Written Applications

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Written Applications

• CMS 7
• Career Services Lynne Sowerby2007

CMS 7 Applications HRM 2007.ppt
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Session Objectives

• Identify effective writing techniques
• Understand how to prepare
• Resume and cover letters
• Applications
• Selection criteria documents
• Analyse job ads and tailor your application
• Clearly understand your skills and achievements
• Write a career objective
• Be able to communicate your achievements

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Are the documents really important?

• Why?
• Marketing you to the employer / recruiter
• Your skills and abilities
• Getting into the yes pile for shortlisting
• How?
• Concise statements
• Accurate language and grammar
• Predictable layout - KISS principle
• Focused on qualifications, experience and
  achievements

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Starting point analysing the job ad
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Starting point analysing the job ad
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What is the employer looking for?How Well Do I
know Myself?
Activity

• What Am I Good At? What Do I Have To Offer?
  What Do I Bring To The Table?
• I can handle
• Stressful situation / working under pressure
• Communicating at all levels
• Working in a team environment / motivating
  others
• Providing excellent customer service
• Administration duties
• Team leader / supervisory roles
• Computer software / hardware
• Sales / marketing

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Using the right approach with documentation

• Documentation
• Targeted cover letter
• Wow factor!
• Aligned with job ad
• Customised resume
• KISS principle
• Key achievements
• Referees
• Addressing selection criteria

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Documentation Cover Letter

• Your contact details
• Date
• Person and Company contact details
• RE Application .. (Ref .)
• Dear Mr/Ms ..,
• I wish to apply for
• My key strengths are
• Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• My resume is attached..
• I look forward to the meeting (contact details)
• Thank you.
• Yours sincerely
• Name

• KISS Principle applies
• 1 page only

Applications documentation via Careers website -
http//www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/careers/ MyCareer
Plan / Articles
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Covering Letter Format
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Covering Letter Checklist

• Address to a person
• Address employers requirements
• Provide specific examples
• Professional concise language
• Spell / grammar check
• One Page
• Left Align
• Never use a generic letter!

• Refer to intent, position, where advertised
• Address employer requirements
• Include on relevant personal / professional
  evidence (skills, experiences, qualifications and
  achievements)
• Refer to any attachments
• Indicate you look forward to meeting

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Which is better, and why?

• I would like to work at BHP Billiton as I hear
  you have a good training program, and I would
  like to learn analytical skills.

From your website I note that BAE value
analytical skills I have experience in analysing
complex data from my UniSA projects such as
..
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Which is better, and why?
I have enclosed my resume, and hope to hear from
you.
I look forward to meeting you to further discuss
this position. My mobile is and you can contact
me via email ._at_........
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Will my CV impress an employer?

• Is it a professional document?
• Is it easy to read?
• Have I included content relevant to the
  employers requirements?

A great resource is SEEK.COM.AU For CAREER and
JOB READINESS RESOURCES http//www.seek.com.au/car
eer-resources/
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Resume Format
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Documentation Resume

• Page 1
• Name
• Contact Details
• Profile
• Key Skills
• Qualifications
• Career Summary
• Dates / Organisation / Role
• Page 2/3
• Employment History
• Dates
• Organisation
• Scope
• Title
• Key Responsibilities
• Key Achievements

• Last page
• Training and Professional Development
• Professional Associations
• Computer Literacy
• Interests
• Community Service (optional)
• Referees
• Name xxxxxxxxx
• Title
• Company
• Tel xxxxxxxxxxx
• Mobile xxxxxxxxxx
• Email Relationship

Applications documentation via Careers website -
http//www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/careers/ MyCareer
Plan / Articles
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Your Resume Checklist
The reader needs to know your career to date

• Dos
• List where you worked and when
• Reverse chronological order
• Type of business
• Scope of company
• Key daily responsibilities
• How you added value (achievements)
• What you have to offer
• How you can be contacted

• Donts
• Lie or exaggerate
• Include date of birth religion weight etc
• Be negative about previous employment
• Use jargon or complicated words
• Try to be humorous
• Attach written references
• Write long, complex sentences

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Your Resume Checklist

• Checked spelling, grammar
• layout consistency
• Length about 2 to 4 pages
• Simple fonts - Arial 10 or 11, or Times New
  Roman, size 12
• Clear layout
• bullet points, spaces,
• italics, sections,
• concise paragraphs
• and lots of white space

• Addresses requirements
• Provide relevant evidence
• Summary on first page
• Concise business language
• Avoids personal pronouns - I, we
• Excluded personal information, e.g.
• age
• gender
• ethnicity
• photograph

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The Career Objective / Profile

• A marketing statement to give the reader a clear
  understanding of what you are seeking, e.g.
• Proactive and industrious human resources
  graduate, seeking employment within Government
  organisation.
• Interests include training, and learning and
  development
• Keen to utilise my skills, knowledge and
  abilities in the area of

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The Career Objective / Profile

• You may include
• Field or position in which you are interested
  (graduate, entry-level etc)
• Work experience gained in the targeted field
• Type or scope of the organisation targeted
  (sector, industry)
• Skills or background you would like to use
  (marketing, research, communications, health etc)
• Timeframe for achieving your goal (1 5 years)

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Whats wrong with these examples? Can you
improve them?
Id like to work for a sports company. I work
well in a team.
I am committed to finding work in .. industry.
I am completing a degree at UniSA and want to
build on my recent work experience in this field.
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Highlighting Achievements

• Provides insight into your capabilities where you
  have added value.
• Improved quality
• Increased sales
• Reduced costs
• Increased profits
• Improved employee relations
• Surpassed established standards
• Improved productivity and teamwork
• Reduced time of operation
• Achieved a technological breakthrough
• Established an administrative process
• Planned a program from inception
• Can be as a result of paid or unpaid work
  situation volunteering, university or community
  activities.

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Addressing Selection Criteria

• Source http//www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/careers/S
  electionCriteria/howtoaddress.asp
• How to prepare selection criteria
• Layout - create a separate document
• Selection Criteria Titles - type each of the
  essential and desirable criteria as indicated,
  using exactly the same words
• Response - Address each one separately
• Structuring your answer - Provide an example of a
  time that demonstrates the competency, by using
  the following format
• Situation describe the context for the activity
  you are describing
• Task what you were required to do
• Action what you actually did to complete the
  task your approach, processes used, how you
  managed yourself and the task
• Result the outcome of your actions, the
  contribution you made in response to the
  situation. Quantify the results, if possible.

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S.T.A.R. Responses Addressing Selection Criteria
by providing evidence
S.T.A.R. Technique Preparing what to say and how
to say it
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S.T.A.R. Responses in Addressing Selection
Criteria by providing evidence
Activity
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Frequent Selection Criteria

• These are some of the criteria required for the
  Supporting Statement for Graduate Recruitment
  scheme
• Ability to organise tasks, work effectively and
  meet deadlines both independently or as part of a
  team
• Ability to analyse problems and devise
  appropriate solutions
• Ability to learn new information quickly and
  convey to others
• Good interpersonal and liaison skills that
  indicate the ability to foster trust and
  cooperation of others
• Initiative, drive and flexibility to achieve
  results
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated strong commitment to client service
• Knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of
  products

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Summary

• Key elements for successful document preparation
  include
• Identifying effective writing techniques
• Understanding how to prepare
• Resume and cover letters
• Applications
• Selection criteria documents
• Analysing job ads and tailor your application
• Clearly understanding your skills and
  achievements
• Writing a career objective targeting the job
  advertised
• Being able to communicate your achievements

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Career Services - here to support you

• Visit School of Business http//www.unisa.edu.au
  /..
• Visit Learning Connection site -
  http//www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnectio
  n/
• Attend events on campus seminars, employer
  presentations
• Career consultations book at Learning
  Connection office on your campus
• More information? Career Services UniSA /
  www.unisa.edu.au/careers /
• This PPT presentation MyCareerPlan / Articles /
  Career Decision Making CMS 4 and 5
• (Please take a minute to fill in the evaluation
  sheet so that we can ensure we are providing the
  information you need, Thank you, UniSA Careers
  Team)