specific skills being asked for in the advert and make sure that you refer back to these at all times; try not to go off on a tangent.
How long should my supporting statement be?
How long should a supporting statement be? – Finding a balance for the length of your supporting statement is important so that you take advantage of the opportunity to promote yourself, but don’t waffle. The easiest way to know how long you should make your supporting statement is if the employer specifies a character or word limit. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to our, Thank you for subscribing! When you are writing a supporting statement, especially when it is a section on the job application form, you need to make sure that you are expressly answering what the employer is asking.
As previously stated, sometimes applications will ask questions like ‘what skills do you have that make you the perfect match for this role?’, but others may ask why you want the role or why you’re suitable for the role. As such, you’ll need to write a custom supporting statement for each job you apply for, making sure your response is tailored to the question at hand and the individual job description.
Making a custom supporting statement also shows that you took the time to research the company you are applying for and shows just how interested you really are in the role.
How do I start my statement?
Find out more – ‘They don’t know who you are so think “what would a stranger who works for the uni want to know about me from the get-go?”‘ Dos
Do talk about you and your enthusiasm for the subject from the very start. Do be specific. Explain what you want to study and why in the first two sentences. Do come back to the opening sentences if you can’t think what to write straightaway.
Don’ts
Don’t waste time trying to think of a catchy opening. Don’t waffle – simply explain what you find interesting about the subject and show that you know what you are applying for. Don’t rely on someone else’s words. It’s your statement after all – they want to know what you think.
How do you sell yourself in a supporting statement?
1. Introduce yourself – One of the most common ways people start a supporting statement is by explaining why they are writing (i.e. to state the role they are applying for and outline who they are). This usually means mentioning their current role and employer and a brief background about their work history.
This doesn’t have to be too lengthy – remember you have the rest of the supporting statement to detail your skills, experience and competencies. Including a brief overview at the start of your statement can set it off nicely. This may looking something like: I am writing to apply for the role of. I currently work as a.
and have over two years’ experience in.
Is a supporting statement a cover letter?
Covering letters and supporting statements both have the same function; to explain to an employer why you are applying to them, and how your skills, knowledge and experiences fit the role and the organisation.
Is a supporting statement the same as a personal statement?
What’s the difference? – When applying for jobs or further study you will likely be asked to write a personal statement or a supporting statement, Although it sounds like they could be the same thing, there are specific differences between the two.
What is a good personal statement examples for CV?
Manager CV profile – I am an energetic, ambitious person who has developed a mature and responsible approach to any task that I undertake, or situation that I am presented with. As a graduate with three years’ experience in management, I am excellent in working with others to achieve a certain objective on time and with excellence.
The candidate not only states that they have three years’ of experience in management but they also mention the positive contribution that they made to that organisation. In this case, it was a significant improvement in the performance of the team that they were managing.
Check out these CV examples to see more than 100+ personal profile statements!
What is a supporting statement in an essay?
Rule to Remember – Make sure all your paragraphs are unified, coherent, and adequately developed. “A unified paragraph focuses on and develops a single main idea, This idea is typically captured in a single sentence, called a topic sentence, The other sentences in the paragraph, the supporting sentences, should elaborate on the topic sentence in a logical fashion (Hult and Huckin, The New Century Handbook, 104).
Topic Sentence | expresses a paragraph’s main idea |
Body of the Paragraph | develops the main idea expressed in the topic sentence |
What is a support statement?
Definition: A supporting statement evidences your experience matched to the accountabilities and person specification. Here are the steps to writing a good supporting statement: Step one: Use the advert and job profile to help you identify 1.
Is 4 pages too long for a personal statement?
A general rule of thumb you might follow is to submit a 2-3 page statement, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, in 12-pt. Times New Roman font. While there are no set rules about length or format, this is typically considered appropriate and sufficient.
Is 700 words too long for a personal statement?
What to do if You Can’t Find Any Guidelines? – If you have looked everywhere and cannot find any instructions regarding the word count, call the admissions office. While they may not give you an exact number, they might tell you how long their application essays generally are. However, If you still find no help, then simply stick to the 500-700 range.
What makes this a strong introduction for a personal statement?
Write an introduction that reflects you and your personality. It should say why you are interested in the job or degree and, if appropriate, your recent experience with the job type or course topics. Starting a personal statement with sentences that show who you are can help encourage the recipient to read further.
How do you start an introduction for a statement of purpose?
11 Tips for Writing a Powerful Statement of Purpose The Statement of Purpose is probably one of the most misunderstood aspects of graduate applications. Most students pass it off like it is just another essay about themselves, and naturally, write monotonous stuff that doesn’t stand out.
- Most Statements Of Purpose Start Off Like This:
- “I am applying to the Master of Science program in Something Engineering at the University of Example because I believe my technical skills will blossom at your program as it is a place where I will be challenged and where I can develop my scientific and technical knowledge.”
- Or Like This:
“I am honored to apply for the Master of Science program at the University of Example because for as long as I can remember, I have had a love affair with science. Since I was a kid in school, I have known I wanted to be a scientist/engineer.” Now, almost 99% of the statements are structured similarly, and often times, students copy-paste, and edit statement of purposes from their seniors or friends, making it sound even more generic or irrelevant to their applications.
If you want to stand out from the crowd; if you want the admissions committee to remember your essay at the end of the day, even after going through hundreds of applications; if you want to gain that extra advantage by being somewhat special and unique, you will have to draft a great statement of purpose.
Great, but original,