In this blog post, we’ll share a sample personal statement that illustrates how your academic knowledge and practical experience as a business student can make you a strong candidate for a purchasing position.
Growing up
My parents own a stationery store next to my local middle school. When I was younger, I was just there to cover for them when they were away for a while, but as I grew older, I became interested in what students preferred and analyzed the price differences between the stationery stores around me. In college, my parents weren’t too keen on my interest in research and analysis, as they wanted me to stick to my studies, but I convinced them that this was an opportunity to use my knowledge as a business student and that the research I was doing would be relevant to the store’s sales and would help turn things around. After a year of managing the stationery store for my parents, I learned what customers were interested in and tried to order the best products at the lowest cost from the catalog and website. I also ordered different amounts based on customer preferences. My parents used to sell whatever the customer brought in, but after I joined the business, the owner of the store became more demanding, and sometimes he would get frustrated. However, I always tried to be cheerful and friendly and maintain a smooth relationship with the customers. I also got to know the customers well, so I was able to get orders for things they needed and learn about their favorite characters. Thanks to my efforts, the stationery store had quite a few regular customers. Organizing and counting items every day and analyzing customer preferences was a headache, but it was also very rewarding. I realized that ordering needed items was right up my alley when I tried my hand at running my parents’ stationery store. Even though I was ordering supplies for the stationery store, this experience helped me find what I was good at, and that’s how my journey to join your company began.
As an undergraduate
majoring in business administration, I excelled in statistics. I had a mixed science and literature background from a young age, being both analytical and mathematical, and I really enjoyed statistics classes. The idea of conducting surveys and using statistical programs to extract and analyze the results was lucid. I had a number of part-time jobs related to statistics. During the election season, I worked for a polling agency that surveyed the popularity of candidates and analyzed the results from the survey data. It was important to analyze the data carefully to avoid falling into statistical errors. I think that interpreting numerical data was a perfect fit for me, as I have both a math and science background. This led me to participate in various survey analysis activities. I think that these analytical and interpretive abilities and a mathematical mindset are important qualities for a procurement manager.
Personality Strengths and Weaknesses
I have a firm personality that makes and breaks relationships. I think that this firm personality has helped me get along with many people. If I blindly do someone’s favor, it can be difficult for both the party and the person who asked. I’m very clear about what I can and cannot do, so there’s never a case of me saying I’ll do a favor and then not being able to keep my word. I think this is a big advantage for a procurement officer who deals with a lot of customers.
I’m also very detail-oriented and a go-getter. I don’t like to sit and think, I like to get my hands dirty to get the job done. I believe that the success of my parents’ stationery store is due to my meticulous data analysis and market research. Sometimes I am too modest and don’t emphasize my abilities enough. My parents tell me to avoid excessive modesty because they believe that part of competence is being able to showcase your abilities to others. However, I don’t work for the sake of being recognized, so I’m more concerned with satisfying myself.
Application Motivation and Aspirations
I will enjoy my work. In my life so far, I have learned that it is important to prioritize my work by looking at the big picture, even if it is urgent; that being organized can lead to efficient results; and that it is important to be positive and proactive while taking responsibility for your actions. After joining the company, I will strive to achieve the best results in the tasks given to me with an active learning attitude. I believe that purchasing materials for my job is a task that can also help the company to be more competitive. If you give me the opportunity to take on such an important task, I promise that I will perform to the best of my ability and establish myself as a competent employee.
