Job Application Guide -
How To Win An Interview

In this guide we'll show you how to complete the section of your job application form which asks you why you want the job. In our general application guidelines we told you there were 2 Steps to this. This page and the next cover Step 1.

Follow our Job Application Guide and WOW! your interviewers into picking up the phone and calling you for interview.

Job Application Guide Step 1 -- Decide What You Are Going To Say.

• Use the job advert to your advantage

  The job advert will tell you what the Company is looking for in a successful applicant. It might say for example that 'the successful applicant will have experience of using databases and data entry as well as report writing abilities'.

  Get pen and paper. For each requirement:

  • Make a note of it.
  • Write down how you meet it.
  • Come up with an example showing how you meet it.
  E.g.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • "I have excellent communication skills".
  • I was asked to coach two colleagues on improving their communication skills last month.

  If you cannot meet a requirement of the job advert, don't ignore it. This is because most employers score job applications against a list of criteria. They used this criteria to write the job advert. If you don't cover it, you will get no marks for this at all -- and that might mean the difference between you getting an interview or not!

  Instead, be honest, but positive.

  For example, if the advert asks for 'experience dealing with customers on the phone', which you've not had, there is nothing wrong with writing this for example:

  "I have a lot of experience dealing with customers face to face and am confident that the skills I have will allow me to deal with customers on the phone just as effectively".

  You would at least get a mark for this, perhaps 2, since you suggested that the skills needed are much the same, which is true. We've used an instance like this in the sample job application form to follow. This shows you how to put our job application guide into practice.

• Mirror the language in the advert

  When writing your employment application, always try to describe your skills using the language of the advert.

  The person who wrote the job advert thought hard about the words they used to describe the job. Look at the adjectives they use like 'exceptional', 'excellent', 'great' and 'good'. If your experience and skills match the advert then use the adjectives from the advert in your employment application.

  For example, if the advert asks for extensive experience, don't say you have "a lot of" experience, use "extensive" as they did. Again our job application example will give you ideas on putting this job application guide into practice.

  You will also need to back up any statements you make with relevant examples........Here's how to do this, together with the job application example.

Getting The Answers YOU Need