Applications

The majority of applications for employment and postgraduate courses are now made online but you may sometimes be asked to submit a paper-based application. Care and attention have to be taken when completing any application form because this is usually the first impression that an organisation will have of candidates.

The following steps are useful for completing any application form. Treat online and paper application forms in exactly the same way.

• Start by photocopying or downloading the form so that you can work on it.
• Read the form and highlight any key words or sentences.
• If it is an online application, use Word to compose your answers and then cut and paste.
• Decide what evidence best matches each question and try to select experiences from different areas of your life.
• Allocate time to answering competency/behavioural questions because many employers use these as good indicators of how a candidate will perform once they have been recruited.
• When you have completed the form, review your answers: have you fully answered all of the questions?
• Ensure that you proof read your application and don’t solely rely on spell check. Check and recheck spelling and grammar.
• Print and save the completed form before you send it off.

Use Select Simulator to practice completing online application forms: www.selectsimulator.com

Competency Based Questions

Behavioural or competency based questions are frequently used by organisations that recruit graduates. These questions are based on the idea that your past performance will be a good predictor of your future behaviour. Application forms for graduate schemes usually have a number of questions that ask you to provide an example of how you used a specific competency in your recent past.

Example competency questions:

• Describe a situation in which you had to change your plans at the last minute. What did you do and what were the outcomes?
• Give an example of a problem you have faced in the past, either as part of a team or as an individual. How did you solve the problem?
• Describe a situation in which you took on responsibility for a project or a team.

You will usually be given a set number of words within which you have to provide your answer. To provide a focused and succinct answer it is worthwhile using the STAR model.

STAR

Use STAR to answer competency questions:

S Situation

T Task

A Action

R Result

Remember that the organisation wants to know about your role, the action you took, and the results that you achieved.