How to write a professional profile

Hiring managers receive hundreds of applications per day from job applicants. If you are looking for your next chartered accountancy or finance position, you want to make sure that your CV presents you in the best possible light. Putting together a professional profile can be daunting, but it can give you the edge over your competition when finding a new job.

There’s a lot to think about with writing a professional profile about yourself. You want to make sure that the profile gives a snapshot of your skills and experience, as well as career goals, in no more than a couple of sentences. Crafting a professional profile takes time, so it’s important that you refine and fine-tune your profile.

This blog looks at how to write a professional profile that stands out from other applicants.

What is a professional profile?

A professional profile, also known as a personal statement, is a brief summary of who you are, your skills, experience and career goals. The profile is the equivalent of an elevator pitch, which is designed to capture the employer’s interest so that they read your CV in full.

Professional profiles are similar to cover letters, with one big difference. The profile you write on your CV needs to be clear and concise, which means selling yourself in a short paragraph rather than a single page.

Do I need a professional profile?

While professional profiles are not mandatory for a CV, they can provide a useful introduction of yourself to employers.

When writing a professional profile about yourself, you need to make sure it grabs the hiring manager’s attention. The employer spends seven seconds on average looking at your CV so it’s crucial that you make a good first impression. 

Including a professional profile in your CV gives you a great opportunity to make your application stand out from other candidates. A well-written profile that’s featured in your CV will persuade the hiring manager to read your application and possibly contact you for an interview.

Things to consider when writing your professional profile

Before you write your profile, there are some things you need to consider. It’s recommended that when you are writing your CV you write your profile last, after employment history and skills. 

While we could list many things to consider when writing your profile, we’ve distilled it to just a few points. By taking these things into account, it’ll make writing the profile easier and more manageable.

Tailor it to the job description 

Tailoring your profile to the job description is crucial when applying for your next position. You should read the job description carefully to see what the employer is looking for from a skills and experience perspective. Some employers use applicant tracking systems to analyse your CV to see if you are the right fit for the job. By including keywords that are listed in the job description, it increases the chances of your application being read by an employer.

Keep it short and to the point

Writing a profile for your CV should be short and to the point. When it comes to the ideal length for a professional profile, it should be no more than just a couple of sentences or a short paragraph. It should give a brief snapshot of your professional experience and track record so that you attract the hiring manager or employer’s attention.

What to write in a professional profile

If you’ve never written a professional profile about yourself, you might be wondering where to begin. It’s also a good idea to consider whether to write the profile grammatically in the first or third person. But make sure you are consistent!

When it comes to what you should include in this section of your CV, we have listed three steps to help you write a well-written professional profile.

Introduce yourself

By briefly introducing yourself to the employer, they will know who you are and what your goals and ambitions are. If you are an accounting professional, you could start your profile with: “Junior Accountant who is looking to progress into a senior-level position for a professional services company”.

What can you offer to the company?

Once you’ve introduced yourself, you need to sell your strengths and experience. When putting this part of the profile together, it’s worth using the job description to back up your experience with solid evidence. If you’re applying for a finance director role and have problem solving skills, you need to give examples of how you used that skill in your previous or current job. By giving examples, you’re not just telling the employer you have those skills, but you’ve shown how you’ve used it to solve a problem.

Conclude with your career goals

At the end of your profile, it’s worth including your career goals. When you finish this section, you want to show the potential employer that you are a professional worth investing time and effort in. One example of a career goal could be that you are a junior-level accountant who is looking to become a senior accountant at that company in the future.

Find your next position with ICAEW Jobs

Including a professional profile in your CV can help make your applications stand out from the crowd in your job search. When writing your profile, you need to make sure that you take your time so that it gives the perfect introduction of yourself with your application to an employer.

If you have a professional profile and are looking to take the next step in your accounting career, have a look at our job listings and careers advice on our website.