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Writing Your Application
Write a winning application...Applications are a crucial element in the selection process of almost all organisations. The quality of your application is critical: if it is of a high standard, you will maximise your chance of being selected for interview or testing. If your application is poor, you are selling yourself short and are unlikely to have much success. The best applications make an impact. Remember that there will be other candidates with similar skill sets and qualifications so it is important your application clearly highlights and demonstrates all your strengths, accomplishments and experience. A job application generally consists of a cover letter, résumé and statement against the selection criteria. Some organisations also requiring you to complete an application form. Please fill out this form... Application forms allow organisations to make direct comparisons between candidates, set their own agenda, and assess how well and concisely applicants express themselves. The form will generally require you to provide biographical details and a summary of your skills, academic results, experience, employment history and extracurricular interests. You might be asked to comment on a specific issue or hypothetical problem. Remember to:
Online applications Many organisations now require candidates to fill out application forms online. Most of the same principles apply, but there are differences that you need to be aware of. Online application forms often have to be completed in one sitting: you can’t save and come back to it later. Be prepared and make sure you have given yourself plenty of time. If possible, download a hard copy of the form and write a few drafts before you complete a final copy online. As with submitting a hard copy application, you need to take your time. Some online forms allow applicants to go back to previous fields and change information throughout the process. Cover letters Cover letters should be written individually for each application and should be kept to one page. The aim is to provide a clear, well-expressed summary of your key attributes, careers goals and suitability for the position. Think of it as like an abstract to a journal article: you are not rewriting your résumé in your cover letter, but presenting a concise case of your suitability for the position. Résumé or Curriculum Vitae? What is the difference between a résumé and curriculum vitae (CV)? These terms are generally interchangeable, but in some countries a CV refers to an expanded résumé which includes more information on experience and achievements. If you are applying for overseas positions make sure you are clear about what they are asking for. Résumés: getting them right Your résumé needs to communicate your personal and contact details, academic record, skills, experience, strengths, capabilities and achievements and referee contact details. Your presentation should be reader-friendly, with an easy-to-read font and a good balance of white paper to text. Structure your information clearly, making sure key points are prominent. Style There are a range of résumé styles, the most common being chronological, functional and targeted. A chronological résumé presents the information under a series of key headings (typically personal details, education, etc.). Dates are prominent and are used to order information, with the most recent listed first. A functional résumé focuses on skills and capabilities rather than history per se. Although the standard categories may be used, the information is set out differently. For example, work experience would be organised according to type of work (eg. project administration, design) rather than chronologically. A targeted résumé is also focused on skills and capabilities rather than history, but it is directed towards a particular job. It is designed to demonstrate how you can meet the specific job requirements, with information grouped according to the skills and qualities relevant to the specific position. It is up to you which style of résumé you choose (unless the employer has specified a preference). The most important aspect of any résumé is that it is written clearly and concisely with relevant information included. Selection criteria Employers use selection criteria to assist them to quickly and effectively short list candidates. Each applicant is rated on how closely he/she meets the criteria and is ranked accordingly. Although criteria will vary from job to job, there are a handful of key qualities that tend to apply across nearly all graduate positions, such as communication and team-working skills. You should address all of the items in the selection criteria and provide individual responses for each (ie. do not cut and paste). For each criterion you should provide a specific example that demonstrates the required competency. The key is using evidence to show the employer you have the skill, rather than just claiming that you do. The statement addressing the selection criteria should be presented in a separate document but attached to your résumé. Top tips
Employer’s perspective Will Blott from Unilever What common mistakes let down jobseekers? A poorly completed application form or résumé. Whether it is a case of spelling mistakes, incomplete information or poor grammar, a bad formal résumé will not get you far. The application is your chance to make a good fi rst impression and it’s unlikely to make the cut if it’s not of a high standard. If in doubt, get a friend to check it. This article is taken from the 2007-08 edition of Graduate Careers Australia's employer directory Graduate Opportunities . © 2007 Graduate Careers Australia How To Address Selection CriteriaMore and more employers in both the private and public sectors are using your ability to address their selection criteria to assist them to short-list applicants for interviews. Each applicant is rated on how closely he or she meets each of the criteria and then ranked accordingly. Regardless of the specific position you may be targeting, you will discover that there are a handful of criteria that tend to apply across nearly all graduate vacancies. Examples of these include:
The employer will not necessarily be able to match information in your résumé (see below) to the criteria. You should address each of them specifically and on an individual basis. All essential criteria must be included and it is recommended that you also address those described as 'desirable' criteria. You can present the information in a separate document that you attach to your résumé. While there are many titles for such a document, the most common ones are 'Evidence in Support of the Selection Criteria' and 'Background Relevant to Selection Criteria'. As an alternative you might choose to use a functional résumé; format using each of the criteria as a heading. Your task is to provide specific examples for each of the criteria to demonstrate that you meet them. Below is an example of how one person addressed a selection criterion specified by a government department: [The successful applicant will have] Sound conceptual, investigative and analytical skills, together with an ability to undertake statistical research methods. The development of my research ability and understanding of both qualitative and quantitative statistical methods has been refined over these past three years of university study. These skills have been demonstrated by the successful completion of a range of investigative reports which have required an increasingly sophisticated ability to apply computerised statistical analysis packages and business forecasting models to 'real life' business problems. Statistical analysis tools I have used include:
Statistical analysis tools I am aware of include:
One example of where I have applied these skills is a project that I completed in first semester of this year; its title was 'The Impact of High Levels of Unemployment Upon the Development of Small Business in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne'. I analysed a series of statistics which were obtained from the ABS, the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Business Victoria, the City of Maribyrnong and the Western Region Economic Development Corporation. In addition, I developed a short questionnaire and conducted a small number of interviews with local small businesses for the purposes of testing my results against the reality of small business operators' experience. This project contributed to a Distinction result for the subject of Business Forecasting Methods. Use examples from your work experience, university and extracurricular activities and other life experiences. Brainstorm as many examples as you can, identifying situations where you might have demonstrated the specific criterion – the more you can think of, the better! Your résumé can help you to focus on your experiences. You'll have a greater selection to choose from when you put together your final document. As you will note from the above example of a selection criterion, any examples you use should be preceded by a short overview statement which clearly indicates that you meet the criterion, and which reflects your understanding of the relevance/importance of that specific criterion. The information can be presented in paragraph form, in point form or in a combination of both – that's a personal decision. Here's how you could go about it:
Don't be too concerned about any overlap of examples you use for the criteria, but try to provide a different slant in each case. When you come across a selection criterion that you cannot satisfy, don't just ignore it - your failure to address it will 'stand out like a sore thumb'! Be prepared to write something about your understanding of the relevance of the criterion – convince the employer that you possess the potential to satisfy it. Please note that when you first start to write your applications by addressing the selection criteria it will be incredibly time-consuming. So allow yourself plenty of time to get your application together. As is the case with most things, 'practice makes perfect', and you can begin practicing right now by writing something about how your background matches the criteria which are presented at the beginning of this section!
This article is taken from the 2004 edition of Graduate Careers Australia's employer directory Graduate Opportunities
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