Career Contribution Statement

The Career Contribution Statement focuses on your contribution to your company. It has an executive tone as you make it clear through your communication that you are a committed contributor to your existing organization or industry.

The Career Contribution Statement is a type of Career Statement.

Career Statements are super useful tools. A career statement is a 1 — 3 minute speech you give to:

• Get the next job, or job interview
• Have a meaningful conversation with your boss or a prospective manager
• Introduce yourself to new clients (or prospective clients if you are an entrepreneur)
• Explain who you are and what you do at cocktail parties and networking events

The Career Statement summarizes the conclusions you have reached about your career direction. In it you state your areas of experience and past value to your organization, and you put forth what you believe could be your future contribution.

Such a statement is helpful for you to be able to succinctly summarize your value to your current employer, a prospective employer, or to introduce you to people who may be significant in your career development network.

Your Career Statement is neither a resume, nor is it a biographical recitation of your past. The Career Statement is focused, sets the tone and direction of actions you intend to take to support you career now and in the future. When it is done and refined, it should fit on one page.

There are two types of Career Statements: The Career Development Statement and the Career Contribution Statement. They are slightly different in their intents.

Career Statement

The content of your Career Statement should communicate to the listener …

1. 1. Who you are | Long-term employee, prospective project manager-leader, employee, intern, etc.
   2. Data to support your assertion or examples of situations to illustrate how you used your skills and made a contribution | What you have done for your existing company, past companies, clubs, and volunteer activities
   3. What you want | Potential areas where they can help you

Career Development Statement

The other type of Career Statement is the Career Development Statement. It focuses more on you and the direction you would like your career to take. It is appropriate for initial job interviews, and at the early stages of your career before you have a strong track record for making a contribution to any particular organization.

Download the free Career by Design Career Statement Worksheets HERE.