Personal Statement Guidance

Since SMNET has been running, I have helped hundreds of applicants write personal statements and this 'formula' seems to work! If you have PMd me re reading and commenting on your PS please bare with me as I always have alot to get through! I will get there though I promise! Do give me a shove if your deadline is coming up though!

In short tell them why you would make a good midwife and a good student and back it up with examples and let your passion show!

Why you want to be a midwife

• personal passion
• to work with women and families
• to be an advocate for women
• to care for women
• to provide women with informed choice
• to educate women
• to give them the birth experience they want
• to work as an independent practitioner
• to work as part of a multidisciplinary team

Relevant skills to bring to midwifery i.e. transferable skills from a past life, personal etc

Here's some examples;

• Working as an HCA/MCA in care environment (I didn’t have any direct care experience)
• Being a birth partner/doula (I was my sisters pregnancy/birth partner and was hooked)
• Coming from a large family where pregnancy and birth were normal events, so you are familiar with pregnancy/birth/new babies
• Having a baby and wanting to care for other women in pregnancy/labour, because of your experience whether that be a good or bad experience
• Skills you may have, maybe you have volunteered for an organisation or worked in a particular role that makes you a good organiser, listener, having experience of working with women and families, or as part of a multidisciplinary team.... even if you haven’t worked for years and have been raising a family - how you organise family life and responsibilities, how you have fed your love of midwifery in that time

If you have NVQ's/qualifications that are relevant then highlight these and explain why they are relevant. Say why these make you a good student.

• if you have a degree already say how you are educated to degree level, show you can complete degree level work
• if not say how your access course has prepared you, or your A Levels, or that you have the 210 UCAS points (or whatever your institution requires) via whatever route it is you have them!
• You will need to show evidence that you have studied in the past 3-5 years (usually) even if its totally irrelevant to midwifery put what you have studied and if you got good grades then tell them you are an excellent student and why!
• Say how you organised your time between home and study, whatever your age and background say how you achieved a study/life balance and how you enjoyed researching assignments or reading or whatever it is you loved!

Your passion for midwifery - unleash it on paper!

• books you have read
• articles
• websites (like this one shows interest and enthusiasm in midwifery plus lots of Uni's now have a link to us from their websites so they must like what we do here )
• journals
• midwifery magazines i.e The Practising Midwife, British Journal of Midwifery, Midwifery Matters
• organisations you are part of/aware of Royal College of Midwives, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Association of Radical Midwives....
• talk to a current student midwife via here or in 'real life' - read our interviews with student midwives section demonstrating you have researched life as a student midwife and say how it is for you
• talk to a current practising midwife show you have researched the job by reading around and also by going to the real people that do the job, look under our interviews with a midwife section, show you have researched what it is really like out there in midwifery today

Good luck!

Want some SMNET Learning Materials to help you achieve your dream?

Want to know all the inside info on Applying to Study Midwifery? Then have a look at our highly informative guide here

Want to Get Familiar with Midwifery? Then have a look at our comprehensive workbook and guide here

Want to know what to expect when Studying midwifery at degree level? Then have a look at our 'how to' guide here

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StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director
BSc Econ (Hons) CERT ED FE CIPD (Grad)

Hi, I recently qualifeid as a midwife and have applied for a few positions but I've not even been offered an interview. I'm sure this is because my personal statement probably needs improving but I'm really struggling with it could you give me any advice please? I sent my present one to my ex-tutor and she said it was to "gentle".

I am very depressed about the whole thing.

Hi Mrs Moo

You wanna send it over to me to have a look at? copy and paste in a PM. In my previous life I was an Employment Law Consultant and have an extensive personnel background so I may be able to help

Dont feel depressed hun, we'll sort it.

Jxx

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StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director
BSc Econ (Hons) CERT ED FE CIPD (Grad)

Thanks.

Hi TallPoppy

I am following your guidelines following the decision to re-write my personal statement - It was my first draft - I repeated myself and it was far too long. Would you have a word limit as I feel I could go on forever....can you help....how long is too long - what would you stick to...any help would be gratefully received as I feel like I am totally on my own at the moment - doing distance learning and trying my best...

Hi,

If you check on the UCAS webiste I am sure it gives you advice on what the word count is, I am sorry I can't remember what it is now.

MM.

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Midwifemissy x

Hi MM

Thanks again.

Just about to look it up.

xx

Your very welcome. x

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Midwifemissy x

Hi everybody haven't been here for a long time. OSCEs and dissertations taking it out off me! I am in the same situation as Mrs Moo. I have applied for 7 jobs and not heard a bean and I am sure that my personal statement is letting me down would find it really useful if I could get feedback so I can improve it.

I have spoken to our Uni's careers advisor who to be honest was not much help. She said to write it based on transferable skills which I have done but I feel that it is not showing my passion for midwifery and I don't know how to change it.

Angelcake - Its TallPoppy here gatecrashing your post! Ive given my initial thoughts in red but I would advise you see guidance I wrote on www.MidwiferyWorld, here are the links...

http://www.midwiferyworld.net/applic...-personal.html

http://www.midwiferyworld.net/applic...interview.html


HELP PLEEEEASE!!!!!

I am a final year midwifery student looking for my first post as a midwife. I have applied for this post because I wish to consolidate my learning. I also hope to work with a diverse community whilst helping to promote normality through health promotion and through my practice. I am very interested in providing continuity of care for the women in my care and feel that This Trust will help facilitate this. *add here something you know about the Trust show that this is an individual application to that T that you want to work there and that this isnt just a 'blanket' application.

I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual who is passionate about empowering clients to have a positive pregnancy and birth experience. I have always strived to give clients exemplary care whilst maintaining a professional approach. Give an example.

I have adapted well to all of the clinical areas in which I have been placed and have demonstrated flexibility in working different shifts. I have a full, clean driving licence and good IT skills.

All the above should be one paragraph.

RELEVANT SKILLS

COMMUNICATION

Whilst running antenatal education sessions I demonstrated the ability to engage clients using visual aids. I was commended by both clients and my mentor for my communication skills. In my role as a customer account manager I would often have to deal with clients queries and complaints. This required effective communication often in stressful situations. Talk about managing difficult situatins here too. Try and give examples wherever you can.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

As a personal tutor to children with behavioural difficulties for X years, I was able to interact effectively with children, who often had many social issues. I was able to build a rapport with these children by combining patience and determination to motivate them. Whilst caring for a disabled woman (perhaps 'woman with disabilities') I was able to use my interpersonal skills to build a professional relationship with the woman and her family. By being reliable, trustworthy and empathetic I was able to develop mutual respect and empowered her independence. There needs to be more midwifery examples here.

ORGANISATION I demonstrated organisational skills in my role as a personal tutor by planning lessons which catered to children of differing ages and abilities. I also had to produce twice monthly progress reports for their support workers and occasionally social services. Midwifery specific required - working busy shifts, prioritising care and clients, working as part of a team, how you organised home, practice and study etc. As chairperson of XX (annonimised to protect your identity here) I was responsible for planning and implementing fund raising events including the annual school fete. This event was attended by over 400 people and required innovative planning and problem solving. These are good examples but they arent midwfery ones.

INTERESTS
I am creative and enjoy decorating for events such as weddings and parties. I make handmade greeting cards and invitations. I am a committed Christian and have worked in various departments in my church organisation. More recently I have worked in the health department which involved planning and running health seminars and giving presentations on various aspects of public health. I also volunteer to feed the homeless in my local community. I have proved to be trustworthy as I was elected chairperson of XX or two consecutive years.


I would be very grateful for any help that anyone can give so that I can secure a job. I am very fed up of being broke and I don't want to work in Tesco's.

Thanks Angelcake.

Hey angelcake, have you registered on www.midwiferyworld.net? It's an offshoot of this site for senior students and RM's. Have a nosy and see what you think, it may help you sort the PS out, but, after reading it - it sounds great!

xx

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