The «About Me» section of a CV. Many people think that listing your hobbies like fishing or yoga and adding that you are a responsible, motivated employee goes here. But no! (Actually, few employers are interested in your hobbies). It is better to use this place to finally stop «selling» yourself and tell a little about your own preferences — about things that you love or don’t accept at work.
We all have different things that we prefer to do at work. For example, some people like to work independently and at a desk, while others want to move around and interact with colleagues.
Labor preferences are the basis of job satisfaction. Employees who love what they do are more effective, more likely to stay longer, and have a positive impact on their colleagues.
Recruiters know that satisfied employees are the best performers. It makes sense for them to identify people whose preferences match the requirements of the role, and the benefits of this are significant.
Employees who are satisfied with working conditions are less susceptible to stress, more productive, take fewer days off, perform better, easily and enthusiastically take on new tasks, and have a positive impact on the organization as a whole.
In this article you will learn:
- Why do you need an «About Me» section?
- What can you share about yourself in a resume?
- How to determine your work preferences.
- What not to write about yourself in a resume?
- «About Me» templates in a resume (with examples).
Good things to say about yourself on a resume
Follow this step-by-step plan to determine your preferences:
- Determine the type of company you’d like to work at (large corporation/medium business/small startup) and the schedule (flexible/standard day) that best suits you.
- Think about the tasks that you would like to perform. What would an ideal workday look like?
- Specify the area of your desired professional development. This may be a transition to a higher position or the development of certain skills.
- What work values are important to you? Perhaps this is the freedom of decision-making, or on the contrary, the clarity of management requirements. Maybe feedback is important to you, or vice versa – you prefer to work independently.
- It doesn’t matter which direction you choose. The perfect choice for everyone does not exist. Find where you land on the spectrum. 🙂
Tip: If it’s not easy to determine your preferences, you should take a step back and work out the best options for your career. Support from friends or a career consultant is always a good option too.
Exercise 1: Brainstorm for 10 minutes. Go through the list of vacancies and mark those that you would like to fulfil. Write down the names of the posts that you are interested in. Describe what attracted you to them.
Exercise 2. Is there a vacancy that stood out and is 100% aligned with what you’d wish for in a job? Describe this kind of work. Use keywords to find other job offers on job search sites.
What additionally you can ask yourself?
Location
Are you looking for a specific work location that will allow you to pick up your children after school? Should your place of work be on a direct bus route? Indicate this in your resume.
Pay rate
Are you looking for a specific pay rate? This may mean that you need to choose a job with more stringent conditions to meet your income requirements. Or maybe you are willing to take less money if the job involves a creative approach to business.
Working hours
Are you looking to work at certain hours? Do you think it’s best to work at night? Do you have to be home at a certain time because of family duties? Are you ready to take on work shifts? These points also need to be known to the employer.
Your previous job
Is there any specific reason why you left your previous job? Does this impact the new job you’re interested in? Write about this in the About Me section.
Resume «About Me» Examples
These resume about me examples show both the incorrect and correct way to go about writing about yourself.
My personal profile examples, universal information for resumes
Select statements that match your preferences that match your personal information in a CV:
I feel comfortable in an unstructured, complex environment that encourages innovation.
I prefer to act independently and without interference, although I like to work in a team and be creative in solving problems. I prefer constructive, intelligent discussions with colleagues.
I like to participate in the initial stages of the project to get a clear idea of the scope and direction of the tasks. I act best when I am allowed to use/demonstrate my own ingenuity and competence.
I feel comfortable in a calm, friendly, warm and hospitable environment. I want to work at a place where there are important exchanges of creative ideas, and there are constructive discussions and joint decision-making.
Respect among employees is very important for me. I like the tasks where there is a need to show individual creativity. I work best as part of a team; I value honesty and work ethic.
I would feel comfortable in a work environment that is structured, streamlined, and predictable. It’s essential for me to have a feeling of security. I like when my schedule is clearly defined, and I prefer to work on one task at a time.
I like having a long-term framework when I can plan out my work to ensure the desired result. I have a strong work ethic, and always deliver on time.
I like to work in teams where a traditional approach is appreciated. I work best if there are clear and detailed instructions.
What to put in the «About Me» section of a resume?
Work preferences affect several areas of life. Your success in each of them depends on what you write. Examples on how to write about yourself from various fields are presented below.
Human interaction
Example No. 1:
«I want to help others achieve their goals and meet their needs.»
This line grabs the attention of employers that are people-oriented and where success is measured by expressing satisfaction with customers, colleagues or the employer.
Example No. 2:
«I can persuade other people or organizations to take a specific action.»
This skill is most in-demand in areas that use persuasive skills to achieve a clearly defined business goal.
Example No. 3:
«I am able to abide by the rules and standards, I strive for others to do the same.»
In most cases, employees are required to follow the rules and procedures at the workplace, especially if they affect the safety of staff and customers. You should indicate these abilities in the «About Me» section on your resume, especially if you work in the personnel management field.
Workspace
- It is helpful to have an idea of where you would like to work. This can help you choose a profession that best suits you and so that you’ll be working in an environment where you can succeed.
- If you do not have any preferences for the type of work environment you’d want to work in, you can be flexible. For the employer, this means that you are open to all opportunities available.
- Some employers require that their staff be inside the office most of the time, others prefer working remotely, or the company has a combination of the two. Where do you work best?
In the first case, you may like workplaces including offices, warehouses, shops, hospitals, laboratories, workshops and classrooms.
Many vacancies include activities outside the office. For example, if you work in the agriculture or construction field.
Mixed types of workspaces are found in the transport and logistics industries.
How to write about your work style?
Some people do their job better when they follow the detailed instructions provided by their employer. Other people are more efficient if they work independently and find their own way to accomplish tasks. What do you prefer?
If you write on your resume «I prefer to follow instructions», then apply for a highly organized workplace with a defined procedure and clear expectations from your employer.
Or, indicate in the «About Me» section that you want to receive instructions and follow the procedures when necessary, but you also like to work independently. Your ability to do both of these things will be appreciated by those employers who want their employees to be proactive and solve problems that they have not encountered before.
If you wrote «I like to work on my own and figure out everything by myself», it means that you are ready to use your problem-solving skills to complete work tasks. Success in independent work depends on the ability of employees to manage themselves and remain motivated to perform the necessary tasks.
Additional information about yourself: working pace
Some people like to work at a fast pace. Others are more productive when they work at a stable pace.
If you write on your resume «I prefer to work at a fast pace», it means that you enjoy working in a tense environment. You can use this preference as an advantage in the labor market.
For example:
«I quickly complete tasks and I am ready to step in and take over if other team members need help completing their tasks too».
Most enterprises have peak periods of business. For example, in tourism, hospitality and retail, the peak is seasonal and during holidays; for the financial services industry, peak activity is typically around the end of the fiscal year.
Tip: As long as you can take on a fast pace of work and maintain this mode of work for several hours or days, you will be in demand in a wide range of industries.
If you write in a resume about maintaining «a steady pace of work», there are several options that may suit you. You can do well at work with a constant stream of repetitive tasks, such as filling out documents or processing requests.
In addition, you may be offered a job that gives you more independence and flexibility to perform tasks for a long period — this may include research, writing an article, or formulating business advice.
Some jobs require physical strength or skills to complete tasks. Do you enjoy working out or doing physical activity? Choose the answer most suitable for you from the following three options and include this in the «About Me» section of your resume.
If you write: «I prefer mostly physical work», you must be confident in your ability to use your physical strength to complete a wide range of tasks.
For example: «I am well adapted to a working environment that requires the use of physical abilities for a long period of time. I am looking for a job in which my physical skills and strength are necessary for the successful execution of duties.»
Tip: Carefully choose a job that maximizes your physical abilities. Many employers require workers to stay on the edge to meet deadlines. Understanding your limitations and highlighting the abilities that you are ready to apply for, you can find a job that will be useful and will make you productive.
How to write about your interaction with others?
Some jobs involve constant interaction with other people (such as clients and colleagues), while others require only limited contact. How much do you like working with other people?
If you write: «I prefer to work with people most of the time» and «I have exceptional communication skills», you can apply for many professions in different industries.
How much should you write about yourself in a resume?
This one rule is relevant for the «About Me» section — brevity is the sister of talent. On average, you can talk about your preferences in 3-5 sentences. The text of the section should be informative.
Before writing the «About Me» section, carefully read the vacancy description again. Perhaps the employer has special requirements. Mention these requirements in the resume if you meet them.
Сommon mistakes
Using too much jargon
As a job seeker, it’s a pretty common thing to get stuck in the past when it comes to using company-specific jargon. The use of acronyms, specific job titles, and using terms that aren’t universally known should be avoided. This kind of jargon makes it confusing, even for recruiters.
Being too vague
As was already mentioned, «I am responsible, proactive, stress-resistant, sociable, honest» — is too general and says little about what kind of work you can perform best. Also, remember to keep this section below 30 words.
Being too irrelevant
One common mistake job seekers make is to overstuff their resumes with irrelevant or outdated information. Including every job or experience, you’ve ever had can make your resume look cluttered and difficult to read. Instead, focus on highlighting the most relevant and recent experiences that align with the job you’re applying for.
Being inconsistent
Make sure your work preferences and about me details match your profile and the company’s industry you’re applying to. It would be irrelevant to mention «playing guitar» as a hobby for an accountant position or even harmful bringing up that you are gambler with a risky lifestyle.
Conclusions
The «About Me» section is a crucial part of a resume that gives you the opportunity to state your preferences. This allows you to make the best match for job vacancies and can be used to your advantage when competing against other prospective job applicants.
When your preferences are aligned with the type of work you enjoy, your productivity increases. Also, the «About Me» section allows the employer to learn more about you and understand completely what to expect from you.
Now that you know what to write, it’s time to start creating your perfect resume, and CV2you will help you with it!
