Like at school or university, following simple rules & instructions given to you ensures that your essay will get a better mark. Likewise, by structuring your response to the questions asked and adhering to the instructions provided your application will be read more often and be clearer than others that aren’t. This may seem obvious but many people do not know that applications have rules, and even fewer take the time to understand or adhere to them. So how do you find these rules and what are they?
When applying for a job the recruiter or the HR contact in the organisation is the keeper of these rules as they pertain to their client’s/organisation’s requirements. They know in what style they like their applications to be received and what they are looking for. So the first step is to contact the individual receiving the application and ask (4.1) ‘How should I apply and what would you like from me by way of an application?’
Asking the question above ensures that you understand what is required for the application process. This is important because, particularly in the public sector, those who do not submit their applications according to the rules and formulae set down risk having their applications disregarded. Whilst this may seem petty, I cannot tell you how often a seemingly qualified applicant has applied for a role but not been shortlisted because they did not follow carefully specified application processes. So you need to join the circus and jump through those hoops.
They will also be able to tell you what they don’t want. So, if a ‘full’ application is not warranted and a 2 page CV application is all that is required then it is useful to know that before you submit a 15 page application (it happens!).
Next: Roll up roll up...the public sector application process
