Resumes, Selection Criteria and Cover Letters

Strategies for Getting Employers’ Attention

Careers Centre, UWAJuly 2006

Getting an Employer’s AttentionGetting an Employer’s Attention

No employer is interested in what you want until you can interest him or her in what you can offer!

Your job application must convince him or her that you are the person they need for the job!

What Employers WantWhat Employers Want

Skills to do the job Technical knowledge (eg IT, physiotherapy) Transferable skills (eg communication,

team-work, problem-solving, planning and organising, self-management)

A good track record Relevant experiences such as academic studies,

work experience, extracurricular activities

Positive personal qualities Commitment, enthusiasm, confidence, motivation,

adaptability, reliability, willingness to learn

Gathering the FactsGathering the Facts Think about and identify your work and

study experiences. Make a list of them.

Know what your technical knowledge and transferable skills are. Make a list.

Find evidence of your strengths eg Academic grades, personal and work

achievements Details of activities, tasks or projects you

have undertaken

Identify your Experiences

Achievements Skills Evidence

What I have What I can do Here’s my proof

2004 - 2005 * Customer service * Advised customersPart-time work * Interpersonal skills making computer &Sales Assistant * Supervisory skills software purchasesHarvey Norman * Resolved customer

complaints* Supervised two new

staff members

Identify your Experiences

Achievements Skills Evidence

What I have What I can do Here’s my proof

2005 – 2006 * Teamwork * Managed budget forPSA Vice-President * Administration social programs

* Organisation * Planned careers forum for

postgraduate students* Arranged employers

as guest speakers

Are you suitable for the job?

Job Requirements

Examples of Relevant Experience/Skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Tutorial presentations, customer service

Research & analysis Assignments, papers, internship at ….

Teamwork & leadership

Group projects at uni, sports, professional collaborations, PSA rep, managed a tutorial

High-level writing skills

Contribution to publications, newsletter for community group, written assignments

Information technology

Intermediate skills with Word, Excel & databases. Some web skills & desktop publishing

Commercial awareness

Part-time work

Project management

Thesis, volunteer work for …

Key Application Documents

Cover letter (if asked for) provides a personal introduction.

Resume or CV provides specific details of your experiences.

Selection Criteria provides specific examples to demonstrate

you have the skills and abilities needed for the position.

CV and Criteria must be easy to read CV - no more than 3 pages long (2 is best).

Selection Criteria - each 300-400 words long

Use active verbs and keywords which will appeal to the employer.

Format your CV and Selection Criteria clearly so they are easy for the employer to read.

CV

Contact Details Name: Address: Telephone: Mobile: Email:

Education

Education List all University qualifications -

degree, post-graduate award, honours

Include the name of the University.

Include dates of your study.

Relevant Skills/Experience

Relevant Skills/Experience

Chinese – fluent oral and written Oracle Database skills (Intermediate) MS Word (Advanced) Internet research skills (Advanced)

Work History

Date: August 2005 – Sept 2006Western Power Pty Ltd, PerthPosition: Systems ConsultantDuties: Managed the Data Warehouse Group Business Intelligence Project Management Implemented new WEB-based Business

Intelligence Tools

Referees Three is plenty. If you are a new

graduate, ask a lecturer or tutor if he or she is happy to be a referee for you.

List your referees, including: Full Name Position Address Contact telephone, mobile & email

A Good Cover LetterA Good Cover Letter

Write a cover letter only if the job description asks for one.

Say who you are and why you’re writingState why you are suitable for the jobSay why you are interested in the job or the organisation

Your nameYour addressYour phone number

Date

Name of AddresseeTheir Position TitleOrganisationAddress

Dear Mr/Ms ________________

1.Introduction gives your reason for writing and states where and when you saw the position advertised.

Cover Letter Guidelines

• Use formal business letter format

• Find out name of contact to whom application is being sent

2.Where & what you’re studying, any relevant work experience. Include anything else in your experience that is appropriate.

3.Highlight & expand on your skills, interests, experience, ambitions in relation to the requirements of the job/organisation.

4.Explain why you are interested in the position and the company and what makes you a suitable candidate for them.

5.Final paragraph Make reference to any enclosures. Thank them for considering your application.

Yours sincerely,

Print your name under your signature

Selection CriteriaSelection Criteria This is the most important part of your job

application. Look carefully at the list of Selection Criteria. (criterion/criteria)

If you cannot meet the criteria, you do not have the skills or experience the employer wants. Your application will go in the bin.

You must answer all criteria and answer each part of each criterion.

Selection Criteria contd

Qualifications, skills and experience

Essential criteria – you must meet these to gain an interview.

Desirable criteria – you do not need to have them, but if the employer receives many applications, he will consider these criteria in deciding who to interview.

Demonstrating Your SkillsDemonstrating Your Skills Address each criterion separately. Write

it as a heading, in bold. Now write a paragraph showing how your experience meets this criterion.

Use the STAR technique to give specific examples of your past behaviour.

Situation Task undertaken Actions or behaviours exhibited Results or outcomes of those actions

Criteria – keep it simple!

This is not an academic essay. You must describe a situation in clear, straight-forward English (like a simple story).

Use the first person – I, me, my, our.

Use active verbs – I wrote, I organised, I prepared, I solved, I advised, I decided ….

STAR MethodSituationandTask

The context of the example being used. Describe the situation you were in. What was the problem you had to solve or the task you had to do? Use a specific event or situation.

Action What did you think about the situation? Describe the actions you took and why. Keep the focus on what you did. Relate to the skills/abilities asked for.

Result What happened? Did you use your skills well? Were you successful? What else did you achieve or learn?

Context of Your Actions(Situation & Task)

“An integral element of my postgraduate studies in IT was to design a …..”

“During my 4 years part-time work in the hospitality industry……”

“As a member of the Postgraduate Student Association Committee ……”

What You Did(Action You Took)

“My skills were evident in the projects I undertook as part of my Masters in IT research. These included: …….”

“Duties in my part-time job included….”

“To produce the student association newsletter, I commissioned articles from student writers, organised editorial meetings …”

How Well You Did It(Result)

“As a result of my efforts, two of my articles have been published in the Australian Journal of Communication.”

“After only 6 months, I was promoted to Deputy Project Team Leader because of my strong IT abilities.”

“The Club’s President commended me on my success in increasing the club’s membership.”

Examples of Criteria

Proven capacity to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary research team.

Evidence of ability to take initiative, make informed decisions and take responsibility for them.

Proven ability to operate independently, prioritise and organise own workload.

Knowledge, understanding and commitment to principles of Equal Employment Opportunity & Occupational Health & Safety.

Helpful HintsHelpful Hints Do not say anything that is untrue or

which you cannot substantiate in your CV.

In your Criteria, focus on your actions and their results.

Support your claims with clear, relevant examples of your past conduct in situations

If you can, use examples linked to the duties in the job description.