Applications
From CareersWiki
Contents |
Introduction
The questions on application forms can broadly be divided into two main types - those that ask for straightforward factual information (name, qualifications, etc) and those that seek to analyse whether you have the qualities employers are looking for. The questions you are asked on the application form may be similar to the questions you will face at interview, and the preparation for both applications and interviews should be the same.
Application Forms
Competency-based questions
Employers will use competency-based questions to find out whether:
- You have the personal qualities and skills required.
- You understand yourself and are able to look at yourself critically.
- You are able to identify where you and the job or organisation are a good match.
Employers ask these questions for a reason – try to work out what it is in each case. Go back to the list of the competencies they are looking for and read the questions with these in mind.
Tackling tricky questions
The old cliché that there are no right and wrong answers is true, but there are certainly good and poor answers. Try to identify what the recruiter is hoping to find out:
- Don’t give generalised answers. Give specific examples and evidence.
- Answer the question that the recruiter has asked, not the question you would like.
- Keep checking what they’ve asked
- Vary your use of examples and draw them from different areas of your life.
- Use your most recent experiences and achievements where possible.
- Keep within any word limit given.
Examples
Identify the qualities you possess which make you suitable for a career in...
You must reassure the selector that you have given your choice of career careful thought and made a match between you and the job by giving specific examples of evidence.
Give details of your main extracurricular interests. What have you contributed and what have you got out of them?
Here you can give evidence of how you have used opportunities to develop relevant skills. Avoid just listing your interests, but provide evidence of your competence in areas such as teamwork, time management and so on and make sure you emphasise particular achievements.
Tell us about a time when you were a member of an effective team. What was your role? What did you achieve?
Teamwork is one of the key skills that most employers look for, so you will get a lot of practice answering this one! Tell the employer how you contributed to the team and if you helped others to contribute. Remember to use ‘I’ more often than ‘we’.
Give an example of when you set yourself a demanding goal and overcame obstacles to achieve it.
Concentrate on the process rather than a long description. Describe the goal, then analyse the steps you took to reach it. If you can give a specific measure of your success then do (eg increasing the membership of a society, raising money for charity). Provide evidence for skills you have developed as a result. Don’t just assert that you developed your skills, and make sure you emphasise your own individual contribution.
Useful Tips
- Follow instructions carefully.
- Cut and paste the questions into a word document and draft your answers.
- Be careful with spelling – if you rely on a spell-checker (UK not USA!) type answers into a Word document and paste them onto the form.
- Ensure you use standard English grammar.
- Proofread your answers again.
Action words for applications
Descriptions of your activities are often more effective if they start with an action word - preferably a verb in the past tense
| *Achieved | *Dealt | *Formed | *Organised | *Recruited | |
| *Analysed | *Delivered | *Fostered | *Participated | *Scheduled | |
| *Arbitrated | *Devised | *Implemented | *Prioritised | *Selected | |
| *Budgeted | *Engineered | *Liaised | *Produced | *Set-up | |
| *Communicated | *Expedited | *Negotiated | *Ran | *Solved | |
| *Created | *Facilitated | *Obtained | *Realised | *Transformed |
When it's completed...
- Get it checked - bring it along to Drop-In at the Careers Centre.
- Keep a copy for subsequent interviews.
