Alright - own up. How do you do it? How do you right personal statements without melting into a puddle of self-loathing? Or cringing so badly that you strain something? Or looking at www.icanhascheezburger.com when you should be proclaiming your desire to change the world?

Advice needed!

Just don't be afraid of selling yourself (not in that way!). No one else will do it for you.

OOoo I hate personal statements and cover letters. I'd say sell yourself as much as you can without appearing arrogant or talking about abilities/achievements you cannnot support (i.e., although embellishing on the truth seems common practice these days).

I was watching an interview on TV featuring the new 'Carol' from Countdown. When she applied for the Countdown job, the first line of her personal statement read 'I'm from the top shelf'. IMO, this is type of approach is arrogant...though she got the job, so who knows...

my friend once told me the best way is to give examples.

so instead of saying. i work good in a team and independetly. think of an actual example you can give. that way you're not just listing random adjectives describing yourself. but someone can actually see your good qualities through practical examples. :)

I agree that they are the most horrible things to write - I've just had to write similar and found it harder than writing a 10K lit review! I hate blowing my own trumpet and still suffer from a serious case of imposter syndrome as it is ;-)

Tell the truth, as has been suggested back up with examples, don't say anything you can't back up but go out there and tell them how generally wonderful you are. I kind of wrote as if I was someone writing about me, rather than me writing about me - but obviously didn't put it in the third person lol - but it made it slightly less cringeworthy and excrutiating to imagine how somebody else might view what I've done to date.