Presenting your skills when applying for jobs
Strong job applications match your own skills, experience and qualities to those relevant to the job. There’s a process on how to do this.
After taking yourself through this process you’ll be ready to tell employers about your relevant skills in a job application form, CV (curriculum vitae) and cover letter or personal statement.
If you need support in identifying your core skills, take a look at the plan your career section on our website.
Matching yourself to the requirements of the job
Once you've analysed a job advertisement, and decided to make an application, it’s time to dig down into the detail.
Most employers will provide more detailed guidance to support an application such as a detailed job description and a person specification which outlines the key skills, experience, qualifications and qualities they’re looking for. Within the job description and person specification criteria are usually flagged ‘essential' or 'desirable'. Aim to cover all 'essential' requirements and as many 'desirable' requirements as possible.
Articulating your skills and experience to meet the person specification
It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the section of an application form often headed ‘How do your skills and experience meet the criteria in the person specification?' or ‘Further information to support your application’. We’ve provided a process that will help you to make a start. If you’re using a CV instead of completing an application form, you can use this process to guide you when putting together a cover letter that accompanies your CV or a personal statement.
Here's an example of how to match your experience with the key requirements for a job. In this example, the key requirements from the person specification are listed and the applicant has provided evidence of what they have to offer the employer.
Key experience requirements | My evidence |
---|---|
Numeracy |
e.g. Treasurer of Residents’ Association:
|
Keyboard skills |
|
Marketing knowledge |
|
Ability to work on own |
e.g. From recent employment, current part-time study:
|
Interest in wildlife |
e.g. Active member of RSPB:
|
Presentation skills |
|
Think about a variety of sources to draw examples/evidence from including your Open University (OU) studies, your work history, your role within family life and your personal interests.
Be a STAR: presenting examples to back up your skills
You might be expected to answer some competency-based questions asking you to talk about a skill or personality trait and a time when you've used it. For example, you could be asked to "describe a time when you've successfully used communication skills" or "provide an example of a situation when you dealt with conflict in your team."
Employers ask competency-based questions to see if you’ve got the skills and traits to succeed in the role. If you can prove that you’ve used a skill in the past then you will be able to use it again in the future.
Frame your answers and examples using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) which keeps your responses concise and well structured. This is also useful preparation for a job interview.
Think of an example you want to use, then apply the STAR technique …
- Situation - Set the scene. Describe the situation or problem. Make it relevant to the person specification.
- Task - Outline the task required to solve the issue or problem.
- Action - Explain what you actually did. How and when you did it, the reasons for the choices you made and the key things that you did to overcome the issue or problem.
- Result - Describe the outcome and the difference it made.
Take a look at our understanding job adverts page for more info on tailoring your application to match the job requirements.
What next?
Once you have drafted an application, read it. Then read it again with a critical eye in a similar way as you might approach a study assignment. Consider the following checklist:
Start by reading it out loud. Think about the style. Keep sentences or bullet points concise, avoid repetition, take out anything that doesn't show you meet the person specification. Ask a friend or family member to read it through to check they recognise this as being about you. You may be able to adjust the style to make sure it reflects your personality. Correct spelling and grammar; they show an eye for detail and the ability to communicate well. If these are areas you struggle with, enlist the help of someone who can check through of the whole application for you.