Job Application Ettiquette – First Person or Third Person?

I'm currently filling in a job application form and there is the obligatory personal statement section. Now, this one asks you to "state why you think you are suitable for this job".

What is the perceived correct way to phrase my statement? Should I write it in the first person or the third? Not really sure as to which is better as I always felt that writing in the third person is a little odd.

For that I'd go with first person.

Sorry to hear about your redundancy :(

First. Third is odd, as you say.

first surely!

Cheers guys, that's pretty much what I thought but I didn't want to drop some sort of professional clanger by doing it the wrong way round. The whole third person thing seems to have crept in recently but I don't like it much.

Suppose it's luck of the draw what the guy reading it will make of it but 3rd would be a bit odd wouldn't it?

Used to work for a bloke that used to talk about himself in the third person, "Mr Gay (yes that really was his name) doesn't like that at all" sort of thing. Made for some uncomfortable meetings with suppliers and the like.

He was a pr*&K though.

I hire and so read application forms, some much funnier than others.
I have't ever received one written in thir party terms, and if I did it would proabably go to "take to the pub and show mates for a laugh" pile

First person, it's you who's after the job, not your invisible pal.

GrahamS is disappointed you'd even think about using third person.

It's a job application, not a status update on Facebook. :wink:

matthew_h has thought about this a little further and realised that the third party thing probably stems from CV that have been forwarded on by recruitment consultants.

He is happy that everyone has backed up what he was already thinking though

deadlydarcy recommends first person also but also thinks it's worth noting that you could always use Present Perfect e.g. I have….

But pick a tense and stick with it.

Put all you strengths in the First person but your weaknesses in the third person.

E.g. I have good interpersonal skills but Jon lacks drive and motivation.

First person, unless your an "artist" (read: tool) then its third.

My daughter had a maths tutor, an oriental gent, who referred to himself as Mr Hu. Caused no end of merriment at the dinner table after he'd left.

DrJ – he wasn't a doctor by any chance?

Hmm … yes, showed up to work in a phone box. Strange, that …

LOL @ jon1973. That's brilliant, I'll give that a go next time I apply for anything.

Include a cover letter as well on top of the standard application form or even a CV.

Recently colleague advertised for a vacancy and half the applicants did not even bother to include a cover letter. Just CV and not even job reference number. Now I don't know about you but I think applying for a job with a cover letter simply does not cut it.