The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word FIRST-HAND
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
F
I
R
S
T
-
H
A
N
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "personal" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case personal = first-hand.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
Crossword Answer definitions
FIRST-HAND adjective- Direct, without intermediate stages.
- Not previously owned or used; contrasted with secondhand.