Matt Purdey | Manitoba Start
As spring and summer hiring season in Winnipeg gets into full swing, many job seekers are considering their options, searching for ways to stand out from the crowd, and looking to gain traction with potential employers. One way job seekers can make a positive impression is by adding a Personal Power Statement to their marketing materials and approach with employers.
What is a Personal Power Statement? It’s a brief statement (two or three sentences) about your values and beliefs. It’s a summary of who you are as a person and employee. It describes your vision of success and outlines the strategies you use to achieve your vision.
Why should you create a Personal Power Statement? First, it can assist job seekers in evaluating options. If you know what’s important to you, the type of work that satisfies you, and how you work best, you can determine which jobs are a good fit. Second, it can distinguish you from other applicants by presenting a clear, concise, and consistent message to employers. Third, by articulating your skills and then aligning them with a specific job or a company’s values, you can solidify your application as a serious contender.
How do you create a Personal Power Statement? Follow this five-step process* to develop your own Personal Power Statement.
Step 1: Identify Success.
Identify four or five personal examples of success. They can be work-related or other accomplishments (for example, completing a major project, reaching a fundraising goal, etc.).
Step 2: Identify Core Values.
Think about the qualities or characteristics you needed to be successful (for example, patient, creative, focused, etc.). List as many qualities and characteristics as possible, and then identify the four or five most important values.
Step 3: Identify Contributions.
Shift your focus to the future. What contributions would you like to make to your friends and family? To your future employer? To your community? To the world?
Step 4: Identify Goals.
What do you want to accomplish personally? What do you want to accomplish professionally?
Step 5: Write Personal Power Statement.
Using the information you have collected from the previous four steps, try summarizing your values and beliefs, personal characteristics, and your vision of success into two or three sentences.
Here is an example of a completed Personal Power Statement:
“As a big picture thinker with a keen eye for detail, I strive to understand challenges at both the macro and micro levels. This allows me to use my project planning skills, ingenuity, and commitment to quality assurance to resolve technical issues while contributing to the collective goals of the organization I work with.”
How do you use a Personal Power Statement? Personal Power Statements can be used in a variety of ways including:
•In resumes, to add distinction to your Professional Summary or Personal Profile.
•In cover letters, to add authenticity to an introductory or closing paragraph.
•During interviews, to respond to traditionally difficult questions, such as “What does success mean to you?” or “Why should we hire you?”
•When networking, to interest others and invite further discussion.
A Personal Power Statement can help bring out the best version of you. Whether you are considering career options, trying to secure an interview, or just want to impress a potential employer, a Personal Power Statement is a powerful idea!
Are you a new immigrant looking for a job or planning your career in Manitoba? Visit Manitoba Start at 271 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, for free career development and job-matching services to help you achieve your professional goals in Canada. www.manitobastart.com
*This process is based on The Five-Step Plan for Creating Personal Mission Statements by Dr. Randall Hansen.
