Economics personal statement sample
Economics personal statement sample: My experiences at school, on the sports field and as a Senior Scout have all led me to believe that I have the natural leadership skills which are essential in the successful businessman. I enjoy mentoring others and am always more than ready to take responsibility for making decisions, and I have a clear understanding of the ways that, as a manager in a large firm, my actions and choices could have a profound impact on the lives of the people I manage as well as the performance of the business. This conviction has been enhanced by my study of economics, a subject which has stimulated my deepest curiosity. It is a fascinating time to be an economist, with the world changing so rapidly and real shifts of power happening over a very short time. I am very interested in the forces which in 2008 could bring prosperous countries to the edge of bankruptcy and deprive the vigorous emerging economies of their markets. All sorts of questions arise, such as whether these forces can be controlled or predicted, and, if they cannot be, whether this is an endemic fault in capitalism. I am interested in economic issues such as the ways consumers make choices, the relationship between competition and social welfare, the role of monopoly, and also the macroeconomic question of how the interplay of economic choices produces an aggregate level of spending. It is a discipline packed with varying interest, a science which has to cope with the unpredictable in human behaviour, and a subject which is always immediately relevant to everybody’s life.
The third aspect of my interests is international relations and their impact on trading. I have three languages, my mother tongues of Russian and Ukrainian, as well as fluent English, and I am very much aware of the value of this asset in an increasingly international world. Business strategy needs to be finely tuned to the needs of different cultures, and the economic developments in the modern world could well mean that we are witnessing a genuine movement of power from west to east.
During my school vacations I have worked in my family’s firm, Grandstroy, a building company, as an assistant manager. I was given various tasks such as dealing with sales, marketing, customer relations, communicating with other business staff and some accountancy, so that I feel I have had a useful introduction to the world of commerce. It has also developed my own sociability, made me more flexible and responsible and improved my self-confidence. I was given the rank of Scout Leader at summer camp in the Ukraine, where I worked as part of the Scout Instructor’s team, arranging hikes, sports and games and various other scouting activities for the younger members. I taught them about the history of scouting and trained them in endurance under extreme conditions, which enhanced my leadership skills and made me an effective and patient communicator. At school I have been an elected class representative for four years, assisting my tutor to arrange events, which was good training in time management, teamwork and handling people. I have also been a member of the School Council. In sport I am often in positions of leadership. I hold first-class status in swimming, second-class in shooting and hold a blue belt in judo. I have often been successful in competitions, but failing to win sometimes has been a useful experience, lending me patience and the will to persist.
I keep abreast of new developments in my subject area by following stories in the media and I read the Economist, The Times and The Financial Times. I have also read Smith’s Wealth of Nations (in the original Ukrainian!). I believe that I am a confident and effective decision-maker and have the leadership skills to build and motivate a team. I am hard-working, patient and reliable, and learn from my own mistakes. My commitment to my chosen path is total and I believe I have the qualities to become a very successful undergraduate.
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