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How to apply for a job

• Introduction
• Before you start
• Written applications
• Speculative applications

Introduction

Employers in both private and public sectors invest a great deal of time and utilise a variety of selection methods. You will need to be thoroughly prepared and have a detailed knowledge of the employer’s expectations for each phase of the process.

This section:

• explains the main elements of the application process
• shows you how to prepare yourself
• provides you with tips and advice to give you the best possible chance of success.

Before you start

Look at the employer/position you are applying for and consider:

1. What are the salient points?
2. What will the recruiter expect of you?
3. How can you demonstrate that you are the best person for the position?

• Read brochures and occupational information and attend presentations to find out what sort of people typically do the job for which you are applying.
• Check the employer’s web site or find out about the organisation through professional associations.
• Organise your material and your thoughts. Clarify in your mind important dates, addresses, achievements, exam grades, skills and abilities.
• Practise your applications; you may not get it right first time.
• Give yourself plenty of time. Completing application forms and drafting covering letters are time consuming activities. Do not rush!
• Remember - your written application, like your resumé and cover letter, are marketing tools, so try to ensure that you are selling yourself to your full potential.

Written applications

One of the most important things to remember when applying for positions is to make your application relevant to the work for which you are applying. This sounds obvious, but not everyone does it.

Make sure you apply for jobs that match your skills, abilities and personality. When you are applying, think about what you have to offer, how you can benefit the company and what you want the recruiter to know about you. Research the organisation and the role for which you are applying. Make sure you know what the employer is looking for and that you know what is required in your chosen function. You should be able to emphasise the right skills and qualities when making applications to each individual employer.

Some application forms are competency based, which means that the employer has identified key skills and attributes required for the position and is looking for evidence of them in your application.

Check out the section about addressing selection criteria, to help you supply the evidence that employers are looking for. You will also find useful tips in The Interview Room and on the Resume page.

These tips will assist you in writing your application:

• Give yourself plenty of time. These things always take longer than you think they will.
• Complete it in draft first, so you know what fits in where.
• Keep a record of all the important events, dates, achievements, qualifications, work experience, etc. It will save you a lot of time if you have all that information to hand.
• Obey instructions. Do not give the employer a reason to reject you.   Make your form easy to read, tidy and waffle free.
• Use the form as a guide to the qualities the employer is seeking and the amount of detail required. For example, if a large amount of space is given to a topic, you can assume that this issue is of importance to the employer.
• Do your research. Look at any information you can find about the employer.
• Draw up a list of key skills and attributes required and make sure you address as many as possible.
• Use headings and bullet points to break up the text. Don’t feel you have to use complete sentences.
• Don’t be modest. If describing a skill or an achievement, highlight the difficulties involved and your efforts in reaching your target. Remember to give specific, concrete examples of things you have done.
• Photocopy the form before you send it, so that you have a copy for the interview.
• Make sure you check the spelling and grammar. Use spell check on your computer, but also ask someone else to read your form.

Speculative applications

What is a speculative application?

A useful technique to employ as part of your job search strategy is to make speculative applications. This is when you apply for a position that has not been advertised or may not even exist. You might consider using this technique under the following circumstances:

• You may be aware that an organisation occasionally takes graduates but does not normally advertise its positions. You may be expected to write in and enquire.
• You might have heard that a company is expanding and feel that your skills and experience will be of benefit to them regardless of whether they are advertising positions or not.
• You have identified a number of organisations that you would like to work for and want to introduce yourself to them.
• You are willing to offer your services on a voluntary basis in order to gain valuable workplace experience.

There are some very competitive fields within the graduate recruitment market - for example, performing arts, publishing and journalism, where advertised vacancies can be very rare.When these vacancies are filled it is often by people who are already working in the area in a lower position or in a voluntary capacity.How do you get those opportunities? By demonstrating how keen you are and making speculative applications.

How do you make speculative applications?

The generally accepted approach is to contact organisations using your resumé and a covering letter. Because there is no advertised position, it does call for a slightly different approach. You need to think about why the organisation should want you, what you have to offer and identify why they should, in some cases, create a vacancy for you. Your speculative application will need to be very targeted to the specific employer; your cover letter should outline why you want to work for them and how you can benefit their organisation. Don’t forget to identify someone within the company to address your letter to. Make sure that your resumé highlights the skills, knowledge and attributes that you think the employer is looking for.

Sell your strengths and your enthusiasm; this type of approach requires the hard sell.

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