Creating a Personal Positioning Statement 

Creating a Personal Positioning Statement 

A Personal Positioning Statement creates a clear and vivid picture of who you are and what you have to offer to potential employers. It helps you present yourself effectively and position your capabilities in the mind of the listener.

Where can I use my statement?

  • At networking events: receptions, dinners, and pre-interview gatherings when meeting people for the first time
  • At interviews to respond to the question "Tell me about yourself"
  • When introducing yourself to company representatives over the phone

Positioning Statement Guidelines

Your positioning statement is a way to introduce yourself professionally. These guidelines apply to all positioning statements:

  • Make it clear and concise. Challenge yourself to edit the statement so you can present yourself in under a minute. It’s best to develop a short (10-second) version for conversational introductions as well as a longer (1-minute) version for interviews.

  • Always relate your statement to the person with whom you are speaking. Focus on the firm, the industry, or the position you are seeking.

  • Speak in the present tense. Place both yourself and your profession in the present, i.e. "I am a marketing professional with three years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry."

  • State your interests clearly. Companies looking to hire individuals who are focused and know what they want. You may choose to express why you want to work in a specific functional area or why you want to work for the specific company. "I am interested in working for Company XYZ because it is a leader in wireless technology." "I am interested in brand management based on my experience in advertising and market research."

  • State your expertise and unique strengths. Articulate those individual qualities that differentiate you from others in your field. You may emphasize a particularly deep (and marketable) technical knowledge, an exceptional approach to problem solving, or some other specialty or focus. Taking the time to locate and verbalize the professional strengths you have developed will set you apart from the crowd. "I speak French, Arabic and English fluently and plan to use my language skills in international consulting projects." "I have managed projects involving Internet security. One resulted in an ISO 900x quality system that led to a national quality award." "I have experience in database design for the financial services industry.”

  • Include names of organizations for which you have worked, schools attended, etc. if they serve to distinguish you.  "I am a Fulbright/Rhodes Scholar..." "I am a graduate of the top-ranked Chemical Engineering program at the University of Minnesota." "I worked with 3M in research…"

  • Summarize the types of organizations or environments in which you have employed your talents, such as Fortune 100 firms, large businesses, emerging companies, etc.  You may also mention other types of activities, such as teaching, participation on the board of a business or non-profit, or leadership in a professional association. "I have worked with large firms like Ernst & Young, as well as a small, family-owned business." "I really enjoy cross-functional team environments. At Wells Fargo I consulted with 66 different business units during a successful ERP system consolidation."

Follow Me