PS Tip 61 : Personal statement closing lines

I’ve given you a feel for how I like to end a personal statement, but it’s worth really agonising over your closing lines. You want to hit them with your best stuff and get out, but you can’t just stop writing once you’ve said what you wanted to say – you have to provide a little closure.

As previously mentioned, it can be effective to leave the reader with the sense that you’re truly enthusiastic about the position – Employers and universities value people who care about what they’re doing, at least in part because they can be relied upon put in the extra effort.

And whilst it doesn’t do to repeat everything you’ve already said, it can be helpful to remind the reader that you’re well suited to the position or course you’re applying for.

As an example, if you’ve done your research (as you should have) and know that the company you’re applying for is strong on ethics, you could possibly say something along these lines:

As an experienced and high-performing salesman, I know that an ethical and customer-focused approach is vital to the sustained success of any large enterprise. It is clear to me that XYZ Industries share my ethos, and I look forward to the prospect of working with such an ethical and forward-thinking organisation.

Clearly that’s just an example, and you should not use these lines verbatim, but hopefully this demonstrates my point – The applicant in this instance has reiterated his/her suitability for the role, addressed part of the spec (being ethical and customer-focused), and made sure that his/her enthusiasm has been noted. He/she has also avoided boring the reader with a long and unnecessary conclusion.

Whether you choose to close your personal statement like this or not, I would as always recommend that you make a decision based on what you think will give you the best chance of success.