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CVs, Cover letters and Application forms Handbook Sept 2016

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Writing a professional and tailored CV is an integral part of applying for jobs as a CV enables you to both showcase your skills, experience and industry awareness to employers and potentially secure an interview.

The example CVs below are a guide for UWL students and graduates to tailor their own CVs when applying for jobs. CVs however maybe requested for other opportunities too such as when applying for start-up funding and applying for postgraduate and professional development courses.

There are various CV formats and layouts; ranging from chronological formats to targeted CVs tailored to a specific industry; some of these formats can be viewed here: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/cvs/Pages/formats.aspx

Whichever CV format you choose it is essential to update your CV to help you to keep a record of your career history. Your CV is your brand and should be a true reflection of your skills and experience.

The CVs in this handbook focus on chronological and skills-based CVs as these are the two most common formats that are requested by employers.

CHRONOLOGICAL AND SKILLS BASED CVS -TOP TIPS

• Chronological CVs are mainly used by candidates who have a chronological employment and education history and generally possess the relevant skills and experience suitable for the roles applied for. Skills based CVs are generally used if you want to showcase your transferable skills to employers because :

• You are changing to a completely new career

• You have extensive experience and wish to draw out specific skills you have gained from your experience relevant to the roles you are applying for

• You have limited experience or no employment experience and want to highlight skills developed from other experiences i.e. education and leisure activities

• You have gaps in your employment history due to circumstances such as illness, redundancy, care/family responsibilities

LENGTH AND LAYOUT

• 2 pages is the maximum length of CVs, however CVs for research and academic roles maybe longer as your research experience and publications will need to be outlined in the CV.

• A one page CV maybe requested at times by employers. You will need to ensure that you provide the key information about your skills, achievements and experience with the restricted space you have ensuring that the CV is clear and presentable.

• Ensure you have clear headings to reflect your experience and include clear examples to convey your skills. Avoid repetition and vague statements for example:

Instead, support your skills with evidence so that employers have a clear understanding of how you have demonstrated your skills. The examples you use to demonstrate your skills and experience can be drawn from your studies, employment, volunteering work and additional activities such as being a student representative, students ‘union activities, sports, mentoring etc

• Check your CV for accuracy, spelling and grammar and remember to use the UK spellcheck! A CV with spelling and grammatical mistakes demonstrates lack of attention to detail.

YOUR CV: YOUR BRAND

“A BMus undergraduate with 2 years’ work experience and strong communication skills”

“A BMus undergraduate with 2 years’ experience as a teaching assistant in a secondary school music department supporting pupils aged between 7-16 years old demonstrating strong communication skills and organisational skills when delivering drum lessons to pupils with mixed abilities and organising performances, liaising with teachers”

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Rebecca Prince2 Aerial Terrace, Ealing, London, W5 8AE

Tel. 07777 123456Rebecca@PR.com

www.rebeccaPR.wordpress.comhttp://linkedin.com/in/rebeccaradioville

ProfileAn Advertising and Public Relations undergraduate with excellent communication and presentation skills demonstrated working as Head of Features for the university radio station and work experience at Little Red Rooster PR agency working in diverse teams and to tight deadlines. Client and career focused, and keen to gain further work experience in public relations.

Education & QualificationsUniversity of West London, Ealing (2013-present)BA (Hons) Advertising and Public RelationsModules include: Introduction to Consumer Behaviour and Trends, Digital Creativity, Communication Design-The Story.Wappingshire Academy, Kingston, Surrey (2008 – 2009)A Levels: History: C; English Literature: B ; Physics: DWappingshire High School, Kingston, Surrey (2004 – 2008)9 GCSEs including 4 at A grade (including Maths), 3 at B grade (including English)

Relevant ExperienceResearcher / PR Assistant –Little Red Rooster PR (June-Jul 2015)- work experience• Researched media coverage of clients such as H&M and the V&A using newspapers, PR Week and Hootsuite.• Worked in a busy PR office answering client calls, responding to e-mails and arranging board meetings for the PR director. • Drafted press releases which were subsequently published in local newspapers and trade magazines.• Successfully pitched ideas to the PR team for client campaigns• Monitored social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn) daily.

Head of Features – Blast Radio, University of West London (Jan 2014-May 2014)• Led a team of 8, recording and researching features• Chaired production meetings; co-wrote scripts on topical issues aired to 2,000 listeners.

Chronological CV example 1

“If you are applying for creative roles, it is useful to add links to your website, showreel, blog etc to showcase your creative skills to employers.

Ensure you have a professional e-mail address

Relevant modules highlight to employers industry knowledge you have developed on your

course.

A profile is optional, brief and be tailored to the role

“Identify your relevant skills and experience with specific evidence. Avoid generalised statements. You can also include your career objective.

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Employment HistoryAssistant Administrator – Rowntree Foundation (Dec 2011–Present)• Good listening skills when answering telephone enquiries from clients, writing reports and minute-taking using MS Word and processing invoices using Excel.

Customer Service Assistant – Waitrose, Richmond (Sept 2010-Nov 2011)• Provided a high standard of customer service assisting customers on the self-service tills and cashier desk • Responsible for training and supervising staff in the absence of the manager, closing the shop and banking duties.

Additional Skills IT: Confident user of all MS Office packages and use Prezi for presentations. Currently learning Adobe InDesign to design brochures and other promotional material.

Social media: Competent in using Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat and Instagram.

Languages: Conversational Italian developed through regular trips to Italy. Commercial awareness/initiativeCurrently completing online tutorials on www.lynda.com on branding to enhance learning gained from the advertising and PR degree.

InterestsPublic Relations • Attended industry talks by PR agencies such as Havas PR UK and Third City at the University of West London covering PR functions such as crisis management and campaign planning. • Follow industry websites such as The Drum and PR Week to keep up to date with current issues.

Culture • Regularly go to gigs and write music reviews on my website.• Active member of the university film club organising film panel talks and responsible for promoting events via Twitter and Instagram.

References: Available on request: Endorsements of my skills and further references are on my LinkedIn profile

Identify relevant skills related to the role applied for

Although interests is an optional section, it can however, can highlight to employers activities which motivate you and can also demonstrate additional skills not mentioned in other sections of the CV. Interests can also further demonstrate your passion for a particular in-dustry. You may be asked about your interests at interview.

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Taylor Singh 12 Aerial Terrace, Ealing, London, W5 8AE

Tel. 07777 123456Taylor.Singh@gmail.com http://linkedin.com/in/taylorsingh

ProfileA Business Studies and Marketing undergraduate with strong problem-solving and organi-sational skills demonstrated from working as a volunteer in Mencap’s busy finance office and organising and promoting fundraising events for the charity. Committed to providing excel-lent customer service and currently looking for a part-time customer service position.

Education & Qualifications(2014 -present) University of West London, Ealing, BA (Hons) Business Studies and MarketingModules include: Business Economics, Enterprise and Business Development, Managing Business Operations, Enterprise and Social Responsibility, Marketing and Brand Manage-ment.

(2011 – 2013) William Morris College, Hammersmith, BTEC National Diploma Business Studies: Merit, Merit, Merit

(2006 – 2011) Evershaw High School, Kingston, Surrey, 7 GCSEs (grades A-D) including Maths and English

EmploymentSeptember 2014-present, Administration Assistant Volunteer, Mencap, Hammersmith • Answering telephone enquiries in the office and the reception desk from the public and stakeholders efficiently.• Wrote and responded to e-mails using Outlook in a timely manner ensuring accuracy and good attention to detail.• Learnt how to use the in-house database within a short timescale resulting in compiling a statistical report for the manager. • Successfully organised a fun run raising £ 800 for Mencap events which included creating sponsorship forms, securing a suitable venue and recruiting volunteers

Summer 2014, Currys, St John’s Wood• Advising customers about products ensuring professionalism at all times.• Meeting and exceeding individual and team sales targets • Accurately dealing with money at the tills and dealing with refunds.• Problem solving when dealing with complaints and faulty/returned goods.• Gained full scores from a mystery shopper for professionalism and excellent customer service.

You can summarise previous qualifications to give you space to add more detail to your current education i.e. module titles, skills devel-oped from your final degree project/dissertation

Dates of employment and your educational history should be in reverse chronological order

Use positive action words to convey the skills which you demonstrated in your role.

Link your skills to achieve- ments in your role to highlight the contribution you made to the company

Chronological CV example 2 - part time job

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AchievementsSeptember 2015- Present: BA Business Studies and Marketing Student Representative-Responsibilities include:• Providing feedback and presenting information on behalf of students at course committee meetings and board meetings to course leaders and the Head of the Claude Littner Business School.• Listening to students’ issues and resolving problems • Undertook intensive student representative training to develop skills on collecting students’ feedback and resolving issues efficiently.

November 2015 -Institute of Directors’ student membershipOne of the six students from the Claude Littner Business School who were selected for the Institute of Directors student membership demonstrating drive and initiative.

Additional SkillsIT: Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Photoshop.Basic knowledge of the accountancy software Sage Line 50 developed through processing invoices at Mencap.

InterestsSports:Active member of the UWL Snowsports Society, participating in the 2015 Varsity Jam, competing with 6 other universities. Coaching: Coach basketball during my spare time to 10-16 year olds at Hillingdon Sports Club

References:Available on request

References available on request is suffi-cient particularly if you have limited space. Alternatively you can include details of two referees (with their permission). Include their name, job title, company address, telephone number and e-mail address.

Additional roles and responsibilities you undertake at university and other activities convey qualities such as reliability, initiative and enthusiasm; skills which are valued by employers

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Marcel Thomas 5 The Park, Hounslow, Middlesex,

Tel. 07432 246548Marcel.Thomas@gmail.com

http://linkedin.com/in/marcelthomas

A second year Computing undergraduate with strong analytical and technical skills demonstrated from achieving high grades on university projects, and 3 years’ customer service experience gained from working in the IT and electrical section of a busy John Lewis store meeting and exceeding individual and team sales targets. A quick learner, competent in using social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Currently seeking an internship in the digital marketing sector.

Education2014 - Present, University of West London, BSc (Hons) Computing and Information SystemsAchieved 70% for creating a booking app for John Lewis which was promoted on Facebook and Twitter which involved analysing consumer trends to understand the needs of John Lewis customers.

Modules include: 2012-2014 Ealing and Hammersmith College, A Levels: Spanish (C); Information Technology (C); Mathematics (D)

2007-2012: 7 GCSEs including English and Maths

Technical skillsLanguages: Javascript (Advanced) Oracle (Intermediate) Visual Basic (Advanced)Software: Competent in using the MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access). Design: Practical knowledge of Photoshop, Indesign and Publisher

Communication• Delivered presentations to different audiences at university clearly explaining complex technical terminology and confidently answering questions.• Answering a diverse range of customer enquiries including promoting in-store promotions at John Lewis demonstrating product knowledge and building a positive rapport with customers. Teamwork• Worked in a team of four students to create a database for an events company for a university project using Excel within a 2 week deadline demonstrating the ability to analyse a large amount of data. • A member of the University of West London Students’ Union music society organising open mic nights on campus and in local venues demonstrating flexibility undertaking various roles within the team.

Skills-based CV

Select relevant skills headings related to the role you are applying for

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Organisational• Multitasking when working under pressure at John Lewis on the tills taking payments, processing refunds and supervising new staff.

• Meeting a range of deadlines for university assignments whilst also attending student ambassador training as well as working as a student ambassador during open days.

Employment September 2015 - Present Student Ambassador, University of West LondonMay 2013 - Present Customer Service Adviser, John Lewis, Oxford StreetOct 2012 - Aug 2013 Waiter, Pizza Express, Putney

Additional information/interests2014 Volunteer, Roundhouse Rising music festival, Roundhouse, Camden Part of a team of 6 technical crew setting up the stage for 6 sets complying with health and safety regulations and resolving technical issues efficiently within a short timescale.

Have attended industry talks about a career in digital marketing delivered by Gradcracker and The Chartered Institute for IT.

References Available on request

Include strong examples to demonstrate the skills you have

Illustrate your passion for the industry

The employment section can be brief for a skills based CV as your transferable skills have been highlighted in the skills section

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POSITIVE ACTION WORDS

OrganisedManaged

Supervised

ImplementedAnalysedAchieved

DevelopedLiaisedTrained

DeliveredParticipatedConducted

ACTION WORDS

The sources below offer further help when writing a CV for specific purposes:

Research/academic CVshttps://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/researcher-cv-examples/researcher-cv-examples

Advice about pursuing an academic career which includes CV guidelines for writing an academic CV:https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/pursuing-an-academic-career

Please note that you will need to register on the website to be able to access the example CVs.

USEFUL SOURCES

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Creative CVs are particularly popular with people who are applying for creative roles such as design, photography, art, media and film. Whilst it is optional to create a more creative style of CV you may wish to create a creative CV to showcase your creative skills to employers. Points to consider when doing so are:

• Layout: ensure that your creative CV is easy to read and has a clear layout so that employers can find key information quickly• Content: the principles of a creative CV will be similar to the other styles of CV and your headings may be similar to a chronological or skills based CV. Your creative CV should clearly highlight your experience, achievements and demonstrate your commitment to the sector you would like to work in.• Design: the font you use for your CV can make a huge difference to the look of the CV. You may want to insert some of your images onto your CV if you are for example a designer, photographer or filmmaker for visual impact and also to showcase your creativity to employers.• A creative CV can also be part of your brand i.e. if you have a brand logo which you use for your business card, website etc you could also use your brand logo for your CV too. • There are various platforms for creative people to showcase their skills to the creative sector. These include:https://www.behance.net/http://cvparade.com/https://uk.pinterest.com/carouselconsult/creative-cvs/https://app.hiive.co.uk/ A creative network for creative professionals which provides an opportunity to showcase your online CV.

• Infographic CVs are used by people who are applying for design roles such as graphic design, multimedia and web design primarily to highlight their technical skills in software such as the Adobe suite as well as capturing the attention of the reader through colour, layout and of course content.• Some examples of infographic CVs can be viewed here: http://vizualize.me/ https://uk.pinterest.com/rtkrum/infographic-visual-resumes/http://infographicworld.com/blogs/15-amazing-infographic-resumes-to-inspire-you/https://uk.pinterest.com/giveagradago/creative-cv-inspiration/

The Creative CV Guide, by Jan Cole, published by the University of the Arts London, University of the Creative Arts and University College Falmouth is a very useful resource with useful examples of CVs and covering letters for the creative industries.

You will find a reference copy of the Creative CV Guide in the careers resources area on the 1st Floor of the University of West London library, Ealing campus.

CREATIVE CVS

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Acting CVs are one page which include your performance experience, additional skills you have which would be useful in performance roles such as singing, dance, driving licence etc. This information is also accompanied with a clear headshot.On your CV also include your Spotlight number.

An example acting CV can be viewed here: www.ideastap.com/Upload/CmsMedia/Education/Resources/Writing%20your%20first%20CV%20fact%20sheet.pdf

Performers can showcase the CVs on specific websites such as:http://www.spotlight.com/artists.htmlhttp://www.stagejobspro.com/uk

Singers can showcase their skills on http://www.singerspro.com/uk. On a singer CV it is essential to include your singing style i.e. opera, baritone, alto etc, singing experience and music education which can also include masterclasses/additional courses you have attended. You can also include examples of achievements, i.e. singing competitions, awards and scholarships etc.

Some roles for singers are advertised on: https://www.thestage.co.uk/jobs/categories/musicians as well as https://www.musicalchairs.info/jobs

Singers can also check the Association of British Orchestras directory for a list of orchestras and ensembles, details here: www.abo.org.uk/members/directory.aspx

ACTING CVS

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If you an international student the UK style CV may differ from the CV you have for your home country. Please refer to the traditional and skills based CVs for guidance on the most common formats. Points to consider when tailoring your CV to UK employers are:

• Highlighting the skills and achievements from your employment and education abroad; this demonstrates to employers transferable skills essential in any workplace such as teamwork, adaptability, communication and cultural awareness as working in another country helps you to have a practical understanding of the cultural practices of a country.

• Including your language skills and your level of competency is essential as many UK companies either have offices overseas or trade with companies abroad. Being adept at different languages is also useful in customer facing roles where you could be communicating with customers from a range of cultural backgrounds.

An example CV and covering letter is available in the international students section of the Careers Service website: www.uwl.ac.uk/ceee/international-students/uk-cvs-and-covering-letters

The careers website for students and graduates, Prospects includes guidelines and exam-ple CVs which includes a traditional, skills based, academic, teaching and technical CV for IT roles:https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters

The National Careers Service includes different CV formats and a CV builder to help you to organise your CV: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/cvs/Pages/default.aspx

If you would like a careers adviser to advise you about your CV please e-mail: careers@uwl.ac.uk for an appointment, alternatively please come to the Careers drop-in:Monday-Thursday, 1-4pm, The Street, Ealing campus or book an appointment at the Paragon site on Thursdays by e-mail: careers@uwl.ac.uk

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

GENERAL CV RESOURCES

FURTHER HELP

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COVERING LETTERS

INTRODUCTION

CV’s should usually be accompanied by a well written covering letter. The covering letter is often the first thing that an employer reads. The covering letter is therefore very important as it creates the first impression your potential employer will have of you. A strong covering letter will help your CV to stand out from the crowd. The covering letter also gives you the opportunity to highlight any important issues that have not been covered in your CV if ap-propriate e.g. disability, family circumstances, poor exam performance.The covering letter:• gives you the opportunity to explain the purpose of your contact • draws attention to your key strengths • outlines why you are both interested and well suited to the role• should make an employer sufficiently interested in you to want to read the CV in full

For these reasons the covering letter is equally important to the CV and should not be left to the last minute to prepare

Employers appreciate clearly laid out covering letters which are direct and to the point. You should tailor your covering letter and aim to produce a new one for each application you make.

COMMON MISTAKES FOUND IN COVERING LETTERS

Here are a few tips so that you avoid making common mistakes which are often found in covering letters:

• Check you have included the correct addressee i.e. do not cut and paste letters previous letters without checking all details are correct • Check you have inserted the correct date• Keep it short: your covering letter should be no more than one side of A4 in length• You should lay your covering letter out clearly and carefully and proofread it• Read the job specification carefully before you begin your covering letter (if you are making a targeted application) so that you know exactly what skills and experience the employer requires. Highlight the ways you match the job spec in your covering letter.• Do not repeat every single piece of information included in your CV; be selective and pick key points from your CV

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HOW TO WRITE A COVERING LETTERS

• Use an appropriate greeting e.g. Dear Ms Taylor, rather than using ‘To Whom it may Concern’ or ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. • Paragraph 1: state what you are applying for and where you learned about the position. Include any reference numbers indicated in the advertisement and where you saw the job advertised.• Paragraph 2: state why you are interested in this career• Paragraph 3: state your relevant skills backed up by examples and, if possible, achieve ments. Remember that you will have developed skills through your academic study, employment, volunteering, interests and hobbies and life in general. You can use these, as appropriate, in your covering letter. • Paragraph 4: state why you would like to work for this particular organisation

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE:

• Your name plus your address and phone number (where appropriate)• The name of the person to whom you are writing. You can get this from the job adver tisement or you can phone the company and ask for the name of the person concerned. You will then find it easier to track your letter later if you need to.• The job title and the address for this job contact• Include something catchy which will interest your prospective employer and indicate your suitability for the job e.g. I have over 5 years’ experience in customer experience and was awarded Sales Assistant of the month in June 2016 ……..• You should also include some information about your enthusiasm and motivation to do this job • You should include a polite request for a reply

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SAMPLE COVERING LETTERS

Here are 2 sample covering letters to help you

EXAMPLE ONE: Targeted application for a specific post

Guidelines: this sample covering letter has a very formal and traditional tone and layout which is ideal for sectors such as business, finance, law, retail and hospitality. You should adapt and vary this for other sectors as appropriate, for example media and advertising where a more creative style may be required

Mr SmithRecruiting ManagerName of companyAddressPostcode

Date

Dear Mr Smith

I am writing to apply for your graduate Tax Training Scheme, Job Reference TT31N, as adver-tised in Prospects Today on 26/8/16. I enclose a copy of my CV, as requested.

I am a final year B.A. (Hons) in Accounting and Finance student at University of West London, Ealing. I first became interested in tax work through a seminar on Careers in Finance at my university. I felt that tax work would be an ideal way to combine my skills and interests in business, problem solving and working with people. Shadowing a tax consultant for a day confirmed my interest in the profession.

I believe that I have met all of the requirements outlined for this vacancy. My passion for, and ability in, the area of Tax was demonstrated by achieving 89% in my Taxation module I thoroughly enjoyed this module although I realise that I still have a lot to learn about Tax. I am highly numerate and computer literate as demonstrated by my A-level results in Mathematics (grade A), my wide range of IT skills and the fact that all my recent work experi-ence has involved cash handling and/or figure work. As a temporary administrative assistant at Direct Northern I learnt a large amount of business and technical information in a short time in order to work as an effective member of the team. This also allowed me to provide clients with the quality of information and service which they expected. Studying History has helped me to develop a range of skills, in particular those of analysing and interpreting complex information and presenting arguments and conclusions in written and oral form.

As an organisation, Treemans attracts me because of the variety of your training scheme and the quality of training and support available, as shown by your Investors in People award. Although at this stage my long term interest is in corporate taxation, following my experi-ence with Direct Northern, a thorough grounding in different aspects of the complex area of taxation can only be beneficial.

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I hope that, on consideration of my CV, you will be persuaded of my potential to perform well on this training scheme and to make a real contribution as a member of your firm. I can be available for interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely

WHY ARE YOU APPLYING TO THIS ORGANISATION?

Hints:• The employer needs to know that you are interested in them and not just looking for any tax related opportunity anywhere • Show that you have researched the organisation and thought about why they would be good to work for• It is also useful to look at industry trends and indicators to further show your interest • Outline what you can offer their organisation in terms of knowledge, skills talent and ideas.

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EXAMPLE TWO: Speculative covering letter (if you are applying to a range of employers for an unspecified post).

Guidelines: you will need to adapt this letter to suit the particular nature of the organisation and industry of interest to you. Research the company and identify the types of employment available. Make the employer aware of the contribution you could make to the company. You may need to refer to a wider range of skills than in the targeted covering letter.

Mrs WilsonHR ManagerExecutive HotelsAdd the addressPostcode

Add the date

Dear Mrs Wilson,

I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company. I am a second year B.A. (Hons) in Hospitality student at University of West London (UWL) in Ealing. I enclose a copy of my CV with further information regarding my qualifications, experience and skills.

As you can see, I have had extensive vacation work experience in office environments, retail and service industries. I have also undertaken some voluntary work for the charity MIND. This has enabled me to develop important skills in communication, problem solving, negotiation, organisation and planning. I have also learnt the importance of providing an excellent, efficient service to all clients and I received a customer service gold award while working for Tesco.

My passion for the hospitality sector is demonstrated by my degree studies and I have been predicted to achieve a 2.1 at the conclusion of my degree. I am a very good team player as demonstrated by the charity fund raining events I have undertaken on behalf of Marie Curie Nursing raising £1,000 by several cake and bake sales I hosted last year. I am also a conscien-tious person who works hard and pays attention to detail. I’m a quick learner who is flexible and has lots of ideas and tries to make improvements at work. As a UWL Student Representa-tive, I demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and showed my ability to work with people at all levels from students, and academic staff up to members of the Senior Management Team at UWL.

I have researched your company (add the name of the organisation) and I am committed to all the points outlined in your Mission Statement. I am very enthusiastic about the idea of working in a 5 star hotel and providing the high quality service demanded. I believe that I have the communication and team work skills required to fulfil the duties and responsibili-ties in various roles within your hotel.

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I would be very grateful if you could contact me to discuss the possibility of employment within your organisation. I include details of my referees who will be happy to provide supporting statements regarding my skills and experience. If you do not have any suitable openings at the moment, would it be possible to keep my CV on file for any future vacancies which may occur?

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours Sincerely

FURTHER SAMPLE COVERING LETTERS

You will find more sample covering letters on the Prospects website as follows:• Cover letter to explain a career gap https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/cover-letters/cover- letter-to-explain-a-career-gap • Cover letter disclosing a disability https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/cover-letters/ example-of-how-to-disclose-a-disability-in-a-cover-letter • Cover letter by an international student https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/cover-letters/ cover-letter-by-an-international-student • Cover letter by a Masters graduate https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/ cvs-and-cover-letters/cover-letters/cover-letter-by-a-masters-graduate

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APPLICATION FORMS

A proportion of large employers use online application forms to select candidates for jobs. Like your CV and cover letter, an application form should be tailored to the employer’s re-quirements for the role. The advantage of submitting an application form over a CV is that the employer will explicitly state the information they require.

TYPICAL FORMATMost application forms include a variation of the following sections:

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONSSome employers may ask you to submit answers to two or three questions about the essential job requirements. For example: Do you meet the minimum education requirement of an honours degree at 2:2 or above?Do you have experience of working in a team?If you answer ‘no’ to preliminary questions you are usually unable to progress to the next section of the form.

PERSONAL DETAILSHere you are asked to provide details such as name, contact details and permission to work in the UK. If you have more than one email address or telephone number, make sure you provide the one that you access the most frequently.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORYYou will need to give details of jobs held, name and location of employer and also your job title. You may also be asked to include salary and, for your current post, where relevant, your notice period. You will usually be asked for a summary of what you did in each role. This section does not need to be too long – just a brief outline of your main responsibilities. The use of bullet points can help the information stand out more clearly.

Some employers may also request reasons for leaving each job. You should be honest, but also positive. So, if you really didn’t enjoy your previous job, you could write ‘to focus on full time study’, or similar, rather than ‘the role was not enjoyable’.

GAPS IN EMPLOYMENTSome employers may request a brief reason for gaps in employment or education history. Try to provide evidence of using this time constructively. For example, if you’ve had time off to travel, you could list the countries you have travelled to and cultures you’ve learnt about. If you’ve had time out to care for relatives or children highlight skills you have gained through participation in unpaid work, such as involvement with school or community groups or skills related to caring, such as organising hospital appointments and liaising with healthcare professionals.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTHere you will need to list your secondary, further and higher education courses, including the type of qualification, subject area, grade, course provider and dates attended.

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DISCLOSUREMany employers ask for additional information such as whether you have a criminal record. If you have any concerns, seek advice from a careers adviser at the University who can talk you through this in more detail. Most employers will store information disclosed on this sec-tion separately from the main application form and will consider any issues on a case by case basis.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING AND DISABILITYEmployers should collect equality data for monitoring purposes and will ask you to complete sections on ethnic origin, gender, nationality, date of birth, sexual orientation, marital status, religion and disability. These areas are covered by legislation in the Equality Act, 2010. This information should not normally be seen by the people involved in selecting you for interview.

DISABILITYAside from completing the equal opportunities monitoring form, you may wish to inform the employer that you have a disability, as defined by the Equality Act, 2010. This Act cov-ers a range of disabilities and conditions, including learning difficulties such as dyslexia and mental health conditions such as depression. The Act obliges employers to make reasonable adjustments in their recruitment and employment practises to meet the needs of disabled applicants and employees. Further advice on this is available from the UWL Careers Service.

Some employers operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants. The application form should provide guidance on how to apply for this, but usually, if you con-firm that you have a disability and can demonstrate that you meet the essential criteria for the post, as outlined in the person specification or competency framework for the job, you should be guaranteed an interview.

Disability aware employers will usually display a ‘disability confident’ or ‘positive about dis-abled people’ (two ticks) symbol. Further information is available at the Government’s web site at: http://tinyurl.com/ow94s85

REFEREESIt’s good practice to speak with your referees before the employer contacts them to ensure they know you well enough to comment on your suitability for the post and are available for contact by the employer. Many employers give you the option to request that referees are only contacted after they have confirmed the job offer.

SUPPORTING STATEMENTThis is the most important part of your application form and is the main section used by em-ployers to shortlist candidates for the next stage of the recruitment process. In this section you will need to demonstrate:1. Why you have applied for the job2. How you meet the criteria – essential and desirable - outlined in the person specification. If the latter is not available you will need to refer to the job description or job advert.

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Requirement Essential or Desirable? How Assessed?

Qualifications / Education / Training:

• Degree level• Master degree

Essential Desirable

Via application form

Experience:• Experience of working in a similar role• Experience of writing communications• Experience of dealing with external agencies

Essential

Desirable

Desirable

Via application form and interview

Knowledge:• Knowledge of ….(eg marketing role, theories of marketing)• Knowledge of the relevant industry

Essential

Desirable

Via interview and application form

Skills & Competencies:• Excellent communication skills, particularly able to write and converse in an engaging manner to suit a variety of audiences• Ability to process and interpret complex information• Strong prioritisation skills and ability to manage own workload• Ability to work flexibly• Team player• Ability to negotiate

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential Desirable

Via written exercise at interview

Via ability test

Via application form

Via group exercise

Via group exercisevia role play

Other:• Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook

Desirable Via application form and interview

Alternatively, employers may ask you to demonstrate that you have the key competencies outlined in a competency framework for the job.

A competency framework will outline the competencies (or skills) to be used in the role. Examples of competencies include ‘problem solving’; ‘team working’ ‘critical thinking’ and ‘managing others’

When writing your supporting statement make sure you provide convincing evidence for each of the areas listed by the employer.

A sample person specification

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To take, as an example, ‘critical thinking’ skills, this is about being able to identify, analyse and solve problems systematically. This could be demonstrated as follows:

‘Whilst working as a team leader in a small retail store I identified that we often ran out of popular items at the end of each month. I therefore devised a new stock control system, using an Excel spreadsheet and checklists. I also trained staff about the new system, which led to items being re-stocked in a more timely manner. I was praised by my line manager for initiating the process and recommended for promotion to team leader’.

You can include examples of skills from areas such as voluntary work, sport, hobbies, inter-ests and student roles, such as being a representative. When providing evidence a useful pneumonic to help you structure your response is CAR

Context – briefly describe the situation where you used the skill and the problem you were trying to resolveAction – what did you do to resolve the problem?Result – what was the outcome (this may include learning from the situation)? Example to demonstrate communication skills: • C – team leader for a group presentation in second year of degree • A – organised meeting, discussed tasks, agreed roles, delegated responsibilities, kept in touch to make sure on track, organised rehearsal • R – presentation went well, achieved a grade of 85%, learnt the importance of regular communication

Make sure you highlight your contribution rather than those of others. Try to choose exam-ples that mainly went well.A similar pneumonic is STAR – Situation, Task (what you were trying to achieve), Action and Result.

KEY FEATURES OF A SUCCESSFUL SUPPORTING STATEMENTPut yourself in the shoes of the person reading the supporting statement. Make it easy for them to shortlist you by:• Structuring your statement so that you systematically cover each criteria for the ‘ideal candidate’ presented by the employer in the job advert, person specification or competency framework • The statement needs to be concise, but detailed - not too short, but also not too long. Be guided by the length of the person specification for how much evidence you will need to include

ATTENTION TO DETAIL• Allow plenty of time to complete the application form as it will take longer than you think• Ensure your statement is grammatically correct - ask more than one person, whose opinion you trust, to proof read it. • Avoid US spellings – (driving ‘licence’, not ‘license’) by using a British spell checker.• Avoid using an informal chatty style, as you will be expected to write in a business-like format

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• Be careful not to copy and paste the wrong information from other application forms (it does happen!)• If you have already submitted a CV, don’t be tempted to say ‘see CV’ as a replacement for completing all sections of the application as this could result in your application being rejected

EVIDENCE-BASED• Avoid making generalisations. For example, not just ‘I am a hard-working, conscientious individual’, but, ‘I am a hard-working and conscientious individual. I have achieved excellent marks throughout my course and was awarded the British Psychological Society’s award for highest scoring student at the University of West London in 2016. Or ‘in my role as team leader in a well-known sports shop I was awarded employee of the month for consistently displaying a positive attitude and motivating the rest of the team’• Demonstrate your knowledge of the company through research undertaken online, on social media channels or by talking to friends and colleagues who have worked there

SHOW CONFIDENCE• Avoid making negative statements about yourself, such as ‘I don’t have a lot of experi ence of using Excel spreadsheets’. Instead, talk about what you do know. ‘I am aware of the main features of Excel and have completed Microsoft Excel online tutorials on creating worksheets, charts and basic maths’. • You can include numbers to create impact. For example ‘as a shift leader at Sports Mad retail store I was responsible for a team of 7 staff’

LONG QUESTIONSSome employers will ask you to respond to specific questions related to the essential requirements for the job and give you a word count of around 250 words in which to write your response. Here are some examples:‘Describe a problem that you have faced and how you solved it’‘Give an example of when you worked well in a team. ‘What was your role and what did you learn?’‘Describe a situation where you have successfully worked under pressure’Try to give as much detail as possible, within the word count, to demonstrate your skills, using the CAR or STAR approach described above.

SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT QUESTIONSLarge employers may ask you some ‘scenario based’ questions to assess how well you would perform in typical work situations relevant to the role. Employers are often testing skills such as team working, decision making, ability to build relationships and customer focus. You may be given a problem and asked to choose one or more ‘most likely responses’ from a list of possible answers. A list of web sites to practice tests is available from the UWL Careers Service.

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STRENGTH BASED QUESTIONSStrength based questions aim to identify which skills and aptitudes come naturally to can-didates and which they will therefore perform well at. Along with your application form, an employer may ask you to complete a strength based questionnaire, which aims to iden-tify what you enjoy doing. The theory behind this approach is that employees will be more motivated and effective in roles which play to their strengths. Some typical strength based questions are: What are you good at? What comes easily to you? What do you learn quickly? Whatdidyoufindeasiesttolearnatschooloruniversity? What subjects do you most enjoy studying? What things give you energy?

In preparing to answer such questions it’s helpful to think about times when you have been completely absorbed in your work and felt energised by using the skills required to complete a task. This is known as ‘flow’. It may be a time when you were researching an essay, caring for another person, using creativity, performing, leading a group, organising an event, com-municating one to one, applying logic to a problem, working with others or working alone. You need to be honest when completing a strength based questionnaire and there is little you can do to prepare the ‘right’ answer, except to reflect on your preferred way of working.

Depending on the requirements of the role, examples of strengths sought by graduate employers include, among others, being responsible, creativity, conscientiousness, leader-ship and flexibility.

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SAMPLE SUPPORTING STATEMENT TO MATCH THE PERSON SPECIFICATION ON PAGE 21

I am applying for the position of Graduate Marketing Executive at Pocket Textiles Ltd as I have recently completed the BSc in Business Studies with Marketing degree at the University of West London, for which I achieved a 2:1. I particularly enjoyed the marketing focused aspects of this course (such as principles of marketing, global marketing and consumer behaviour) and achieved an average of 69% for these modules, including for my dissertation on Measuring the Impact of Social Media Marketing within the Textile Industry.

I am keen to work for Pocket Textiles Ltd as I believe that your values of being ‘customer focused’, ‘quality driven’ and ‘valuing staff’ demonstrate that you can provide a learning environment in which I can thrive.

IhopeyouwillagreethatImeettherequirementsoutlinedinthepersonspecificationasdetailed below:

EXPERIENCEI gained marketing experience in July last year whilst working as an intern for five weeks at Pocket Textiles Ltd, a medium-sized sports clothing company. I was given responsibility for researching potential social media analytics software providers. This involved identifying the most appropriate companies, discussing PearTree requirements with account executives, organising demonstrations to key staff within PearTree and writing a report summarising the key features, benefits, costs and risks associated with each product. I was praised by the senior management team for providing a well written, comprehensive report and my recom-mendation for the most appropriate provider was agreed.

Whilst at Pocket Textiles Ltd and during my degree I learnt to write in a range of formats, such as reports and research based essays. At PearTree, on a daily basis, I updated content on social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. I learnt how to produce engaging feeds, using as few words as possible and to respond to customer comments in a timely manner.

KNOWLEDGEMy degree course has taught me the principles of marketing and application of these in practice. I understand how to write a marketing strategy which takes account of market segmentation, target marketing and product positioning. In a group work assignment I was responsible for putting together a PowerPoint presentation on a marketing strategy case study, for which we received positive feedback from the lecturer and a grade of 74%.

My dissertation on social media marketing has strengthened my understanding of the tex-tile industry . I am aware of different textile processes, from artisan to industrialised methods and the growth of relationships with international markets in India, China,Brazil, Europe, North Africa and South America. I also understand the importance to customers and Pocket Textiles Ltd of ensuring health and safety of workers and protection of the environment, whilst maintaining a competitive price.

Demonstrates you meet educational requirements for the post

Demonstrates your research into the company

States why you are applying

Demonstrates your knowledge of the industry

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SKILLS AND COMPETENCIESMy skills in prioritising and managing a workload have been strengthened through my role at Sports Mad retail store, where I have been employed on a part time basis for two years. Within six months I was promoted to team leader, which involves teaching new staff, opening or closing the shop each day and dealing with problems such as customer com-plaints. The store is very busy on a regular basis and I am often called upon to deal with problems in the absence of the manager. On one occasion, this involved calling an ambulance for a member of the public who had collapsed, whilst also ensuring that the other staff continued to provide a service to customers. My quick actions resulted in the customer receiving urgent care and I was thanked by his relatives for dealing with the crisis in a calm manner. I am a flexible team player who will often work extra shifts when there are staff shortages. My negotiation skills have been used when responding to customer enqui-ries about out of stock items. I always demonstrate active listening skills and show empathy with the customer, whilst offering an alternative product if the item is no longer available.

OTHERI am confident using Microsoft Office products, including Word and Outlook and have used these at work and University. My experience of using Excel includes producing spread-sheets, graphs and charts for a report whilst working at PearTree. I have also completed tutorials on using Excel for Maths calculations and budget spreadsheets.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application and I look forward to hearing from you.

Focuses on the skills and com-petencies that will be assessed through the application form

University of West London Careers Service August 2016