Boost Your Career – Tips and Tricks

Content

Top Five Tips: How to Boost Your Career in 2009

Transferable Skills: The Secret of Success

How to read a job advertisement

How to Deal with Different Application Forms

Applying for a Job

Applying for a Job Part 2: CV and Covering Letter

Academic CV Building: Where to Start

Ten things NOT to do on your CV

Top Ten Tips for writing cover letters

Top Tips for Online Job Applications

Academic Jobs: How to Complete an Application Form

Information edited from http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers/articles on 07 Feb 2009

Edited by S. Karthikeyan
 2

Top 5 Tips: How to Boost Your Career in 2009

by Siyuan Ren

"New Year, new start." You hear this phrase again and again when it's approaching the
end of the year and there are many articles on the Internet offering advice on how to get a
new job in the New Year. This article, however, focuses on what you need to do in 2009
to advance your career in the long term. Having reviewed our resources on our Career
Development section, we have now developed the following top 5 tips which can help
you boost and manage your career in the year ahead, be it a new job or your current job.

The Top 5 Tips are:

1. Assess your strengths and weaknesses

2. Develop your intent
3. Create an action plan for 2009
4. Build confidence by updating your CV
5. Document your continuous professional development

1. Assess your strengths and weaknesses

A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis can help you to
assess what you are good at and the areas you need to work on.

The SWOT analysis is a tool used in strategic planning and marketing, but it can also be
applied to your career development, which has been mentioned by both Neil Harris in his
article Career Audit and Melanie Allen in her Career Crisis series

Strengths and weaknesses are used to assess yourself. These include your skills,
knowledge, experience and your motivation. Opportunities and threats are used to
evaluate the environment around you, including issues arising in your working
environment and industries. The table below shows an example of your career SWOT
analysis:
 3

Strengths Weaknesses
• Transferable skills: • Your personality doesn't fit your
o Negotiating work
o Problem-solving • Lack of knowledge of job hunting in
Internal - About o Team-working another country
yourself o Budgeting
• Positive attitude at • Bad time management of a full time
work job and postgraduate studies

•Good management
skills
Opportunities Threats
• Economic downturn and credit
• Being headhunted crunch
External - About
• Work-based • Career Crisis
your work
training • Low salary pay
& Industry
• Social Networking • Emigration barriers in another
country
From the SWOT analysis, you need to determine how you can overcome your
weaknesses and convert threats into opportunities. For example, you could take a course
to develop a particular skill or obtain a professional qualification, or you can work from
home in order to cut down travelling time and costs.

2. Develop your intent

Be clear about what you want to achieve in your career. Evaluate your current job and
consider if this fits or if it's time for a change.

Your career intent is your long-term career goals. According to your SWOT analysis,
write down what you want to achieve in 3 years, 5 years, and 10 years time in your
career. Your career intent will give you a direction that you want to go on your career
path. Your long-term intent can help you set realistic short-term objectives. Only by
achieving the short-term objectives can you reach your long-term career goals.

You now need to evaluate your current work by asking the following questions:

• What parts of my job satisfy me?

• What parts of the current job don't satisfy me and how I can turn it around?
• Am I able to achieve my short-term objectives and long-term goals in my current
position?
• If I can't achieve my objectives, what can I do to achieve them? By training for
career development, staying in the same job but going on secondment, or
changing job?
 4

The answers to the questions vary and you have to make the career decision yourself in
order to achieve your long-term career goals.

3. Create an action plan for 2009

Assess your ideas and establish realistic objectives for the year ahead accompanied by an
action plan of how you can achieve these.

An action plan should contain the following:

• S.M.A.R.T. objectives-Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time

framed;
• Actions and resources-you need to conduct and apply to achieve your objectives;
• Review-this helps you to adjust your objectives and further development

4. Build confidence by updating your CV

A CV is not just for applying for a new job. Building a CV is an ongoing process. By
updating it, you can build your confidence and understand how you can achieve your
career goals.

Sections, such as personal profile, skills, and experience, need regular updating. The
personal profile summarises who you are and what you want to achieve. The skills
section lists your key skills to the specific job you are applying for, as does the
experience section. You gradually develop your skills and enrich your experience in your
career path. You don't always notice this but you will realise it while you are updating
your CV. Building a CV is good practice, as it forces you to examine yourself and what
you are especially good at (areas that make you stand out from others). Therefore, by
constantly updating your CV your confidence will be raised

As a result of this, when you next apply for a job the application will feel a lot easier and
you will have a stronger chance of getting the job you want, because you have been
constantly reviewing yourself and building up your confidence by updating your CV.

Regarding how to write a CV, please read the articles on the Career Development section:

Applying for a Job Part 2: CV and Covering Letter

Academic CV Building: Where to Start

You've got 10 seconds to impress me - 10 things NOT to do on your CV

5. Document your continuous professional development

 5

Updating your CV is one way to know yourself and build your confidence. To get a
comprehensive picture of your career, it's helpful to use a step-by-step approach to
record, reflect and review your professional development.

Continuous professional development (CPD) is an investment that you make in yourself.

It's a way of planning your development that links learning directly to practice. By
planning and reflecting on your learning experiences you'll accelerate your development
and advance your career.

Documenting your CPD process systematically will help to plan, record and review your
learning processes, boost your confidence and strengthen your professional credibility.

jobs.ac.uk has teamed up with Melanie Allen, a Career Coach and writer as well as an
expert in CPD, to develop a simple step-by-step CPD guide to offer to our jobseekers and
career hunters in the New Year.

The CPD guide will provide a framework that you can use to track your professional
development on an ongoing basis.
 6

Transferable Skills: The Secret of Success

By Roger Jones

Can you put over your point of view effectively? Would you be able to explain a complex
technical point to someone with only basic English skills? Have you any idea what to do
if a colleague trips over and knocks himself out? Are you any good at figuring out
financial reports? How would you react if you were asked to chair a meeting?

Many people starting out on their careers imagine that their qualifications are the things
that count. Certainly, there is no denying that a good degree or diploma can open doors to
prestigious jobs. But it is not knowledge alone that will help you along in your career -
nor even the people you know!

Employers are looking not as much for bright young sparks, but for people who can
function effectively in the workplace. The more you progress up the career ladder the
more you discover that it is the little things that count. By little things I mean certain core
skills which we often overlook but which apply to a wide range of situations and jobs.
They are often referred to as transferable skills.

What are transferable skills?

While some of these skills can be taught, most are gained through experience. There are
very few courses I can think of which deal with chairing meetings, making clients feel at
home, writing letters and memos, inducting new staff, improving morale at the workplace
or reacting to emergencies. But if you wish to make headway in your career, these are the
skills that are well worth cultivating.

Transferable skills include such abilities as

* report writing
* negotiating
* giving presentations
* understanding financial matters
* using the telephone effectively
* handling an interview
* dealing with clients
* committee work
* problem solving
* budgeting
* working in a team
* operating office equipment
* flexibility
* leadership
 7

This may look like a very mixed bunch of activities, with trivial skills rubbing shoulders
with important ones, yet they all have relevance. Being able to operate a photocopier can
be just as crucial to ensure the smooth running of an organisation as preparing a budget.

Communication skills are particularly important. A lot of people fall down badly when it
comes to communicating with other people. They give explanations but leave out
essential details; they write reports which are badly structured and contain grammar,
punctuation and spelling mistakes; they adopt the wrong tone when addressing people
because they fail to take into consideration their level of sophistication or competence.

How to Develop Transferable Skills

Fortunately some vocationally oriented courses have a strong practical component and
deal with some of these skills. Business studies courses sometimes offer practice in
negotiating or chairing meetings; some medical courses help would-be doctors to develop
an appropriate bedside manner. But I never fail to be surprised at musicians fresh out of
college who play music wonderfully but haven't a clue about how to address an audience
- in words.

Alas, not everybody emerges from university or college equipped to take on the world.
From now on you may have to take responsibility for your own development. You will
find plenty of useful handbooks in your library, bookshop or on the internet which show
you how to write acceptable letters, make effective speeches, advise and manage others.

Identify and Build On Your Skills

However, you probably have quite a number of useful skills already. You need to take
note of these and seek to build on them. Then, having identified them you need to make
other people aware of what you are capable of.

What skills? Well, as a student you had to write essays and dissertations, and so during
the course of your studies you will have developed research skills, analytical ability and
presentational skills - as well as persistence. All have a place in the world of work.

You will also have acquired certain skills outside the lecture room and laboratory. If you
have been a member of a sports team you should know what it takes to be a team player.
If you have been on the organising committee for a student event or a rag week, you will
have useful organisational skills. Have you worked on a student newspaper? If so, you
will have learned how to get news stories and work to deadlines.

If you have had a vacation job in a pub, shop or holiday camp, even if the experience was
horrendous, you will have gained valuable experience of what is known as customer care.
Former Boy Scouts and Girl Guides will have acquired all manner of skills from First Aid
to putting up tents. You never know when these abilities will come in handy.
 8

Don't rest on your laurels, though. If you don't practise these skills, you will get rusty. If
you don't currently have a chance to use them at work, why not explore other places
where you could use them? Keep up the teamwork skills by joining a sports team;
develop your speaking skills by joining a debating club. Voluntary organisations are
always on the lookout for volunteers who can turn their hand to anything, and by helping
others you could be improving your own credentials.

If you look through the job adverts on our website, just observe what proportion of each
job description refers to knowledge and qualifications and how much is devoted to other
skills. You could be in for a surprise. Your specialised knowledge may get you a position,
but it is those important skills we tend to overlook which will enable you to do your job
successfully.
 9

How to read a job advertisement

By Dr. Catherine Armstrong

Reading a job advertisement may seem like a fairly simple and obvious task, but the
language of job adverts can in fact be rather baffling, especially for academic jobseekers
just starting out on their career. This article is intended to give a brief guide on
interpreting what adverts actually say and targeting your application accordingly.

Changes in the law

In recent years numerous changes have been made in how adverts are written. Part of this
is to do with fashions in recruitment, but also employers now have to be extremely
careful to follow the latest employment legislation on discrimination. These laws are
designed to prevent race, religious, sexual and age discrimination. Where employers may
once have asked for ‘junior' or ‘senior' applicants, they now have to refer to skills sets
and experience levels. Being ‘energetic', ‘active' or even ‘tireless' is now not sought
because all three of those descriptors could be interpreted as requesting someone able-
bodied. So the language of the advert has been tightened up and should only refer to
qualifications and skills needed to do the job.

Changes in recruitment practice

Whereas previously many individual heads of department wrote their own adverts based
on the sort of person they were looking for, today's adverts are the result of input from
HR teams, recruitment agencies and even PR companies. Universities are concerned to
present themselves in a consistent manner so all adverts are subjected to central checking
and university branding. This can make all adverts seem very similar. It is harder to see
what that specific job requires as adverts are becoming more generic.

Job title and salary

Some academic job titles are very specific so you know exactly what they are looking for,
but in other cases they seem very broad. You may see an advert for Lecturer/Senior
Lecturer in History for example. Only by reading the body of the text can you see which
area of specialism is required and even then the description can be unfocussed. This is
often the case when a post is a new position rather than a direct replacement. The
department, in effect, want to see who applies before deciding what sort of scholar they
want. This is common practice in the U.S. too. In these cases it is important to find out
from a member of the department whether they would be willing to consider someone
with your area of expertise. The job level and salary bands are often not fixed for the
same reason - they are willing to hire at lecturer or senior lecturer level, depending on the
experience of the successful candidate. If you get through to the interview stage you will
be able to ask someone whether you would be considered for entry above the basic salary
level. Most academic adverts still carry a salary scale, although some senior posts follow
 10

the commercial sector model and do not publish a salary at all, often meaning that salary
is negotiable for the right candidate.

Informal contact

Some adverts (although it seems, fewer and fewer) include the phone number or email
address of what is called an ‘informal contact'. This will almost always be a member of
the academic staff in the department where the job is available, usually someone with
responsibility for hiring. You can contact them and ask them for more details about the
job. Make sure that you have some constructive questions, and recognise they are
probably very busy. It is definitely worth making the call to the informal contact. If you
impress this person with your enthusiasm, you may find you stick in his or her mind.
Unfortunately quite a few adverts do not include this information, and you will probably
find that the address you have to send your application to is in the HR department. It is
unlikely they will be able to offer you advice on your application.

Job description

Most of the vital information you find will be in the accompanying job description rather
than in the body of the advert itself. This is usually available at the click of a mouse if
you are accessing a job online, but if you have seen the advert in a newspaper, you may
have to send off by post or telephone to get your job description. If you know how to
interpret this document, it will basically tell you how to write your application. It will list
the duties and skills required of the new member of staff. It is your job to address each
one of these points somewhere in your application, either in your covering letter, your
personal statement or your CV. If you can prove that you can match (if not exceed) every
one of their requirements, and you do so clearly and consistently, so the hiring panel do
not have to try to interpret your information, you will be well on the way to being
interviewed for the position.

Added extras

One of the advantages of checking out adverts online on sites such as www.jobs.ac.uk is
that you can instantly see more information about the job you want to apply for or the
institution where you hope to work. This is not available in paper resources where
advertising space is at a premium and the only information you get is a brief section on
the post itself and where to contact to apply. In some adverts now you can see
information about the employer through the medium of video, you can see employees
describing what it is like to work there, something which is especially useful if you are
applying for a job somewhere that you are not familiar with.
 11

How to Deal with Different Application Forms

by Siyuan Ren

Preparing an application form can often be a daunting process, especially when you have
several applications to finish, both those from universities and those from other public
sector organisations and private companies. What differences should you be aware of
when completing these different application forms? Are there any effective and efficient
ways in which you can tailor your skills and experiences to suit these different areas of
employment? This article will discuss the different types of application form,
highlighting university's and those from other organisations, and suggest some tips to
help you make the form-filling process run more smoothly.

The University Application Form

Universities usually practice a standard application process in which an application form

can be used for all job vacancies or certain types of job vacancies, i.e. academic,
administration, managerial, research, technician, and so on. Therefore, you are often
required to indicate the vacancy title and reference number at the beginning of the
application form.

University application forms normally require information that can be classified into two
main categories: personal data and supporting information.

Personal data can include personal details-names, date of birth, contact details, and
sometimes the working/visa status, and equal opportunities-gender, nationality, ethic
origin, disability, and so on.

Supporting information can be further categorised into three parts: Educational and
Professional History, Personal Statement and References.

Educational and Professional History generally covers: education and qualifications,

training development, employment history, and membership of professional bodies. Some
application forms only require a chronological list of your education and professional
history with dates (from/to), establishment, and outcomes (e.g. results/rewards if it is
Education and Qualifications, or reason for leaving if it is employment history), whilst
others might require detailed information on subjects in education, and responsibilities in
your employment history.

The second part of the supporting information is the Personal Statement, which is also
referred to as Supporting Evidence in some application forms. This is the most important
section and could be the most difficult part of a university application form. This section
allows you to demonstrate your skills and experiences freely by providing as much
information as you want; however, it is not the place where you write your own
biography. The key is to look at the job advert what the employer is looking for and the
 12

‘Essential and Desirable' table in the job description. Then you should use examples to
demonstrate your skills and experiences match their criteria and you are the right
candidate for the job.

The last part of the supporting information is references. Some application forms only ask
for referees' basic information such as names, companies/institutions, job title, contact
details and relationship to the candidate, whilst others ask for more details of referees.

In addition to the requirements above, if the application is for a studentship position, it

could also ask you to name the funding sources that you are applying for.

Some institutions do not accept CVs whilst others would like to have your CV attached
for additional information.

Other Types of Application Form

Application process from other public sector organisations and private companies ranges
from a straightforward CV and covering letter to a well designed and intricate application
form. The application format will depend on the type and size of the organisation, the
industries they belong to, the types of vacancy they advertise, the recruitment policies
they have in place, and the structure of their personnel department. There are four general
types of application process summarised below:

Type 1: CV and Covering Letter: simply ask for your CV and a Covering Letter
quoting the advert reference by email or by post. Instead of a general CV and covering
letter, it is important to tailor them to meet different job requirements.

Type 2: Standard Application Form: it is similar to university's, requiring the basic

personal, educational, qualification information, and supporting evidence from a personal
statement.

Type 3: Initial Conversation: some organisations do not expose their application

process in the advertisement. They want you to make a phone call for an initial
conversation so that you can get to know more about the vacancy, and they are able to get
to know a bit about you. By this means they are in control of the quantity and quality of
the applications they receive. In order to deal with this, you need to be prepared to talk
about yourself concisely in the first 30 seconds of the conversation and ask as many
questions about the vacancy as you can think of to show the organisation your enthusiasm
for the position.

Type 4: Competency-Based Application Form: many commercial companies use are

similar to those used by universities but are more specific to the needs of the role that is
being applied for. In this kind of application form, in addition to the basic personal
information, education and employment history, you are required to demonstrate certain
 13

skills and experiences that are desired or expected in the job specification. Where as
university application forms usually allow you to demonstrate your strengths freely in the
Personal Statement, this kind of commercial application form poses a few specific
competency-based questions for you to answer, such as: "Please give an example of how
you work in a team/how you have dealt with a difficult problem". Alternatively you may
be given a scenario for which you have to present a solution. An example of this is: "If
your co-worker has missed a deadline, what would you do?". Usually the competency-
based questions appear in the interview stages, however, companies will often utilise
them in the application stage so they can filter the number of applications to a
manageable size and attract the best candidates from the outset.

Tips for Applying

The essence of completing any application form is to demonstrate that you possess the
right skills and qualities for the vacancy in question. In order to do this you should start
by analysing yourself without looking at any application forms or job descriptions. Try to
paint a complete picture of yourself by writing down all of the skills, qualities,
experiences, interests, and other information which you think will let people know more
about you. It is very important to back them up with examples from either your
professional or personal life. It is possible that you will find one example that will contain
several skills and experiences you listed before, but it is important that you include your
transferable skills in each of your examples because these are what your future employers
want to see. You might like to organise your examples using the STAR model. You can
then tailor your examples to different application questions, especially the competency-
based questions, or you can organise them into your personal statement. This adaptation
of skills and experiences will also help you at the interview stage. You may find it time
consuming to write all of these qualities down to begin with, but having completed this
task, you will find it easier to tailor them to different application forms and it will save
you time in the long run. Moreover, you will be surprised that you know yourself better
by painting a picture of yourself, which will also help to build your confidence
throughout the entire application process.
 14

Applying for a Job

By Melanie Allen

Searching for a job can take over your life. We want to make it easier, so we have created
a mini-series of articles with inside information to guide you through the early stages.
How do you go about applying for a job? How can you make your application
successful? This article offers advice on applying for a job using a CV and covering
letter. It's about presenting yourself in writing, making the best impression you can,
getting through the inevitable weeding out process and on to the final decision to
interview you. Future articles will cover other areas of job applications.

Where do I start?

You've clicked on a job advert on this website that you know would suit you. You feel
optimistic. The job's yours! You're keen! Then comes the sinking feeling as you face the
prospect of applying for it... Familiar?

It has to be one of the most tedious and stressful tasks in the world. Even if you and the
job are a match made in heaven, you have to go through the application process. I can't
take the pain away - it's got to be done - but this article and others on this website (see the
links at the end of the article) will get you thinking about your approach so that you
create the best impression you can and get through to interview stage. Yours will be one
of many applications, so it's about selling yourself in a buyer's market.

Think about your readers

I write as someone who has sifted through applications and interviewed for positions
myself. The ‘weeding out and filtering' process fits a common pattern. As you will see,
presentation, clarity and accessibility play a large part in getting to the third - and most
important - stage, when decisions are made on your suitability for the job. Only then is it
down to your credentials.

Up until the closing date, every job advertisement spawns a pile - or an avalanche - of
responses each day. On top of the tasks, meetings and interruptions that make up a
working day, someone has to sort through them all and filter them so that only the best
have to be read thoroughly and in detail. The more applications there are, the more
Draconian the filtering process is.

Filter #1: No-Hopers and Possibles

Your application must get through the first filter and into the ‘Possible' pile or it may not
even be read. It's relatively easy to avoid this if you make your application professional
and appropriate.
 15

In the No-hoper pile go unprofessional, unreadable or off-putting applications. For

example:

• CVs without a covering letter

• CVs and covering letters written in longhand and/or on coloured paper
• CVs and letters sent in small envelopes and written on small writing paper
(always use A4, white paper and DL or A4 envelopes)
• CVs over 2 ½ pages long (you can just about get away with that, but not with 3
cramped pages of tiny typeface and minimal margins. 2 pages is a good length -
ensure that you number the pages)
• CVs under 1 page long (is that all? Not enough effort!)
• CVs and letters with fancy borders, headings, clip-art or random curlicues. Unless
you're a professional applying for a design post, what leaves you as creative and
interesting will arrive as amateurish and inappropriate
• CVs and letters in an illegible copperplate/gothic font (see above)
• CVs with badly-photocopied ‘generic' letters attached.

If there aren't too many applications, the No-hoper pile may be read out of curiosity, or
just to make sure nothing is being missed. Applications in the Possible pile will be skim-
read at the next stage.

Filter #2: Probably-Nots and Maybes

At this stage, your covering letter is important as it will be read first. It should give the
reader enough information to want to read your CV. Ideally, it will show, briefly, why you
want to work for the organisation and why you are the best candidate for the job, pointing
out the match between your skills and experience and the advertised job. It needs to be
clear, concise, direct, courteous and relevant. It also needs to be short.

So, into the Probably-Not pile go applications that:

• don't fit the job and don't give relevant information

• are written badly (i.e. incorrect grammar, spelling and punctuation). Get someone
to read it through before you send it
• are written in overly formal, chilly ‘old-school' language (e.g. ‘Further to...' and ‘I
would esteem it a favour if...')
• are too detailed, wordy or complicated to read in one go (do not use cross-
referencing, caveats, asterisks, appendices, footnotes)
• are too informal, chatty, personal or ‘amusing' (this style isn't appropriate - this is
a job application, not a dating agency profile. You'll come across as flippant and
irresponsible.)

If you've made it into the Maybe pile, you're in with a chance of an interview. Enthusiasm
and evidence that you have found out about the employer will count in your favour (click
the ‘Employer Profile' at the end of the job advert if it's on the jobs.ac.uk website), as will
 16

any contact you make with the person named under Informal Enquiries at the end of the
advertisement.

Filter #3: shortlisting for First Choice Interviewees and Reserves

At this stage, it's all about matching. Applications in the Maybe pile will be read
thoroughly for relevant skills, experience, qualifications and the best fit for the position,
the team, the department and the organisation or institution. The decision rests on what
you can contribute to the position, so you need to have outlined your credentials to fit the
post. There may be a number of people involved at this stage, and the decision will be
influenced by personal choice, which you can't always allow for in your application.
However, to stand the best chance of getting into the First Choice Interviewees pile, your
application needs to:

• match the job specification/person specification (if there is one) and the
advertisement as closely as possible
• show that you are enthusiastic about the organisation or institution
• be clear, concise and accessible so as to present your credentials as well as
possible

show them that you are the kind of person they want.
 17

Applying for a Job Part 2: CV and Covering Letter

By Melanie Allen

This article will provide you with a framework, a few examples and some guidelines to
follow when writing a CV and covering letter, in line with common practice. It will also
help you to focus on what you're trying to achieve.

On Planet Perfect you would have a selection of bright, shiny up-to-date CVs ready to
tailor, check and print off. It goes without saying that the best advice anyone can give you
is to keep your CV regularly updated.

Back in the real world, it's not quite like that! Even if you're organised enough to have an
up to date CV to hand, you'll need to tailor it before it's good to go. Mass mailings can
sometimes get you an interview, but it's hit and miss. That's because one of the most
common misconceptions about CVs is that it they are all about showcasing yourself.
While that is true, it's even more important to match your skills and abilities to the job
you are applying for. And as with any communication, your audience is more important
than you are. So it's also about the prospective employers and what they want. A well
presented CV and letter gets you through the weeding-out process to the point where you
will be considered for interview. As well as the content, a prospective employer is
looking for effort, attention to detail and your presentation skills in written form.

In this article, we will give you a framework and some guidelines to follow, in line with
current thinking and common practice, and, more importantly, a focus on what you're
trying to achieve.

How can I make my CV and letter work for me?

Follow the logic: the perfect covering letter is the one that makes the recipient want to
read your CV. The perfect CV is the one that gets you an interview. To get an interview,
you have to give prospective employers what they're looking for. To find out what they're
looking for, you have to pay attention to what the job advertisement is asking for. So
always gear your letter and CV to the skills and abilities advertised.

If there's a job specification in an application pack, make sure you read that thoroughly.
Find out about the employer (click the Employer Profile at the end of the job advert and
follow the links to their website, if it's advertised on this site). If you need to know more
about the position, the institution/organisation or anything else, contact the person named
under Informal Enquiries at the end of the advertisement.

Writing a covering letter

The covering letter is a courteous introduction. It needs to lead into your CV and it must
be concise and relevant. It is also a professional document, even if it is sent via email, so
 18

format it as you would a business letter. Keep it to a single page, including addresses and
sign-off. If there's a job reference or advertisement reference, include it. An example
‘template' could be:

Dear (always use a name, if you can. Don't use a Christian name only, but use Mr. Mrs.
Miss. or Ms - appropriate if you don't know whether she is Mrs or Miss.)

RE: job/advertisement reference number (if applicable)

Paragraph 1: clearly state which job you are applying for

For example:

I am writing in reply to your advertisement on the jobs.ac.uk website on (date of

advertisement) for (the position/job title). I enclose/attach my CV for your consideration.

Paragraph 2: briefly outline why you are a good applicant -what you can do for
them

You could echo (but not repeat!) some of the phrases in the advertisement. For example,
if the advertisement says:

‘You will have excellent research and organisational skills, and the ability to work
flexibly in a small team as well as alone. Although not essential, teaching experience and
knowledge of the sector would be an advantage.'

You could write:

As you will see from my CV, I have considerable research experience in this sector. For
the past three years I have had individual responsibility for my project as well as
lecturing and working closely with team members to organise conferences and events.

Paragraph 3: Clarify or explain any problem areas (if applicable) or highlight

relevant voluntary work.

Briefly explain anything in your CV that needs clarification - if your current position is
completely different or if you have taken a break. Don't be apologetic! For example:

I took a break from academic research during 2003-5, and worked my way up to the
position of Events Manager in a leisure centre, where I gained valuable experience and
developed management skills. When a job opportunity came up at the University, I
applied and returned to lecturing and research.

Paragraph 4: bow out gracefully!

 19

You could include a sentence about the organisation or institution here, based on your
knowledge or on what you have found out. For example:

I hope my application is successful. I would welcome the opportunity to continue my

career in a University with such a good reputation for research/in a new and stimulating
environment/in an innovative and exciting Company.

Writing your CV

The following is a suggested sequence and outline headings for a CV. Make it readable
and use a no-nonsense font like Ariel or Times New Roman. Use headings in bold and
bullet points for responsibilities, achievements, qualifications etc. The ideal length is 2
sides (on two separate numbered pages).

A word of warning - your CV is not an item in isolation. Bear in mind that you must be
able to back up all your statements with information or examples in an interview!

1. Your name and contact details

2. Personal statement

A personal statement is a summary of your abilities. It's not about what you have done,
jobs you have held, qualifications you have gained or your experience - that's in the rest
of the CV. This is about the transferable skills that will contribute to the job. As in the
covering letter, you need to gear it to the position you are applying for - and the clues are
in the advertisement. Stick to one paragraph of three or four pithy sentences. Go through
the job specification for the new post if you have one and make a list of the skills that are
required. Make every sentence count. Be relentlessly positive and avoid negative
statements. You need to give the prospective employer a snapshot of what you are like
professionally. For example:

I am task-oriented, able to motivate myself and sustain focus from the start of a project
through to completion. A naturally strategic thinker, I also have an eye for detail, quality
and practicality. I enjoy collaborating with other people, working towards a shared goal
and learning from shared experience.

3. Work experience

Starting with your current position, list these in reverse order. For the first one or two (if
they are relevant to the new role), bullet-point your key duties and achievements under
clear sub-headings. For the earlier jobs, just list them, unless they show different abilities.

Date Job title and organisation name

Key responsibilities
 20

• ...........
• ...........

Where possible, link these to the specification for the new job.

Key achievements

• ...........
• ...........

Detail the results of your achievements.

3. Alternative Skills

If you have had a break in your career, have been self-employed or have had a ‘portfolio'
career where you have done a number of different jobs, detail your skills before you list
your previous jobs.

4. Qualifications, education and training

Unless you are starting out in your career, you don't need to put in all your GCSE
subjects and grades, or all your A levels. If you have a degree, start with that, the
University or College you attended, and the date and go from there. Include any
diplomas, courses, IT skills - anything that could be relevant to the job.

5. Voluntary work (if applicable)

Voluntary work can complete the picture for a potential employer, if it is substantial. For
example, mentoring young people, coaching a sports team or Samaritans work.

6. Interests

‘Hobbies' is not the hot topic it once was for CVs! Unless it is relevant to the job, keep it
to a sentence about what you like to do in your spare time. Again, this will complete the
picture for your employer.

7. References

If you have details of referees, put them in. Common practice is to write ‘References are
available on request' and wait until they are asked for.
 21

Academic CV Building: Where to Start

by Dr Catherine Armstrong

It is vitally important that you work on building a strong CV whatever your current level
is on the career ladder. A good CV will get you noticed at the job application stage and
take you through to interview but it will also be needed for funding applications, when
applying to speak at conferences or when looking to get work published. You may also
need a CV if you are looking for an internal promotion and for consideration for a salary
increase. Here are some tips on how to build a good CV:

It's an ongoing process

You may think that the only time you should work on your CV is just before you put in
an application for a new job. This is definitely not the case. If you are serious about your
career and hope to progress you should be constantly updating your CV so that you have
an up to date version ready for any eventuality. It is far better to add a new skill,
qualification or publication to your CV as you acquire it when you can remember the full
details of ‘when and where', rather than trying desperately to remember what you did
several months or even years after the event. This also has the advantage of focusing the
mind and encouraging you to do things to improve your CV.

If you are a postgraduate or a full time academic and haven't done anything in your
working life that enhances your CV for a period of more than a couple of months then
you need to focus on doing some career building. Most academic CVs are broken down
into three areas:

• teaching
• research
• administration

Depending on the job you are applying for, these parts of the CV will be ordered
differently reflecting the requirements of the institution. Here are some things to focus on
in each area as you try to develop a strong CV:

• Thinking about teaching

Many people begin their teaching careers when they are a postgraduate so it's important
to start early making a record of every course that you have been involved with. You may
not need to include details of your full teaching history in every CV but it is good to keep
a record of your experience in case it is required. Make sure you:

• record the institution where you taught

• the title of the course
• the level (i.e. first, second or third year undergraduate, masters etc.
 22

• your duties on that course

When describing your duties you obviously don't have much room to go into a lot of
detail on a CV, but you need to convey more than simply ‘seminar tutor', for example.
Instead write a brief list of things you did such as ‘led small group seminars of my own
design, set and marked essays, invigilated and marked exams'. This will give readers of
your CV an understanding of the skills you acquired while working on that course.
Obviously at a higher level you will also expect to show evidence of course design and
management, so remember to include those aspects too.

It's important when building a CV to show any qualifications that support your teaching
skills, so if you have done a teaching training course at your institution or elsewhere then
make a note of this. If this is not something you have had the opportunity to do then ask
at your university if they will send you on a training course. It will be time consuming but
will make your CV stronger and will give you confidence in the classroom. Later on in
your career you may become involved in pedagogical research to develop your own
teaching techniques or theories of teaching in general; again, keep a full record of this on
your CV.

• Research, research, research

The research section of your CV will usually come in two sections, the research you have
done and its quantifiable output (i.e. your publications) and the funding awards that
enabled you to do your research. These are two areas that must be constantly developed if
you are to progress in your career. But developing them is time consuming and
challenging, especially while holding down a teaching-heavy position that means you can
get little done during term time.

In today's current employment climate you must show that you are constantly striving to
get more work published: unfortunately having resting or even thinking time is not
feasible. If you have not added to the research part of your CV for some time then you
need to think about how you can get some work into print. Is there a conference paper
that went especially well that you could expand and offer to a journal? Is it time to start
thinking about your next book project? Once these projects are seriously underway you
can put them on your CV with the label ‘forthcoming', although you should have a tight
schedule for publication once you include something on your CV. It would be
embarrassing to have something listed as ‘forthcoming' for more than a couple of years.

In terms of funding, this is another aspect of your CV that will attract a lot of attention
from prospective employees, so it's vital to keep it up to date. Funding awards are very
competitive so if you are given money this needs to be clearly expressed on your CV.
Explain who the award was from, the period covered by it and the title of the project.
Briefly describe your role (such as research assistant or project manager). You can
mention awards like this even if you were employed after the bid was completed as long
as you make clear what your role was. If you are having difficulty boosting this part of
your CV, talk to colleagues about best avenues to pursue and also consult your
 23

university's research and development office. They are there to help lecturers apply for
funding and will have a good knowledge of what is available in your field and how to
word applications so they receive attention from funding bodies.

• Administrative roles are important too

It's easy to forget that building your portfolio of administrative roles is important to CV
building too. When you are a postgraduate or just starting out in your career you can
include duties like exam invigilation or being a member of a staff-student liaison
committee, but as you progress this section is more likely to include being on managerial
committees, contributing to strategic development within your department and holding
posts such as examinations secretary, admissions officer and so on.

No one really goes into academia to do these sorts of things but they are important
because you can show you have a wide range of skills but also that you take a full part in
the life of your department. If you feel this section of your CV is weak, talk to your head
of department and see whether there is any role you could take on. If you are
inexperienced, offering to shadow a colleague in their job could be a way in. This is an
area that is particularly easy to allow to stagnate on your CV so make sure you work hard
to do something to enhance this area every few months.

And don't listen to the commercial advice that says a CV must be only two pages long.
They are talking about CVs for private sector positions; no one will mind if your
academic CV is four or five pages long. Of course all this CV building can leave you
with a massive document of about twenty pages once you become more advanced in your
career! Don't worry; a shortened version can be presented for job applications, with older
or less significant experiences edited out. But it's important to keep a record of all your
achievements so that the most important ones can easily be brought to the fore.
 24

Ten things NOT to do on your CV

By Andrew Gordon

When you submit your CV it had better be good. The recruiter who receives your
application will probably have dozens or even hundreds of CVs to shift and sort. So
you'll be lucky if your CV is read for more than 10 seconds.

Here then are ten 'CV clangers' to avoid that will help keep your CV IN the in-tray and
OUT of the bin:

1. Applying for a position for which you're not qualified

2. Providing irrelevant personal information
3. Burying important information
4. Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar
5. Unexplained gaps in employment
6. Lying or misleading information
7. A long, waffly CV
8. Badly formatted CV
9. Meaningless introductions
10. The 'So What' CV

1. Applying for a position for which you're not qualified

You may look at a job advert and think, 'I like the sound of that! I think I'll apply!'

However if you haven't the right qualifications or experience then you're probably
wasting your time. Make sure you read the job description carefully and any other
additional information that may be available.

And then stop.

Ask yourself, 'I might like the sound of the job but do I really have the right skill set and
experience?'

If the answer to your question is still 'yes' then go ahead, hit that 'Apply Here' button and
good luck! But if you don't fit the bill then please don't go any further. Save the recruiter
valuable time and yourself the heartache of rejection.
 25

2. Providing irrelevant personal information

You may be very proud of your membership of the local Hell's Angels chapter. You may
also be proud of the fact that you voted Green in the last election, weigh 12 stone, are 6ft
tall and Buddhist. But unless your personal information is relevant to the job you're
applying for, do not include it on your CV.

3. Burying important information

Remember, your CV will have little time to impress. The recruiter will look at your CV
and think 'Why should I interview this person? What will they bring to the organisation?'

So when compiling your CV think 'Benefits, benefits, benefits!' and make them obvious.
That doesn't mean putting them in all CAPS but it does mean making what you'd bring to
the role easy to find, easy to understand and, above all, compelling.

4. Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar

This 'no no' should be obvious. But it obviously isn't. The number of CV's that recruiters
see on a daily basis with spelling errors and other mistakes is apalling appaling terrible.

You've got a spell checker. Use it!

5. Unexplained gaps in employment

Having unexplained gaps in your employment history is a big 'no no'. It makes recruiters
nervous. If you're lucky, they'll briefly wonder what you were doing during that mystery
period as your CV is folded into a paper aeroplane and whizzed towards the trash can.

6. Lying or misleading information

Obviously, you have to describe yourself in the best possible light. This often means
adding a little 'sparkle' to your CV. But avoid the temptation to go too far.

Recruiters are not stupid. They can spot information that doesn't stack up. For example,
they're always on the look out for inflated:

• Qualifications
• Salaries
• Job titles
• Achievements

Employers are conducting increasingly vigorous background checks on candidates. This

can range from conducting a Google search on you to employing a specialist candidate
checking service. Something that you think is just 'bending the truth' could really trip you
up.
 26

7. A long, waffly CV

Keep your CV short, punchy and to the point. This means it shouldn't run to more than 2
pages of A4.

When your CV is too long - and many of them are - then this suggests that you've been
either job hopping (which is a 'no no') or you can't write concisely (which is another 'no
no').

For the older jobseeker, this 2 page limit can be a real problem. How should you describe
a job you had 25 years ago?

The solution - Don't describe it!

Instead, focus on your recent experience and achievements. If you must refer to a job(s)
from a while back, then you could create a separate 'Previous Employment' document and
refer to it in your cover letter. This will show you've thought about your application and
will put you into a good light.

This rule applies to qualifications too.

If you studied a subject many eons ago then, unless you have kept your skills up-to-date,
it's probably no longer relevant. For example, if you studied French to degree level in
1986 but have maintained your levels of fluency by visiting France every year then great!
However, if you're applying for a job in Web Design because you took a home study
course in HTML in 1998 then don't be surprised if the recruiter doesn't call...

8. Badly formatted CV

These days your CV will most likely be read on-screen before it's printed off. If indeed, it
is ever printed. Therefore, format your CV so that it is easy to read on a screen.

Stick with fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman at font size 10 or 12. Use italics
sparingly and don't use any colours, crazy backgrounds or, heaven forbid, flowery page
borders.

These rules apply if you've sent your CV as an attachment to an email - make sure it's a
Word attachment by the way.

However, you may need to submit your CV via a web form. Most likely is that these web
forms will strip out your document's formatting anyway. It's even more important,
therefore, to ensure that your CV is laid out and formatted to look good stripped bare of
its 'bolds', sub-headings and even bullet points.
 27

9. Meaningless introductions

Does your CV have a paragraph at the top that goes something like:

"Dynamic, enthusiastic, sales oriented I.T. literate, results driven manager with several
years people management experience seeking exciting and challenging new opportunities
in the blah blah blah..."

Yawn.

Your CV has got to hit the recruiter smack bang between the eyes! It's got to make them
sit up, spurt hot coffee from their mouths as they scramble across their desks for the
phone to call you and appoint you on the spot!!

Or, to put it another way, your CV has got to get you noticed and invited in for interview.
So an opening paragraph that says everything and nothing at the same time is not going to
do it.

Ditch it.

In its place, consider crafting a short, simple and benefits focused headline about
yourself. For example, "Senior Librarian with 10 years experience of managing online
resources in the health sector."

That'll do nicely. It might not be perfect but it's better than what you had before.

Journalists do this all of the time of course. They write headlines that tell you what the
story is about but tease you just enough in order to encourage you to read on. Your
opening, personal headline should do just the same.

10. The 'So What' CV

We end where we started. Your CV has a tough job. It will probably be in the hands of the
recruiter for a very small amount of time - unless, that is, you smeared it in Super Glue
before you sent it (that would be an inventive touch but is also a 'no no').

To give yourself the best chance of it actually being read, make sure that it 'looks right'.
Make sure that it's not too long, that it's laid out correctly, is properly formatted and so
on. If you do all of these things then you have a chance. The recruiter will lean back in
his or her chair, take another sip of coffee and start to digest - not scan - what you've
written.

So don't throw this moment away!

 28

Making sure you don't do the CV 'no no's' simply gets you to the first base. Whilst this is
an achievement in itself, if your CV doesn't convince and persuade then you've again
wasted your time.

Your CV has to sell you.

It has to make you sound interesting. It has to make you sound as though you'll fit into
the organisation and that you'll make a quick and substantial difference.

Because if all your CV does is make the recruiter think, 'so what?' you'll have dropped the
biggest CV clanger of all.
 29

Top Ten Tips for writing cover letters

Using a cinema analogy, if your CV is a big-budget blockbuster then your covering letter
should be the short and enticing movie trailer.

Your covering letter is an important document - a key part of your application to a

prospective employer. It is surprising that jobseekers often pay scant attention to it. Many
candidates fail even to write one and only submit their CV or application form. Craft a
strong covering letter and your application could really stand out from the crowd. So if
it's of such importance you'll need to know how to produce the perfect covering letter.
That's where we step in.

1. Always send one!

2. Don't rewrite your CV
3. First paragraph and last line
4. Talk about the company
5. Provide quality evidence of your qualities
6. Reflect your personality
7. Relevant and brief
8. Contact details
9. Sign the letter
10. Neatness/ presentation

1. Always send one!

The covering letter's job is actually two fold. At its basic level, the standard one-page
covering letter performs a simple courtesy function. It is a socially acceptable way of
introducing you and explaining which vacancy you're applying for or which area you are
enquiring about. It also provides the recruiter with a handy list of your contact details.

2. Don't rewrite your CV

It should provide edited, juicy highlights from your CV. But it should not merely repeat
what the CV includes but rather distils the key themes into one place.

3. First Paragraph and last line

Don't waffle in your first paragraph, make the reason you're writing clear and sell
yourself; writing what makes you better than others straight off. Finish with a call to
action, request they contact you for a meeting or interview and let them know you will be
in touch to discuss.

4. Talk about the company

 30

Do some research into the company/ organisation and include information about them.
Specifically tell them what you are impressed with and what attracts you to them.

5. Provide quality evidence of your qualities

Pick out the top 3 or 5 (max) qualities the employer is seeking in their advert or job
specification if there is one. These should be qualities that you have already covered in
your CV.

And they should be the 3 to 5 things that you refer to - not explain - briefly in your
covering letter. Provide concrete examples and solid numbers wherever you can. For
example, after you've introduced yourself in your letter you could include lines similar to
these:

"You will see from my enclosed CV that I match your requirements precisely. I have
worked in the Web industry for over 10 years and have led a number of development
teams that have ranged in size from 5 to 20 people."

Or

"You will see from my CV that I have worked in both the USA and Canada and have
worked in senior positions on aerospace contracts ranging from £15m to £180m"

Your covering letter then is an additional 'sales' document...selling you

6. Reflect your personality

Ensure the letter shows how motivated and enthusiastic you are. Do not include negative
comments. Try to use dynamic acting verbs for each skill you are explaining, such as:

Research - Analysed, clarified

People skills - Collaborated, communicated

Teaching - Instilled, motivated

7. Relevant and brief

A well written letter should draw the recruiter's eye to relevant experience on your CV. It
is a, admittedly brief, space in which you draw a positive pen-picture of you in the mind
of the employer. Ensure it is never more than a page long.

8. Contact details

Where ever possible send your letter and CV to a named individual, particularly if it is
more of an enquiry than a specific role application. Research using websites, ask friends
 31

and colleagues if they know of anyone or ring through to reception and get yourself a
name and job title. It will look a lot better than sir/ madam.

9. Sign the letter

Unless you've had to sign an application form, your covering letter is the only place
where you provide your signature. This may seem old fashioned in this digital age but it's
still a strong signal of your authenticity.

10. Neatness/ presentation

Finally, make sure your covering letter is clearly laid out with no typos or spelling errors.
Do this and, compared to many jobseekers, you'll already stand out as an impressive
candidate!
 32

Top Tips for Online Job Applications

by Neil Harris

Application forms are irritating. They ask difficult questions, some of which you may
consider impertinent, others just silly. Why do employers use them?

While most employers still rely on CVs, large organisations that receive huge numbers of
job applications generally prefer to use their own application form. By using these forms
they get answers to the questions they want answered not just the information you decide
to give. They can also more easily compare one application with another, which is much
more difficult with CVs.

Over the last ten years there has been a steady growth of on-line application forms that
are often tricky to complete and sometimes have word limits (usually around 200 words)
for each question. Some employers allow you to partially complete the form and return
later. Remember that they can read even your half completed form.

Selection criteria

But let's start at the beginning. For most jobs there is a Job description. Once that has
been written it is a relatively straight-forward task to write a person specification with
details of the education, skills and experience necessary. This leads to selection criteria,
some of which are regarded as 'essential' and others considered ‘desirable'.

The application form is designed to discover evidence that you have all the essentials and
perhaps some of the desirable abilities as well. Your task is to demonstrate that you have
these.

Key tips:

• Be sure to read the questions carefully and answer them. If a question includes
two or three sub-questions answer all of them.
• Write your first draft independent of the application form and check it for spelling
and grammar
• Use spell checks, but be wary of them. If you write ‘from' instead of ‘form', for
example, it will not be picked up. For UK applications avoid those that introduce
American spellings like ‘organize' and ‘center'.
• Cut and paste your answers onto the form.
• Be careful if you are taking material from another application not to include the
name of the other organisation. This is the quickest way to the reject pile.
• Don't waffle. Keep your answers succinct. Edit them for unnecessary words.
• Include key verbs relating to the job like organised, supervised, and liaised. Some
employers scan for key words and reject forms not including them.
• Your final check should always be to read it through in every detail
 33

Personal Details and Education

Forms start with the easy bits: name and contact details. They then move on to
qualifications. This section is not usually a problem unless your education was gained
abroad. If this affects you, try to translate your grades into UK terms, perhaps using
percentages. Some employers are not familiar with the American grade point average or
qualifications graded 1 to 7. If you have difficulty you might consult NARIC who will
translate qualifications for you for a fee.

The ‘Why?' Questions

One question that nearly always arises in some guise is ‘Why do you want to do this?'
Always avoid negatives on application forms. Don't say you want to do this because
you're bored with what you are doing now, don't like the people, they have not treated
you well or paid you enough. Be positive and represent this as a move that offers the
opportunity to better apply your skills and develop your career. Your cup must be half
full, not half empty.

Arguably the most significant question is ‘Why us?' Don't go on extensively about how
wonderful they are and what they are going to do for your career. Your answers should
place more stress on what you can do for them than what they can do for you. When you
apply you are attempting to start a relationship. Relationships are built on common
ground. Research their web site and any other material you can find to discover what you
have in common with the employer and highlight these.

Items to include when answering the ‘Why them?' question:

• Direct knowledge of their organisation

• Experience in the area of work you are applying for
• Experience of their industry, competitors, suppliers
• Knowledge of their products and services
• Familiarity with their location
• Work in firms of a similar size
• If they have operations abroad, some interest in countries in which they operate or
linguistic skills.

Competencies - Skills in Action

It is usual these days to include competency questions which seek evidence of skills such
as teamwork, organising, supervising or managing, problem solving, communicating,
initiative and others. Naturally the relevant skills list arises from the job description and
you can often guess what it includes.

The STARR method is the best way to answer competency questions.

• S - describe a situation
 34

• T - tell them what your task or role was

• A - say what action you took
• R - always mention the result; employers like results driven employees
• R - sometimes it is appropriate to say that you reflected on what happened and
decided how you would tackle the problem next time

If your answer includes at least the first four of these points you will be providing what
they want. Omit them at your peril.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Application forms often ask about strengths and weaknesses. Most people have little
difficulty with strengths but struggle with weaknesses. Never give one-word answers. Try
to suggest situations where your strengths were employed.

We all have weaknesses but so many people say that they are perfectionists that
employers get tired of this response. Think of your weaknesses as areas for development.
Consider also your personality. Extroverts are good at talking but often speak before
thinking things through. Introverts reflect of issues but are often not good at
communicating their thoughts. If your attention to detail is good you may need to remind
yourself of the big picture, the overview. But those with a vision of where they want to
get often find it hard to attend to the detail.

Odd Questions

‘If you were stranded on a desert island what two things would you want to take?' This
question is currently being asked on an application form. Employers often ask such
questions to see if you have ideas and can express them lucidly in prose. Alternatively
they may ask about your knowledge of current affairs. If the firm is listed on the stock
exchange know their recent share price history. Consider how the current economic
situation will affect their business.

The Catch-all Question

Forms often have a question that says ‘If there is any other information you wish to give
put it here'. You are under no obligation to answer this question but cannot subsequently
complain that you were not given the opportunity to mention something.

Monitoring Questions

Inevitably most forms have a list of standard questions relating to ethnic background,
health, disability, criminal records, and gender. Some are designed to defend the
organisation from accusations of discrimination. Others may have legal significance.

Referees
 35

Choose referees who you know will say good things about you. Academics like academic
referees and business people prefer those from a commercial background. Don't use
relatives.

And Finally...

• Never tell a lie. You could be sacked.

• Include only items you can defend or speak about at interview.
• Before you press the send button print a copy for future reference.

Get someone else to read it to discover any mistakes or typos.

 36

Academic Jobs: How to Complete an Application Form

by Dr. Catherine Armstrong

It sounds a little odd that highly qualified applicants might need advice on filling in
application forms, but according to feedback from employers including academics and
human resources staff, applicants often overlook even the most obvious points when
applying for a job, and therefore can do with all the help they can get. Also if you are
applying for a large number of jobs on a regular basis it can be easy to get sloppy so here
is some advice on how to maximise your chances by completing the application form in a
most professional manner.

Paper or Online?

For many jobs you will now be offered the option of sending off for an application pack
or filling your details in online. It is entirely up to you which one you choose, but both
can be fraught with problems. If you have a paper application form you have to wait for it
to arrive and then nervously wait hoping that it reaches its destination once complete. You
also have only one shot: if you fill the form in incorrectly there will probably not be time
to wait for the employers to send another form. It is possible to fill in the document
electronically and then print it out and send it. This gives the flexibility of being able to
edit it while you are working but also having something concrete in your hand to send
off. Many people are wary of online applications because they have nothing tangible, no
proof that the application has arrived. If you do go down that route, it is worth asking for
a reply to acknowledge that your application has arrived.

When filling in online application forms, try to ensure that your answers are readable.
Sometimes the formatting (i.e. font, point size etc) becomes corrupted and your answers
come out very small or very large! You have to make sure that your form is easy for
human resources staff to process giving it a more professional appearance.

Your Contact Details

Would you believe that some people apply for jobs and don't leave their proper contact
information? Your prospective employers will not want to spend a long time trying to get
in touch to discuss interviews, extra information and so on. If you know you don't answer
your emails regularly include a mobile phone number and highlight which is the best
method of contacting you. Make sure this information is accurate; if it isn't, the
employers are not going to spend a lot of time trying to trace you. Don't miss out on
opportunities due to silly mistakes.

Education/Job History

These sections are very important; it's where you have the opportunity of listing your
education and job history. Do not simply write ‘see attached CV'. This will give the
 37

impression that you have not spent much time preparing your application or that you are
sending off a number of generic applications. This is the opposite to the impression you
want to give: you want to make the employer feel that you are really keen to work for
them specifically, not just desperate to get any job at all, never mind whether the latter is
true or not!

Double-check whether the form asks you to list your achievements with the earliest or
most recent first. Also, make sure you present these sections neatly, whether handwritten
or typed. If you are filling in a form electronically make sure the dates, qualifications and
institutions line up. The formatting sometimes gets mixed up in these forms. You want
prospective employees to be able to see the information at a glance.

Any Other Details?

On the majority of application forms you will see a large box asking for any other
relevant information that will support your application. Unlike an Oxbridge
undergraduate application this is not asking for you to discuss hobbies or outside interests
in order to prove you are a rounded individual. The purpose of this box is for you to show
exactly how and why you would be suitable for the job. The best way of doing this is to
relate your skills directly to the person specification you should have received with your
application pack. Work through this systematically, point by point. Explain how you have
already demonstrated the skills required to match each of the requirements. Again the
idea is to make this easy to read, so bullet points or headings are fine as they will bring
the reader's eye to the relevant section. Under no circumstances write ‘see attached CV',
this will look lazy. The idea is to relate yourself to that particular job so do not write a
generic statement and use it for many different applications. You will probably spend
most time on this section of the form because provided you have the relevant
qualifications for the post, what you write in this section will make the difference
between going in the discarded pile and staying in the interview pile.

Covering Letters and CVs

Even if you have had to fill in a massive application form, always include a covering
letter and CV as well. Otherwise your application will look rushed and unprofessional.
CVs for jobs in the commercial sector are supposed to be two pages or less. As an
academic you can get away with something slightly longer as it will take more room to
list your teaching and publication record, but try not to exceed four pages at the most. For
a covering letter, try to find a person's name to address it to rather than ‘dear sir/madam'.
If no one is listed in your application pack then address it to the head of department to
which you are applying. Use the covering letter to write a summary of your most recent
research/teaching experience and why you will be good for the job. Some of this may
duplicate material on the application form, but that doesn't matter. Also mention in a
covering letter if someone has recommended you to apply, or if you know someone in the
department whom you hope to work with. This sort of informal networking can
supplement your more formal CV and application form.
S.Karthikeyan, Research Scholar,
Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India.
Email id-bioteckarthik@gmail.com