A Job Application Example Which Won An Interview
These pages show you how to complete the section of your job application form which asks you "Why do you want this job."
| On the first page of our Job Application Guide we began Step 1 of how to answer "Why do you want this job". Here's the rest of Step 1 if you've read the first bit.
Then there's a real-life job application form which used these techniques and won an interview. |
Job Application Guide Step 1 continued-- Decide What You Are Going To Say.
- Use Examples
Important: Not using examples to back up statements made in employment application forms is a common but crucial mistake.
Without examples, the 'Sell Yourself' section of your application form is simply a series of statements which anyone can make. If our decision to call for interview is between one job application with numerous statements of worthiness and another with less statements, but proof, we choose the latter.
Let us explain: Anyone can write (when the adverts calls for influencing skills):
"I have successfully influenced senior managers in my department".
But it is far better to say:
"I have successfully influenced senior managers in my department. In December, I put together a proposal to change the way in which the incoming calls were handled. This proposal was adopted and resulted in a 20% reduction in call waiting times". Our sample job application form does this well.
- Use Quotes by Other People About You
Radical? Yes, but it works. I (Catherine) have used it!
Again it separates mere statements from statements with proof!!
Read this example: "My Manager wrote in my last appraisal 'John is an excellent influencer. On his advice, we changed the way we trained new staff and trainees are now taking calls in week 2 rather than week 3'".
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