Personal Statement

What is a Personal Statement?

Your Personal Statement is a public declaration of what you want to achieve during your term of office (aka your time in the role). It will be available on the online voting module for students to look at during the voting period and it will help inform on their decision of who to vote for, so try to make it engaging and relevant to your chosen role!

If you're elected, students will use your Personal Statement to measure your achievements throughout your term of office and will hold you to account. It is therefore very important that your aims and promises made on this document are both realistic and measurable. Your Personal Statement aims should be related to the position you are applying for and be of benefit to the students.

Some quick tips regarding your Personal Statement:

• Include your name and the position you are running for.
• Research your role and know your Personal Statement – know your Personal Statement from back to front – voters will want to know that they're voting for the right person for the role. When campaigning, any student may ask for clarification and word-of-mouth spreads quickly. Remember, you may be asked questions on issues related to your position that are not on your manifesto so a clear grasp of the job and current student issues will hold you in good stead.
• Ensure that your Personal Statement is legible and proof-read! – The Personal Statement that you submit online cannot be changed and will be used by the Union in multiple publications. This is not the time to have spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. We strongly recommend that you can get someone (or a few people) to proof-read your Personal Statement. Spelling errors can really put people off!
• Keep it Simple – Don't feel you have to cram as much in as possible. Make it short, punchy and articulate. Between three and five manifesto points are advised, but no more than seven are allowed.
• Don't forget – Your Personal Statement is a tool to get students to want to vote for you, so make sure you include a statement asking them to vote and, of course, vote for you.

We often run training sessions on how to write a good Personal Statement during the elections period, check the published schedule for the election or contact the Union for more information on how to attend.