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One hour careers skills session focusing on recruitment process, making effective applications, understanding skills and writing a good CV.
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www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Understanding Your Skills &
Making Effective ApplicationsBECKA COLLEY, CAREERS ADVISER
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Overview of Session
How are you recruited and selected?
Understanding your skills
Making effective applications/writing a good CV
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Recruitment and Selection Processes
Staffing need arises/is identified
Job role is created with person specification and job
description
Role is advertised
Shortlisting takes place
Selection panel process, usually at least an interview
Successful candidate appointed
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Issues to Consider
Process will be very competitive
Recruiters doing this in addition to their day job
Shortlisting can be very very dull
How will you grab their attention?
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
When you see a job vacancy…
Read the details
Locate the Person Specification
Do you meet the criteria?
Do you want the job?
Get your application checked!
“Careers in sports psychology are varied. The work will usually be a mixture of
consultancy work (with individual athletes, national sports bodies, GPs, teams)
and will involve improving individual performance or encouraging the take
up of exercise amongst the wider population.” http://www.careersinpsychology.co.uk/careers-sports-
psychology.html accessed 4.12.14
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Follow Their Rules!
Do what they ask, how
they ask
Don’t submit a CV if they
ask you not to
Ensure you put N/A in any
sections that do not apply
Use the correct font, size
of font or colour
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Making Effective Applications
Unpick the skills required
Match to your experiences
Evidence all areas with multiple examples
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Skills Audit
Provide evidence of your skills and experiences against the skills on the
checklist
Situation - brief background, context of the setting (1 sentence)
Task – what did you need to achieve, with who and why (1 sentence)
Action- what did you do, what steps did you take (3-4 sentences)
Result – what did you achieve - always a successful outcome! (1 sentence)
10 mins individually using STAR model to
evidence two or more skills
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Skills Most Commonly Sought By Employers
1. Self-management: readiness to accept responsibility,
flexibility, resilience, self-starting, assertiveness, self
awareness.
2. Team working: respecting others, co-operating,
negotiating/persuading, contributing to discussions,
awareness of interdependence with others.
3. Business and customer awareness: understanding of key
drivers for business success, importance of innovation and
calculated risks, need to provide customer satisfaction and
build customer loyalty.
4. Problem solving: analysing facts and situations, applying
creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions.
5. Communication and literacy: ability to produce clear,
structured written work and oral literacy including listening
and questioning
6. Ability to manage others: ability to direct other people to
achieve a goal
7. Time management: techniques for planning and
scheduling time to increase effectiveness and
efficiency
8. Decision making: process of making informed choice
among alternative actions that are possible
9. Ability to show initiative: ability to act on your own and
to show resourcefulness in planning, proposing and
carrying out tasks and activities
10. Working under pressure: carrying out tasks in stressful
conditions caused for example by time or resource
constraints
11. Adaptability/flexibility: ability to change successfully to
fit varying circumstances or situations
12. Ability to plan and organise: being able to design, plan,
organise, and implement projects and tasks usually
within an allotted timeframe and/or budget constraints
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Useful language for your CV and applications
Developed expertise in
Demonstrated/used skills in
Knowledge of/experienced as/in
Extensive training/involvement in
Proficient/competent at
Assisted with/in
Created
Worked closely with
Efficient at
Regular interaction with
Promoted to
Succeeded in or successful in/at
Experience involved/included
In charge of
Initiated
Established
Assigned to
Achieved
Devised
Thorough/comprehensive understanding of
Implemented
Managed/led
Collaborated with
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
CV Top Tips
Do Be positive
Use action language
Check for spelling and grammar errors!
Think carefully about layout
Maximise your skills and experiences
Don’t Lie!
Waffle
Waste space, leave large blanks
Under sell yourself
Use a template
Make it generic
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
The Perfect CV?
Is my CV interesting to read?
Does it reflect the vacancy?
At a glance will someone want to meet me?
Have I provided proof with examples?
Have I linked my experiences to the role I want?
Does it demonstrate my excellent communication
skills and good use of IT?
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Getting a job
Where do you lack evidence or experience?
How will you develop these skills?
Do you know what you need to obtain your dream
career (or any job!)?
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
What Next?
Email a Careers Adviser
Network, network, network!
Stay motivated!
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Resources
www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers
Vacancy Database
Download Zone (booklet CC22 Options with a degree in Sport)
Volunteering/Part Time/Summer Opportunities
Making applications booklets & support from Careers Advisers
www.prospects.ac.uk
www.skillsactive.com