Business and management degree personal statement example (1r) work experience

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

A degree in marketing is something which interests me; it's exciting and stimulating and will provide me with the key requirements to begin a successful career in the field. The marketing profession requires individuals with good interpersonal skills, who are dedicated, quick thinking, robust, diplomatic, articulate and have a competitive flare, all of which are skills and attributes that I recognise in myself.

Marketing appeals to me because it is arguably the most invigorating and vital department of any business with a responsibility to initiate new challenges and opportunities.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

At my previous school I covered the portfolio work for an intermediate level GNVQ in leisure and tourism and a foundation level GNVQ in health and social care. Currently I am an enthusiastic member of the Debating Society and Reading Group at school.

Through these experiences I have been able to discover, develop and demonstrate skills which are central to succeeding in marketing, including both oral and written communication, creativity, working to deadlines, perseverance, dedication and adaptability. I have also learnt the importance of a good client-employee relationship and how personal integrity is a fundamental requirement for any successful business or organisation.

I have spent my Sixth Form years at a boarding school which has taught me how a group of people must live and function closely together with respect, maturity and co-operation.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

My experience in the workplace and in non academic activities has helped me develop a strong interest in working in the corporate world.

In 1999 I was the youngest successful applicant to become a member of the Youth Council for the Millennium Dome. For two summers I did work experience at my local MP's Westminster office. My main duty was researching specific topics and producing reports on my findings; my work was used in parliamentary reports on issues such as teenage pregnancy and drug abuse in foreign countries. My first job was as a waitress at a local restaurant and I am currently working for Sainsbury's. In the past year one of my extra curricular commitments has been volunteer work as a classroom assistant at a local primary school. This year I have also been given the position of form prefect, which means I provide additional support to a form group and to members of staff.

Sports has always been a keen interest of mine; it has given me an understanding how a team of people can work effectively together towards a common goal. For the last two years my house elected me the Head of my House netball team. This experience has helped me again develop skills including organisation and leadership. It has also given me the opportunity to motivate others to succeed. In school I am a trained "peer listener", which means I am trained to listen to younger students problems and encourage them to think through a solution for themselves.

Next summer I am going to continue to develop my knowledge and experience of the commercial workplace through an internship at a public affairs firm. This will undoubtedly give me a better grounding in the marketing and PR world, and enable me to progress to university with first-hand knowledge and experience which will be invaluable for a degree in Marketing.

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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