{"id":4582,"date":"2023-03-08T18:19:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T18:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejobstudio.co.uk\/?p=4582"},"modified":"2023-09-09T09:17:49","modified_gmt":"2023-09-09T08:17:49","slug":"how-long-should-a-supporting-statement-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejobstudio.co.uk\/application-advice\/how-long-should-a-supporting-statement-be\/","title":{"rendered":"How long should a supporting statement be?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When it comes to writing a supporting statement, length matters. Too short and it won\u2019t evidence all the competencies needed for the role, too long and you\u2019ll come across as unfocused. If you\u2019re wondering \u2018How long should a supporting statement be?\u2019 you\u2019ve come to the right place. In this post I\u2019ll answer that very question and explain how to trim your statement down if it\u2019s too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you're wondering how long a supporting statement should be, chances are the employer hasn\u2019t provided a word or character limit. But if they have, make sure you obey it. Some employers are particularly strict about this and will penalise applications that exceed the word limit. It\u2019s a good idea to write within 10% of the maximum word length, and ideally maximise it so you\u2019re hitting all the competencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there's no word limit, aim to write no more than two sides of A4 using font size 11. Not many hiring managers have time to read a supporting statement much longer than this (remember, they\u2019ve probably got tens, if not hundreds to read!). They\u2019ll also lose interest pretty quickly, so do them a favour and keep it a reasonable length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Evidencing all the competencies on two sides of A4 will take time and effort, but it can be done. I outline an easy step-by-step guide for doing this in my other post: How to write a supporting statement for a job application<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you'd like to see what an interview-winning supporting statement looks like, I've included an example supporting statement in my Supporting Statement Bundle<\/a><\/strong>. It also includes printable resources to help you plan and structure your statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Really struggling with two pages? It\u2019s not the end of the world if you have to go over on to a third page, but you should be confident you\u2019ve tried your best to cut it down to two sides (see my tips below) and that everything you've included is relevant. <\/p>\n\n\n When it comes to writing a supporting statement, most people over-write, rather than under-write. It can be really tempting to throw everything on the page, and tell the employer everything you\u2019ve ever done, but this isn\u2019t a good strategy. Remember \u2013 the supporting statement is to evidence your suitability, pique the employer\u2019s interest and persuade them to invite you to interview. Follow these five tips to cut down your supporting statement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So there you have it - a simple answer to the question 'How long should a supporting statement be?' If you're working on a supporting statement, you may find my other post helpful: How to write a supporting statement for a job application<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\nWrite an interview-winning supporting statement\n<\/h3>
<\/div>How to reduce the length of your supporting statement<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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supporting statement review<\/h2>
Get your statement sorted<\/h2>