Slide 1
The Job Application Process
How to get that dream job
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Write a good CV…
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Write a good covering letter…
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Not a good covering letter…
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Dress appropriately…
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Have a good interview…
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Get a great job!
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Quotes from previous years…
“The students seemed to be much more professionally prepared than I have seen in the past.”
“Most covering letters and most CVs needed a lot more work.”
“Very few brought examples of their work with them to interview.”
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Key Points from employers
The technical skills of graduates are (almost) taken as read.
What differentiates good applicants from all the others is their ‘soft skills’:
The ability to think clearly.
Problem solving skills – not all the answers to problems reside in the results of a Google search.
The ability to write clearly and coherently and to “tell a story”.
The ability to speak confidently and to be able to listen to what colleagues and clients are saying.
Steve Sharman is the co-Founder and CTO of MediaSmiths – a large media company.
He came to speak to the Professional Practice students in November of 2013.
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Main Lesson identified…
We need to consider how we can better follow up and support those students who need a lot more input and help.
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Students tended to ‘undersell’ themselves and not recognise the wealth of experiences they have.
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Instead of saying this…
“I have done some group work.”
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You could say this…
A group of five of us had to design a fingerprint recognition device for student registration. It was difficult, at first, to get everyone working towards a common goal. However, we successfully completed the project and we were awarded a ‘First’ in our assignment.
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Instead of saying this…
I play 5-a-side football
and I work at McDonalds
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You could say this…
I find time in my schedule to play 5-a-side football on three evenings a week and I organise a local league which plays on Saturday mornings.
I also work two evening shifts at McDonalds. It’s hard work, but I’ve recently been promoted in recognition of my excellent customer service skills.
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You might feel nervous…
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I received some very useful feedback from my interview
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“I can understand how it might help some people, but personally and honestly I think a lot of it is common sense.”
“I have interviewed for multiple jobs in my life. Of six interviews I was successful in four….”
“I did not feel any of the jobs offered matched my skill or ability…”
“My interview was very well received and basically, I’m too awesome to need feedback. Amazing.”
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As a result of the feedback you received, will you do anything differently for your next job application and interview?
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What will you do differently next time?
“Get a better-fitting shirt. Also rejig my CV as per Lizzie’s advice.”
“Make my CV and cover letter shorter and more concise.”
“I will be definitely re-writing my CV!”
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Continued…
“I’ll work on putting more relevant, specific information forward without the need to be prompted by the interviewer to do so.”
“My interview was fine. My covering letter was terrible.”
“Bring a portfolio and ask questions at the end of the interview.”
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Because of this module, I feel I am now better prepared for a real job interview
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About your writing…
Spell check, spell check, spell check!
UsE cApItal LEtteRs CORrecTlY!
Mistakes in your application = No interview
No interview = No job offer
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Be confident
Prior to this module I never really got feedback as to how I generally performed. There are some aspects I always believed let me down, such as my body language and my ability to formulate answers. However, following my interview for this module it turned out I did a lot of things right, so I’ll be more confident next time.
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