How To Write a Personal Essay in 8 Simple Steps (With Tips) By Indeed Editorial Team

How To Write a Personal Essay in 8 Simple Steps (With Tips)
By Indeed Editorial Team
Updated July 13, 2022
Published February 25, 2020
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Filling out applications is a necessary part of leading a professional lifestyle and is common when applying to new jobs, schools, scholarships or awards. One of the most common supplemental elements you may need to submit as part of your applications is a personal essay, which serves almost like an interview or introduction to your personality and life story. If you’re planning on applying for a job or spot in a program, you can use your personal essay to demonstrate how you meet job requirements and emphasize why you’re right for the role. 

In this article, we define what a personal essay is, explain the difference between an essay and statement, provide an eight step-by-step guide for writing your own piece and offer some helpful tips to help you in your own writing process. 
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What is a personal essay?
A personal essay is a piece of writing where the author elaborates on an experience, event or realization from their past and how it left a lasting impression on who they are as an individual. Many employers and admissions departments ask candidates to submit personal essays because they can provide a lot of information about a person’s personality, outlook and motivations and how specific circumstances formed them. A personal essay consists of three main parts: introduction, body and conclusion, and it differs from formal essays in their length, tone and purpose. 
Related: How To Write a Narrative Essay in 5 Steps (With Definition)
Personal essay vs. personal statement
In a personal essay, you have the opportunity to describe an experience that had a long-term impact on who you are as an individual. You may go into detail about ways this scenario challenged you and your beliefs and what you did to overcome that. . A personal statement is usually specific to a job role to explain how you are right for the position. Personal statements are typically found on a resume, CV or application and are generally just a few sentences long.