Transcript SPLC01 Personal and Professional Development Planning

SDEH07
Job Application
Session Objectives
• To consider the processes involved
in job applications
• To evaluate your current skills and
match these to industry jobs
• To identify any ‘development gaps’
you may have
• To consider your ‘online footprint’
Assessment
 Re-cap
 Assessment for the
module: Job application and
interview
Career Planning
• What job are you going to apply for as part of this module?
• Can you articulate why you’d be suitable for this job?
• Task - Prepare an 30 second ‘elevator pitch’ – and deliver this to
the group
• Currently, what are the ‘stand out’ things on your CV that relate
to this job?
• What are your major areas of weakness?
CV’s and Letters of Application
www.prospects.ac.uk
What is a CV?
oCurriculum Vitae = record of life
oPersonal marketing tool
oDevice to show your potential for a
particular role (this means that you adjust your
C.V to each job you apply for)
Objective of C.V – to get an interview!
Style, content and layout need to impress
the right people
Target for a specific purpose (rather than
recycle over and over again)
Format
No hard fast rules: common criteria but approaches vary
No more than two pages
Alternative styles: creative designs; media other than
paper
It’s a personal choice (but remember who sees it)
CV types
Chronological
Targeted
Skills-based
Preparation in preparing a C.V (you
should make your C.V post specific. Don’t just send a
generic C.V)
o Bring together:
o Your qualifications (dates, grades, course options)
o Job description (to identify skills required – for the specific post)
o Evidence to match you with the job (skills, experience, abilities)
o Communicate clearly how you meet the essential and desirable
elements of the Person Specification and the Job Description.
Page 1 (of 2)
(Don’t title it “CV”)
oYour name
oAddress (home and term-time)
oEmail
oPhone number (mobile and landline)
Personal statement
Page 1
o This takes time and serious thought and ‘crafting’
o Links who you are with your objectives
o Short statement or bullet points?
o Current situation, personal attributes, aims, ambitions?
o Punchy and concise!
Education
Page 1
o Chronological order - most recent first
o When? – where? – what?
o Degree/postgraduate qualifications: detail research, modules,
dissertation
o GCSEs: not necessary to list grades
Work and career-related
Page 1/Page 2
(use appropriate heading)
Work experience (relevant) – when? where? what?
o
List your jobs in reverse chronological order by job title (most recent first).
o
If you did not have an official job title, try to think of one that describes your
position well.
o Describe your responsibilities or achievements in your roles, bearing in mind the
skills the
If you’ve had lots of part
employer is seeking.
time jobs be selective, are
employers that concerned
about your time at Bob’s
o Skills (technical skills, second language?)
Pie shop if you don’t have
o Exhibitions/awards/competitions won?
room to ‘sell’ yourself
elsewhere
o Professional associations/memberships?
For jobs away from your subject
o Focus on what the employer requires
o Highlight “transferable skills”
o Use plain language rather than technical terms
Referees
o Usually two - one academic, one character/employment
(include title, address, phone and email)
o Ask permission and keep referees up-to-date with your
applications
o Supply names – or “references available on request?”
To put – or not to put?
o Gender? (if not obvious from your name)
o Nationality? Only essential if you need a work visa
o DoB?
o Marital status?
Other experience and skills
Page 2 (use appropriate heading)
o Other work experience: casual work, part-time jobs, voluntary work
 Interests and achievements
o Similar principles apply as for your work experiences.
o Emphasise key words that demonstrate evidence of your skills.
o Focus on demonstrating appropriate behaviours rather than seeking to impress an
employer with an amazing achievement.
o Interests, responsibilities, achievements (clubs, competitive sports, year out) – not I like
social media and watching films!!!
o Transferable skills from these activities
Style and layout 1
o Easy to read
o Concise
o Well-presented
o Bullet points
Style and layout 2
o Consistent fonts, style, alignments
o Positive language
o Good quality paper
o Sections separated by lines?
Proof read
Covering Letter 1
o One to two sides of A4
o Addressed to the person due to receive it
o Advertised job: state the vacancy; how you heard
o Speculative approach: indicate what work interests you
o Explain why you’re interested
Covering letter 2
o Highlight your strengths, suitability and understanding
of the work
o Possible opportunity to explain gaps – and weaknesses?
– in positive way
o Advertised vacancies: clarify your interview availability
o Speculative application: indicate keenness to meet
o Send out signals: enthusiasm; focus; business-like
On the web
o Prospects: www.prospects.ac.uk – examples of
different types of C.V’s.
o Help on campus
o Underground team
Task: Demonstrate competence
 Look at the Person Specification for the job you are applying for as
part of the module assessment. You’ll find what you ‘need’ (skills,
qualifications and experiences) from Job Descriptions and Person
Specifications – what are the ‘Essentials’ and ‘Desirables’?
 Tick the aspects that you feel you already have. What ‘evidence’
supports this on your CV? Identity clear example in practice – don’t
just say “I have this” or “can do this”
 Highlight (not to the employer!) anything that is ‘missing’ on your CV
to get this job? – How can you ‘manage’ this to still secure an
interview?
Your application should include:
Application information – from employing organisation
The original advert
The application pack you were sent
 Job Description
Person Specification
General information about the role or organisation
Application pack: what you send back to the ‘employing organisation’

Professional letter of application detailing your suitability for the post, conveying enthusiasm for the
role and the organisation. Demonstrate how you meet the criteria for the post.

An up to date Curriculum Vitae - tailored to the position you are applying
Evidence of wider preparation for the application (not normally included in
applications but this will be beneficial to demonstrate to marking tutors how you have engaged in preparing for the application
process:
 Organisational research
 Key aims and objectives of the organisation
 Current organisation strategy
 Understanding of key partners (internal and external)
 Understanding of the geographical location of the post (the local context). Depending on the role this could
include information around areas of need or areas of recognised deprivation etc.
 Role Research
 Demonstrate research around the delivery of key initiatives identified in the Job Description and Person
Specification
 What are the key roles within the JD and what do they mean in practice in the context of the organisation?
Job Application submission
 Job application hand in 20th March
 Remember this is your calling card – sell yourself, be
professional, be enthusiastic…. Proof read, be
‘professional’!
Career Awareness
 Are you fully aware of the jobs that you may be suitable for?
 Where can you be kept informed;
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www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/about/jobs
http://www.careers-in-sport.co.uk/
www.leisurejobs.com
http://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx
http://www.uksport.gov.uk/search?q=vacancies
http://www.lgjobs.com/
http://www.skillsactive.com/
http://www.eis2win.co.uk/pages/Careers_andJobs_at_EIS.aspx
https://jobs.youthsporttrust.org/templates/YST/job_list.aspx?raparam=7675
5A786F46617A42335875384F3254745765685A5A4E54416B315A49767354
Managing your ‘online footprint’
 Increasingly employers
are:
 Going online to recruit
employers?
 Going online to check out
potential candidates…
 If you have an unusual
name they will find you
very quickly!
Who uses social media?
 Discussion - What are the pros and cons of each?
 Which ones do you use for ‘personal stuff’ and which
ones do you use for ‘work or studies’?
Manage them all in one place via www.hootsuite.com
Key issues?
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Locked profile?
Who sees what?
Employers use it to research candidates?
Who are you friends with?
How do you use it?
 Could you use it to ‘like’ pages related to your studies?
 Use it to help with employment?
 Do you follow the Marjon SDE page?
 Do you have a locked course group?
Key issues
 Who do you/could you follow?
 Follow someone who you find interesting and that
may help with the course.
 Can’t ‘lock twitter’ – it’s a ‘public broadcast’ – issues
around re-tweets – you could ‘go global’!
 You can delete posts, but be careful!
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http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/22/twitter-failure-to-tackle-trolls-stan-collymore
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11/12/internet-trolls-conviction-section-127_n_2116323.html
Who uses it?
A personal dilemma? If you don’t use it properly should you be on it?
What does a poorly maintain profile ‘say about you’?
 Phil Brown
 Cara Atchison
 Potentially a site to develop your ‘professional’ online identity.
 Consider who you might want to ‘link’ with?
 How can you use this in your Career Plan – to: Stay abreast of industry developments
 Hear about job vacancies etc etc?
 Making the most of Linked in – full video for private study.
 How do you use Youtube?
 Do you use it for entertainment or work?
 How could you use it to develop an online profile?
 http://www.youtube.com/user/MarjonSportDev
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