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Effective Applications: A How-to Guide

Learn the factors that make an effective application and how to prepare for one. Research the organization, identify selection criteria, and showcase your achievements and competencies.

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Effective Applications: A How-to Guide

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  1. Effective applications • A how to guide

  2. Initial thoughts : • You need to impress on paper/ online to have a chance of getting an interview • An application form is in many respects a miniature interview conducted via the internet or on paper.

  3. What factors make an effective application ?

  4. How to prepare an effective application

  5. Do your homework • To stand out from the competition

  6. Research • The organisation • Services • Products • Values

  7. Top tips on how to prepare for an effective application • Research the organisation online • Figure out the kind of people they employ - • Identify the employer's selection criteria • Skills, knowledge, work experience that they think are crucial for the job • Do some self assessment - do you fulfil their basic criteria ? • Relevant degree ? is a 2:I essential, UCAS points, is it the kind of organisation where you think you would fit in ?

  8. Person Specification • Essential criteria • Compulsory qualifications • Knowledge • Skills • Experience • Attributes and qualities • Candidates who do not fulfil minimum essential requirements will not be short listed

  9. Desirable criteria • The employer believes these would be beneficial but not essential in an ideal candidate.

  10. Why do you want to work for us ? • I am keen to begin my career learning from the very best • Your recent award for .... Illustrates.....

  11. USP - unique selling point • What is unique about the employer ? • What do they offer graduates, placement students and Interns • Don't give a standard answer about your interest in that field: make your answer specific to the employer

  12. Where to research • Websites • Social media • Professional bodies • Trade journals • Google alerts for news stories • Strategic plans • Network

  13. Identify the employer's selection criteria • How? • Interpret and analyse the job description and person specification.

  14. Review your life • What have you done ? • When ? And Why ? • Catalogue your achievements • Academic, Work Experience, Volunteering, sporting, social activities. • Expand by noting the skills and knowledge required for each achievement.

  15. All work experience is good work experience !

  16. Extra curricular activities

  17. Use your experience to sell yourself • Most experience is good experience

  18. Personal achievements • What's important to you ?

  19. Experience : Categorise • Positions of responsibility • Awards received • Leisure & hobbies • Languages • Travel • Arts • Societies- especially if you sit on a committee

  20. Online applications • Download the form first so that you can think about each section and use different examples to illustrate particular qualities. • Spelling and grammar as crucial as ever ! • Double check before sending • Ask someone else to check with a fresh eye • Do not press submit unless absolutely happy.

  21. The Application form

  22. Completing the form • Read through the info and advice contained in the brief • Take photocopies so you can make notes and draft versions • Follow any specific instructions given • Complete every section • Answer all questions and answer the questions asked ! • Be honest and truthful

  23. Do's • Save your form and complete over a few visits • Sell yourself - how did you make a difference ? • Get someone else to proof read • Spell check • Re read the content • Keep a copy ! • Ensure a positive and confident tone

  24. Don'ts • Copy and paste between forms • Lie • Leave any gaps • Exaggerate • Write a narrative

  25. Competencies • The ability to carry out a task

  26. What are competencies ? • Underlying characteristics that influence individual performance • Behaviours which are linked to personal values

  27. Competencies • Made up of: • Skills - what you know how to do • Knowledge - what you know • Self image - how you see yourself • Values - what you think is important • Habits - things you do without thinking • Motives - what drives your behaviour

  28. The top 5 competencies that employers look for; • Teamwork • Communication • Problem- solving • Commercial awareness • Creativity

  29. Competencies • Examples; • A marketing executive may require problem solving skills. • A job in customer services may require conflict management skills

  30. Examples of competency based questions • Give an example of a time when you.... • Describe a situation when you .... • How did you make a difference.....

  31. Examples of competency questions • Please give an example of when you solved a problem in a tight timescale. • Describe a situation where you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint.

  32. In other words • You you you !!!

  33. Competency questions • Designed to make the job application process as objective as possible. • Driven by a competency framework that's required for the job.

  34. How to deal with competency based questions

  35. The STAR technique

  36. Example: describe a situation where you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint • Situation: a customer rang up to complain that she had to wait more than 2 weeks for a reply from our sales team regarding a product query • Task: I needed to address the customer's immediate query and find out what went wrong in the normal process • Activity : I apologised, got the details and passed them to our chief sales person who contacted the customer within the hour. I investigated why the query had not been answered and discovered that it was a combination of a wrong mobile number and a generic e mail address that was n't being checked.I let the customer know and we offered a goodwill discount on her next order. • Result: the client not only placed another order from us but posted a positive customer service tweet.

  37. What can you do now ? • Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

  38. Focus on what you did and why • Make a list • Pick the most illustrative examples and think them through

  39. Create a bank of answers in this format • Write up a diary / log of examples that occur whilst working or volunteering.

  40. Advantages of online applications • Quicker to complete than an old fashioned paper based form • You will hear much faster about your application progress • Usually a confirmatory e mail is sent to say that your application has been received. • Easier for employers to read - no worries about poor hand writing. • Remember to take a copy of your application form with you to an interview to remind you of what you wrote !

  41. Further sources of information • Get that job !

  42. UEL employability and enterprise website • selectsimulator.com has a practice online application form.

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