An employer or instructor may ask you to write a personal development essay in which you describe a pattern or event in your life that has allowed you to grow or change. Writing such an essay does not have to be difficult, but it will require some planning and brainstorming. It is beneficial to develop a clear focus for your personal development essay so that you are aware of the topic you wish to cover. After you’ve decided on a topic, brainstorm general ideas you’d like to discuss in relation to it.
After you’ve come up with a few general ideas, you’ll need to start writing your personal development essay using a specific format. The best way to remember the proper essay format is to repeat the following phrase: “Say what you’re going to say, then say what you said.” To put it another way, your first paragraph should set the tone for both the overall topic and the specific thesis statement. The following paragraphs should elaborate on your main points. The final paragraph should succinctly and clearly summarize your arguments.
Because you’ll need to grab your reader’s attention and draw them into the essay, the first paragraph of your personal development essay is the most important. This can be accomplished creating an image or telling a story, then transitioning from that story to your thesis statement, or the specific argument or topic that you will be discussing in the rest of the essay. The last sentence of the first paragraph is usually your thesis statement, and it should be fairly specific. Consider the following scenario:
“Raising a child has taught me how to focus more on the needs of others, which has enabled me to be a more caring person.”
It’s worth noting that the statement cites a specific example of how having a child has benefited a person’s life. A thesis statement for a personal development essay should always include specific examples.
Remember to write down the question that was asked of you, if there was one. Employers and teachers frequently ask specific questions about personal development, and it’s a good idea to highlight key words in the question so you can make sure you answer it completely. You might want to include those keywords in your essay somewhere to show that you’ve addressed the specific parts of the question.