A good application

Rosy Jones Director, FP Enterprises

Four Brief Job descriptions

What are the key skills and experience that the jobs are asking for?

1. Graduate Management Trainee2. Watch Designer3. Translation Project Manager 4. Sales Executive

Job descriptions and Person Specifications

Job DescriptionsWhat the job entails•General day to day activities •Responsibilities

– For whom– To whom

•Whether the role is internal or external facing •Some indication about the importance of the role in the organisation

Person SpecificationsAll about YOU•What kind of experience they think is relevant•What qualifications they think are appropriate •How they think the role will fit into the organisation

KSEC/Ts

• Knowledge • Skills • Experience • Competencies / Traits

Knowledge

This is the stuff that you know. •Usually evidenced by qualifications and/or training.•(e.g. A degree, a course you’ve completed)•It will be the principle requirement of a job – your first step into the world of work. •Tends to be described as “I’m qualified in..” or I’ve learnt… “

Skills

This is the stuff that you can do•Can include general skills such as:– Driving a car– Using Microsoft word or other software – Using a Mac

•But also semi-relevant qualifications such as short courses that have added to your employability but not to your learning •Tends to be described as “I can….”

Experience

This is What you’ve done•Places that you’ve worked •Relevant work experience (with job titles)•Other work experience that may not seem initially relevant but the nitty gritty of the work is definitely relevant•Tends to be described as “I’ve worked at…” or “I’ve been to…”

Competencies / Traits

• These tend to be things like – Team working – Decisiveness and Judgement – Creative – Organised

• They can only be evidenced by giving examples – e.g. “when our team was faced with climbing down a cliff, I took charge and made up a plan as to how we were to do it”

• Described by “I’m good at…”

What are your KSEC/Ts?

Knowledge • I’ve learnt / • I’m qualified in

Skills • I can do… • I can speak…

Experience • I’ve worked at… • I’ve been to….

Competencies / Traits• I’m a good• I’m good at

Researching the Company

• Always Always Always look at the company website before you start to complete any application form or CV

What else

• The “Je ne sais quoi”• A little bit about you • Leisure pursuits • What else can sell you?

The Application

• Make sure you do what they ask– CV and covering letter – CV and application form – CV and covering letter etc.

• Always put a covering letter in unless they specifically ask you not to

The CV • Try to make it two to three pages • Don’t waffle • Summarise your (RELEVENT) key points up front in

bullet points• Make a decision about which way around you should

put your – Work experience and– Education (i.e. most recent first or last)

• Make sure you cover the KSEC/Ts you’ve identified in each of the parts of your CV

• Always write a new CV for each new application

An Application Form • If you’re asked for an application form, make sure you use

it. • If it’s a specifically printed application take a copy first and

write into the copy to make sure you can fit what you want to say into it

• If you have terrible writing, work hard at making a clear copy, but don’t get someone else to complete it.

• Know in which part of the form you want to show off your best KSEC/Ts, and plan it.

• Tailor your KSEC/Ts (particularly your competency and trait examples) to the questions they’ve asked

What to put in a covering letter

• Reinforce your key skills, competencies, knowledge and experience in your letter

• Brag a little –if you’ve won awards for anything (Relevant), then put that in as naturally as possible

• Tell them with enthusiasm why you want to work for their company

• Reflect their company values in the letter and in the CV / Application form if at all possible

Do’s and Don’ts • Remember, you are a PROFESSIONAL• Use an appropriate email address (and don’t forget to check it)• You’re future employers are not stupid and regularly check

Facebook and other social sites they have access to . Make sure that you represent yourself well, or have your security locked down tight so they can’t see anything you don’t want them to.

• Make sure you have a snailmail address you’ll actually return to: it’s likely that they’ll use it if you get through the first stage

• If you have put your mobile number on your application, check your messages and answer your phone professionally

• Don’t lie on your application. If you do, and they find out, you will lose your job

Do Get Help

• Grad Central– CV clinic– Blog– Advice Line– Online spoken CVs could be applicable for some

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