Tips to Ace Your Personal Value Statement (With Templates!)

Learn how to write a personal value statement that lands the job and aligns your decisions with your goals, with steps, examples and ready-to-use templates.

You sit down to write the one line that’s supposed to sum up your entire self, the cursor blinks at you and your mind goes completely blank.

If this is you, you’re not alone. That blinking cursor is exactly where most people quit on a personal value statement. It feels like bragging. Or worse, like guessing at who you’re supposed to be and hoping nobody notices.

So here’s a friendlier way to think about it. A value statement is simply a short, honest answer to the one question every interviewer is really asking…

Why do you work the way you do?

That’s it. And good news, this is the perfect time to write yours.

What Is a Personal Value Statement?

It’s a short overview of what you value and how those values make you a strong match for a job. It puts into words what actually matters to you, and it gives you an edge over every applicant who only lists what they’ve done.

Think of it as your professional north star. It quietly guides your own decisions and it tells an employer, in your own words, exactly what they can count on you to do when things get hard.

It answers the one question your resume never can. Why should anyone trust you’ll behave this way again?

You answer that by naming your values and showing the receipts.

What’s the Difference Between a Personal Statement and a Personal Value Statement?

People mix these two up constantly, so here’s the quick sort.

• A personal statement (or statement of purpose) is what you submit with a university application. It’s a longer narrative about where you’ve been and where you’re headed.
• A personal value statement is built for the job hunt and for your own clarity. It centers on your values and how they fit a specific role or company. You can also use it to ground your goals and get clear on your mission.

Same instinct to explain yourself, but two very different jobs.

Examples of Personal Value Statements

Before you write your own, it helps to see a few in the wild.

• Equal parts marketing strategist and tactician, a high-energy, roll-up-your-sleeves leader who knows how to get things done within an environment built on teamwork, integrity and respect. A servant leader who takes great pride in watching members of the team grow into successful leadership positions. —Steve Einig, Marketing & Communication Strategist
• Throughout my career, I’ve worked to promote equity and integrity in an industry that has been slow to adjust. With determination and an untiring commitment to integrity, I’ve worked to build bridges and bring about change through high-stakes negotiations.
• While some people might hate change, I thrive on it. I create strategies focused on creativity and innovation so my clients keep growing and reach the next level of success.

Notice what they all share. Not one of them lists a job title. Each one names a value and quietly hints at the proof behind it. That’s the whole trick.

When Should You Use a Personal Value Statement?

Once you’ve written your statement, you can adapt it and use it in way more places than you’d expect. Both professionally and personally.

Professionally, drop it:

• At the top of your resume
• Inside your cover letter, or in place of one if a cover letter isn’t requested
• On your LinkedIn profile
• In your interview prep, so you’ve already practiced saying who you are out loud

It also doubles as a quiet filter. Do their values actually line up with mine? If not, that’s good to know before you sign anything.

Personally, you can:

• Stick it on a sticky note on your mirror to read every morning
• Set it as a reminder on your phone
• Post it on your online or dating profiles so people know what you’re about

5 Steps to Write Your Personal Value Statement

Writing down your own best traits feels weird. We get it. But doing this work now is what saves you when an interviewer hits you with the dreaded “So, tell me about yourself” and “What are your best traits?”

So remember this one thing. You’re not bragging about yourself. It might feel exactly like bragging, and if the thought alone makes your mind go blank again, don’t worry. We’re going to walk through the whole thing together, step by step.

Step #1: Pinpoint What You Value

Forget what makes you fantastic for a minute. We’re starting somewhere easier, what you actually value.

Don’t censor yourself here. Write down everything that comes to mind, even the stuff that feels too obvious to count.

Drawing a blank? Ask yourself these questions. The answers will quietly surface your values for you.

1. What makes me feel safe?
2. What makes me feel successful?
3. What makes me feel valued?
4. In friendships, what do I appreciate?
5. At work, I respect coworkers who…
6. In my family, I need…

There’s a real reason this step comes first. Decades of research on goals shows that when your goals grow out of your own values instead of outside pressure, you put in more sustained effort and you feel better the whole way through. One foundational study on goals and well-being{title=“Goal striving, need satisfaction and well-being”} tracked people over a semester and found that goals tied to a person’s real values led to more effort, more progress and a genuine lift in well-being.

Translation? You can’t aim at a goal that’s truly yours if you’ve never named what you value. So we name it first.

44 Values to Get You Started

Step #2: Cut Your List Down

Now that you have a big, beautiful, slightly overwhelming list, turn the lens on yourself. What you value in life and in other people is usually one of two things. The qualities you genuinely excel in, or the qualities you secretly wish you had.

1. Read through your list and highlight the five most important qualities.
2. Go back and highlight three qualities you actually possess.
3. Make a new list with those three.

Why so few? Because a statement that names 10 values says absolutely NOTHING. Three values you can actually prove? Believable. Pick the ones you genuinely live rather than the ones you wish were true, because a reader can feel the difference between authentic and aspirational from a mile away.

Step #3: Get Real

You’ve got your three to five values. Now define what each one actually looks like in real life. Since this is a personal value statement, lean mostly on your work history.

Say one of your values is “authenticity.” Picture an actual moment that value steered you at work. Then write one sentence defining what it means to you on the job. Skip the dictionary definition. Describe the behavior someone could literally watch you do.

For example:

Authenticity: Meaning what I say and then doing it, so others know my actions will match my words.

Independence: Owning my tasks and taking responsibility to finish them without needing unnecessary hand-holding.

See how each one names a behavior you could actually watch happen? That’s the whole difference between “I have integrity” and “I flag risks early even when it slows the project down.” One is a bumper sticker. The other is a tiny movie an interviewer can play in their head.

How you define each value will be totally specific to you. You might see independence and authenticity in a completely different light than these examples, and that’s the point.

Pro Tip: For each value, attach one concrete win that proves it. A quick example, “I owned the quarterly forecast, caught a $200K error two days before close and flagged it instead of smoothing it over.” A specific number beats a vague boast every time.

Step #4: Be Relevant

This is where your value statement quietly turns into an actual asset for the application process.

Now that you’ve defined your core values, point them at the job you want. Get as specific as you possibly can and connect your values to the company’s values or the specific role’s values.

Most companies hand you the clues for free. Many post their mission, vision and values right on their website. You can also mine:

• The job listing itself
• The company tagline
• How they talk about themselves on social

Jot down the values you think they’re after, then hold that up against yours.

Here’s why this matters way more than it might seem. A large meta-analysis on fit at work{title=“Person-organization fit meta-analysis”} pulled together more than 100 studies and found that when people’s values line up with their organization’s values, they report higher job satisfaction and commitment and are less likely to want to leave. Across the kinds of fit researchers measured, values fit stood out as a strong predictor of how people felt about their work.

So when you can say that alignment out loud, you’re doing the exact thinking that predicts a happy, lasting match. And if there’s a big disconnect? Honestly, that’s useful too, it’s a heads-up about fit before you ever hit submit.

When the values line up, keep rolling. Take the definitions you wrote and start drafting with this outline.

Lead with a statement about your experience and connect it to how your values shape your work. Keep this to one to three sentences.

1. Start with your number one value and show how it connects to your experience. You can fold in more than one, just don’t turn it into a laundry list.
2. Make a connection between your values and the company’s values.
3. Look at the specific role and the job description. Name one or two values that make you a strong fit for that particular role.

Keep reading for specific examples.

Special note: If you want to use a personal value statement on your dating profile, think about the values you’d like to attract in a partner.

Step #5: Refine and Revise

You’ve got a draft. Now edit it for grammar and clarity. Even if you’re a confident writer, run it through a tool like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor to tighten the screws. Professional writers never publish a first draft, so please don’t expect yours to be perfect on the first pass.

Got time? Set it aside for a week and don’t peek. You’ll come back with fresh eyes and instantly catch the sentences that don’t make sense, aren’t interesting or just don’t flow.

Pro Tip: Ask a mentor or friend to read it. Someone who knows you well may spot a strength you’d never think to claim.

Do This…

1. Be specific. The person reading your statement is busy. Do them a favor by quickly communicating who you are and why they should hire you.
2. Be genuine. It’s tempting to pick values you think they want, but interviewers want to know who you really are rather than who you assume you should be. When you’re genuine, people respond to it.
3. Keep it short. A couple of paragraphs is the sweet spot, roughly 50 to 250 words.

Don’t Do This…

1. List your accomplishments. You’ve already written your resume (hopefully!), so there’s no need to rehash it here.
2. Include negative qualities. We all have that flaw we’re secretly proud of, but don’t add it here. You may think you can spin being stubborn or impatient, but it could cost you the job.
3. Ramble. A personal value statement should be short and concise. You don’t need everything you value, just your top three to five.

How to Tailor Your Statement to Different Jobs and Industries (With 4 Examples)

Applying for a bunch of positions or industries at once? Good news, you don’t need a brand-new statement for each one. Write one strong statement and tailor it for every application.

As you review yours, you’ll notice some values overlap across industries and roles. When that happens, just tweak a few words to fit the specific job you’re chasing.

Below is a cheat sheet of top values by industry, so you get a clear sense of what different jobs tend to ask for. Plus sample statements with outlines, so you can write your own.

Top Values for Marketing and Communication

• Trust
• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Collaboration
• Responsibility
• Innovation
• Ethics
• Flexibility
• Positivity
• Realism

Top Values for Banking and Finance

• Integrity
• Confidentiality
• Respect
• Accountability
• Independence
• Loyalty
• Discipline
• Focus

Top Values for the Medical Industry

• Compassion
• Patience
• Reliability
• Respect
• Integrity
• Ethics
• Justice
• Honesty
• Motivation
• Empathy
• Friendliness

Top Values in Business

• Integrity
• Diligence
• Perseverance
• Resilience
• Boldness
• Passion
• Commitment
• Adaptability
• Positivity

Once you know which values matter in your industry, steal the examples below and get writing.

How to Craft a Compelling LinkedIn Personal Value Statement

After seven years in digital communication, I’ve learned the best client relationships come when people trust the integrity of my work. Whether I’m writing web copy or answering emails, I aim for deep authenticity.

Clients consistently point to my innovation and flexibility, and those are values I see in your company. I’d be an asset to your team and fit easily into your culture.

Write Your Own:

• Lead with a statement about your experience and connect it to how your values shape your work. Keep this to one to three sentences.
• Next, connect your values and experience to the company you’re applying to.
• Finish with a line about what you’ll bring to the company.

How to Make a Connection With Your Personal Value Statement

Dear (Insert name),

When I discovered you mentor women, I knew I wanted to work for you. I’ve spent the last six years mentoring women to succeed in finance, an industry where, as you know, women are still underrepresented.

My passion for equity and inclusion is rivaled only by my devotion to confidentiality and integrity. As Corporate Finance Manager, I’d balance owning my own work with maximizing profits as a team.

I’d welcome the chance to discuss this position further and how I can positively impact the company’s financial health.

Kind Regards,

(Your name)

Write Your Own:

• Open by connecting your values to the values of the person you’re writing to. That catches their attention and makes them more likely to keep reading. If you have a personal connection, lead with it.
• Detail how your values relate to the role you’re applying for.
• End with a request to discuss your value, and include a teaser that shows you’ve already thought strategically about your role in their company.

How to Create Interest With a Story-Based Personal Value Statement

Growing up, I dreamed of being a medical worker who saved the world with a stethoscope and bandaids. My dreams have matured into something more realistic, but I’m still driven by a desire to help sick and hurting people.

That desire has grown into a passion for justice and equity in medical care. The more I work with patients, the more I’m driven to provide compassionate care. Patients describe me as friendly and kind, and I’ve been recognized for my ethics and empathy.

Write Your Own:

• The medical field is one of those careers where people want to know why you’re in it, but even outside medicine, a story is a memorable way to catch attention. Open with a short story that gives a sense of your humanity, and make sure it connects to your current values.
• Expand on your values and describe how your patients, clients, staff or employers see your work.

How to Challenge Industry Perceptions With Your Personal Value Statement

Business isn’t about numbers. It’s about people. I thrive on turning around failed projects and floundering companies others have given up on.

Throughout my career, I’ve earned the trust of individuals and companies through diligence and a commitment to integrity. I’ve kept those relationships over the eight years I’ve spent helping people succeed.

Write Your Own:

• Open with a hook that challenges a perception about your industry. Just be careful not to sound arrogant or rude. Do it by expanding what people usually picture rather than dismissing industry norms.
• Lead into how your values have driven your success.
• Wrap up with a compelling line that makes you stand out.

The Advantages of Having a Personal Value Statement

Here are the top four advantages of having a personal value statement.

1. It can give you a competitive edge.
2. It acts as an anchor for making decisions.
3. It helps you accomplish your goals.
4. It’s easy to update as your values change.

Let’s look a little closer.

Whether you’re applying for your very first job or you’ve been grinding in the workforce for years, you need something to anchor to when the big decisions land on your desk.

Checking in with yourself regularly is a genuinely good habit. So ask yourself:

• Am I living the life I’d like to? If not, why?
• Is my job in line with my vision and values?
• If I do X, will it take me away from what I value or toward it?
• If I say yes or no to this, will I go against what I value?

A personal value statement makes every one of these questions easier to answer. Writing down your values is like drawing a fence around what you will and won’t do. It keeps you moving toward your goals instead of getting pulled off course by things that look shiny but aren’t actually right for you.

You don’t need a dramatic, movie-worthy ethical dilemma for this to matter, either. It’s the hundred small decisions that quietly drift you away from what you value. A value statement is the gentle check that keeps you pointed the right way.

Best part? You can change it. What you value today might shift down the road, and that’s completely fine. Give yourself full permission to update it as the seasons of your life change.

Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Value Statements

Along with a personal value statement, having professional development goals will give you a roadmap to success. Check out our 25 Professional Development Goals to Help You Succeed.

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