A job application question

Hi all

You lot have fronted up with some good advice in the past so dont stop now :p

I am putting in an application for a govt job and addressing selection criteria.

No probs with that part but am having trouble introducing my qualifications into the criteria

The question;

In my covering letter I state my qualifications and the five diplomas that I have that are relevant to the job.

One of those is in management. When the selection criteria asks for something like "Demonstrated ability to manage a team" I can go on about having done that but think it worthwhile to reiterate the qualification.

I struggle to work out how to write that part. Any suggestions?

I thought something like "I demonstrate this in my current team by applying the knowledge I gained through recently completing my diploma of management"

It doesn't sound particularly good. Should I expand into the actual competencies of the diploma and introduce those?
:? :? :? :?

Also, are there any job application specific forums in cyber world. Searched but no luck.

cheers

dazzler

I would write about a couple of examples that how you have accomplished this in real life and what the outcomes were. Rather than say how you would go about doing it.

I'd keep the educational qualifications separate and answer the selection criteria with examples of how you accomplished the outcome, what actions you took and how they were based on your experience.

Most employers are interested in your real world experience.

I agree. I would comment about the experience you have had in managing a team with some real examples. Your CV should contain the detail regarding your qualifications. If the potential employer is doing their job properly they should have read your CV and be aware of the qualification. It also doesn't hurt to add to your examples by mentioning the challenges you faced and also the enjoyment you get from managing (assuming that is relevant for the role).

Good luck.

If your Govt apps are anything like the ones here in the NT you have to think of it as a matrix. The compare each of the selection criteria separately and mark them as either 'does not comply, meets or exceeds' then they compare the results for all applicants.

that means you need to consider each selection criteria as a separate entity, don't rely on information you put into other section on 'leadership' to contribute to the 'teamwork' criteria.

Best way of doing them is to break down each criteria into three parts.

1. tell em what you know. eg teamwork, (I've got a diploma in teamwork and i've worked as a teamwork consultant for 4 years)

2. tell em how about your general experience (In my current job I'm required to work in a team of 20 people, we are all part of a process that requires each person to function together)

3. give em a specific example of how you did it (When Mary left on maternity leave I helped out the team by taking on some of her work, I realised it needed to be done and worked with the other people to ensure no one was overburdened)

Thanks all for the input

I am across how to address selection critieria the question relates more to how, or whether, to re-inforce qualifications that only a few would have within each selection criteria.

To go on a bit;

If I understand the selection process the selection criteria have weightings for each criterion. Lets say there are five selection criteria and each are weighted at 20%. You address the selection criteria and the panel weight each one. You end up with a total at the end. This is considered along with your resume where your qualifications are listed. These together go towards shortlisting or ranking for interview.

If you dont mention the quals in the selection criteria then they wont be included in the weightings.

Here are two examples for this criteria (note they are only the first couple of paragraphs of a two page response. Read the blue first then read it with the red included)

Proven ability to work collaboratively within a team in a diverse work environment with unpredictable fluctuations in workloads.

In my current role I have forged strong relationships within my team by adopting many of the skills learnt during study for my attainment of a Diploma of Management.

Upon commencing the Compliance Coordinators role I noted that the officers did not work together as a team and deferred all decisions to my position. I explored the reasons for this behaviour and learnt that successive Coordinators had displayed poor leadership resulting in a fragmented and disheartened team. I met with my new team in an informal setting and made a commitment to facilitate a team where all members were respected and worked together to achieve the units expected outcomes.

Through empowering my team members to make decisions about how to do their work and to make decisions without undue interference I have created a work environment where members display accountability for their work and are free to communicate their visions and concerns. I worked with the team to identify strengths that each member brings to the unit and urged the team to draw upon these strengths when managing investigations.


Does including the red part that refers to the diploma work towards a better rating. Is it a case of "he had demonstrated how AND he has academic study to back it up" (or similar)

cheers

Yeah. Include the red bit.

When I review applications our process is not to give a ranking to anything or weight it, you either meet the required criteria, exceed it or fail to. all of the 'essential criteria' are the same weight and you have to meet them to be considered. It's the 'desirable criteria' that often win it for you because people don't generally apply for jobs if they don't meet the essential, so everyone has that covered.

If you can say that you can have a qualification / formal training, have experience and provide a specific example you're well ahead.

In regards to the example you provided try to work the exact words of the selection criteria into your opening statement.

My current role as the compliance coordinator requires me to work collaboratively with a team in a diverse work environment. I have proven that with the skills I obtained through my Management Diploma and my past work experience that I am able to translate that knowledge into my current role in an area that has unpredictable fluctuations in workloads

After your opening statement give an example of how your current role is a diverse work environment and has unpredictable fluctuations in workload. Then give an example of how you've worked collaboratively with it.

You have to remember to address the criteria, if you make it out for them bit by bit then you'll be fine, use the words in the criteria, make it easy for them to see how you meet each bit.

Gov job apps have to be seen to be fair and consider each person on their merits, people get promoted over others more qualified just because they address each criteria and give concrete examples. It's not a matter of reading through a CV and finding who has the most experience unfortunately, it all comes down to who can communicate it the best.

Good luck

Remember "demonstrated" means exactly that - demonstrate you have the experience or skill asked for.

Proven ability it almost the same thing. Except it is probably asking for an example of how you solved some problem and what the outcome was.

Try and work your quals in naturally eg When dealing with X problem I found that skills learnt during Cert Y were really useful and able to be applied and helped lead to outcome Z.

Always better to show how you applied some specific element of the course to solve the problem, if possible.

PS

If you read it back, and it doesn't sound like a load of waffle, keep writing. :wink:

This type of application doesn't come naturally and it should almost feel awkward. That's how you know you are on the right track.

A long time ago I was involved in this bureaucratic nonsense as a School Council President and selecting a new Principal, by virtue of the office I was chairman of the selection panel.

We had listed ten principal selection criteria and only those applicants that had addressed each criteria in full were selected for interview. Although many criteria were similar each had to be addressed in detail, even if most of the material had to be repeated word for word.

Listing your qualifications in answering a selection criteria itself is not enough, you have to demonstrate how it helped you by quoting specific examples.

Peter.

Hi all

An update. Got the interview and went well. Got a call today asking for referees reports. Must be doing something right.

I am sure the advice from here helped.

Many thanks!

that's usually a very good sign. well done.

Some words to avoid like the annoying scabrous dogs they are:

Pro-active (in fact any word with a "pro" rudely shoved in front of it)
Empower
Paradigm
Robust

When I come across these words in a document it tends to get thrown into the nearest bin regardless of it's purpose. Buzz words are annoying and totally unneccesary.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Talorien

that's usually a very good sign. well done.

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Thanks mate. There were 54 applicants and 4 interviewed. So am happy just getting this far though a bit further would be cool :2tsup:

Best of luck - it sounds as though you are on the right track.

Irrespective of the result [even if you gain the position] make sure that you ask for feedback [what was good, what was answered to the required level, what could be done to improve your application] - this gives you an insight to the process used and will ensure that any future applications in similar circumstances can be tailored to the process.

Regards,
Bob