Oxford

IDENTIFY AND
EVIDENCE
THE REQUIRED
SKILLS...
Identifying the skills and ‘competencies’
required for a role can be
straightforward because these are often
listed in the job description or personal
specification; online application forms
often ask you to give examples of
specific skills. Even where these are not
clear, or when making a speculative
approach, you should try to identify
which core employability skills (see
pages 26-28) are likely to be most
important for the organisation.
By talking to people who work in the
sector you can also gain a sense of
which personal qualities are most
important and begin to understand
the contrasting styles and cultures of
different organisations.
Effective applications are supported
throughout by evidence: it builds
credibility. Simply asserting that you have
a skill does not work, not least because
anybody can do that! Compare the
examples following and weigh the value
of the additional 14 words.
APPLICATION ESSENTIALS
STRUCTURE YOUR RESPONSES
s
SITUATION
TASK
ACTION
RESULT
CONTEXT
ACTION
RESULT
For example, use the STAR outline to:
• Briefly describe the specific Situation you were in.
• Describe the Task you needed to accomplish – giving
only enough detail for the recruiter to appreciate your
contribution.
• Describe the Action(s) you took – even for a group project,
keep the focus on what you did rather than the efforts of
the team.
• Describe the Result. Based on relevant measures of success,
outline what happened and what you accomplished.
When appropriate, probably within an interview, you can extend
this structure by including ‘E’ for Evaluation (STARE/CARE):
• Highlight what you learned from the experience; what
you would change if went through the process/experience
again; or explain how this experience might be relevant in
the role applied for.
D
Assertion or Evidence?
]]
I will make a strong contribution at
[Company’s name] because I am
a good team player and natural
leader.
]]
Last Spring, my leadership enabled
our student consultancy team to
make robust recommendations to
our client, a local charity, on how to
increase volunteering amongst 6th
Formers based on over 100 survey
responses.
When selecting which examples to
use in your written applications and
interviews, aim to draw these from a
variety of activities to reflect the diverse
situations in which you have developed
transferrable skills – during your studies,
work experience and extra-curricular
activities. Choose examples that:
]]
Relate to what you actually did,
rather than what you might do in a
hypothetical situation.
]]
Show your personal contribution,
even within a team effort.
]]
Had positive outcomes.
]]
Are relevant to the employer - you
may want to signpost this relevance
by cross referencing to the job
description.
]]
Are fairly recent (preferably in the last
2 to 3 years).
]]
Allow scope for you to expand on if
asked for more detail in an interview.
From building your CV to answering
open competency based questions in
interviews, you can add structure to your
evidence by using a simple mnemonic,
such as CAR or STAR (see box above).
Remember
Lastly, remember that recruiters are not
mind readers, and frequently work to
tight deadlines. Never expect recruiters
to infer how you fit their criteria. Instead,
make it easy for them to find the
evidence they are looking for:
]]
Be direct and state how you meet the
criteria clearly, with lots of evidence
to back up your claims.
]]
Mirror the language used in their
recruitment literature:
aligning your style to theirs;
and
enabling computer software
used to scan applications
to match your evidence to the
key competencies and skills
required.
]]
Build different relevant aspects of
your background, knowledge and
experience to the organization and
role, and your longer term goals.
For example, you might highlight how
your interest in a role is a natural
extension of your studies, or explain why
the insights gained in a work placement
indicate how well suited you are to a
particular type of role or a good fit for
the organisation. More detailed advice
follows in the sections on CVs and cover
letters.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 39