Introduction
Why is a written application important?
Your written application provides a summary of your education, qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the position for which you're applying.
The written application is important because it is probably the only information that the selection panel has about you. The selection panel does not have access to your staff file or to details about you from previous applications, nor do they normally contact referees until after interviews have been held. Even if there are some members of the selection panel with whom you work, there may be others on the panel who know nothing about you.
Your written application is therefore the only information available for the panel to use to decide whether or not to shortlist you for an interview.
Not only does your written application provide information about your skills, abilities and experience, it also indicates the following things about you:
- how clearly you are able to express yourself
- your ability to be brief and to the point in describing your skills and experience
- your ability to exclude irrelevant information
- your use of grammar, spelling and punctuation, and appropriate use of language
- your ability to present information neatly, logically and clearly.
For these reasons it is important to prepare your written application as well as possible. Your aim is to persuade the selection panel that you are the best person for the job and worth interviewing. Suggestions on how to do this are outlined below.
What is included in a written application?
A written application consists of a number of documents, some of which are specifically requested by the University, and others which are optional.
You are expected to provide the following:
- a UWA application form
- a covering letter demonstrating that your capabilities fulfil the requirements of the position
- your résumé or curriculum vitae
- names and day time contact details of two work-related referees
- evidence of your eligibility to work in Australia if you are not an Australian citizen.
While no longer an essential requirement, you may also wish to provide a statement addressing the selection criteria for the position. This can either be done as part of your covering letter, or in a separate document.
Optional items that you may also want to include are:
- written references
- work samples
- copies of qualifications
'Action verbs' for describing skills and competencies
When putting together your written application, you will need to describe your skills and competencies.
In describing the skills you have and use, it is important that you describe them accurately. Often we undersell our skills by using 'inactive' verbs, such as 'do' (do the mail, do minutes).
Sometimes we go to the other extreme and use terms that come across to the reader as bureaucratic jargon ('utilise interpersonal communication'). Occasionally we give an inflated indication of our level of responsibility for a task and use 'manage' and 'control' when we actually 'administer' and 'monitor'.
Below is a list of verbs which may be helpful in labelling your skills, together with some examples of how they could be used.
|
Action Verb
|
Examples of Use
|
| administer
| programmes, enrolment records, budgets, functions, exams
|
| adapt
| procedures, systems, programmes
|
| analyse
| information, applications; qualitative, quantitative, statistical or scientific data
|
| anticipate
| needs, trends, requirements
|
| assess
| applications, information, options, feasibility, impact
|
| assist
| in preparing, designing, establishing, organising, evaluating
|
| apply
| policy, rules, regulations
|
| approve
| applications, expenditure
|
| budget
| money, time, resources
|
| build
| systems, programmes
|
| calculate
| expenditure, results, risks
|
| carry out
| research, duties
|
| catalogue
| information, books
|
| circulate
| minutes, reports
|
| classify
| information for record-keeping purposes
|
| coach
| staff, teams
|
| collate
| data, information, results
|
| communicate
| orally, verbally, in writing
|
| compile
| information, data, files, records, financial reports, statements, agendas
|
| conduct
| experiments, surveys, courses, inventories
|
| control
| finances, waste
|
| co-ordinate
| people, events, information, appointments, meetings, work flow, activities, functions
|
| counsel
| staff, students, clients (personal, educational, financial, technical, career counselling)
|
| create
| systems, programmes
|
| deal
| with sensitive issues, staff, students, complex enquires
|
| delegate
| responsibility, accountability, tasks, assignments
|
| deliver
| programmes, reports, speeches, presentations, seminars
|
| design
| layouts, systems, procedures, training programmes
|
| distribute
| minutes, mail, pamphlets, information, materials
|
| draft
| routine correspondence, non-standard correspondence, minutes, memoranda
|
| edit
| manuscripts, newsletters, documents
|
| ensure
| access, accuracy, quality, standards
|
| entertain
| visitors, individuals, groups
|
| establish
| programmes, standards, guidelines, office systems, priorities
|
| estimate
| income, costs, expenditure, time-frames, outputs, space requirements
|
| evaluate
| programmes, services, applications, group and individual performance
|
| explain
| determinations, policy, procedures
|
| filter
| information for senior staff
|
| follow up
| complaints, overdue accounts
|
| formulate
| procedures, guidelines, experiments, budgets
|
| forward
| calls, requests, information to appropriate sections
|
| gather
| data, information, opinions
|
| generate
| ideas, information, opinions, income
|
| handle
| cash, workloads, enquiries
|
| help
| other individuals, teams, organisations
|
| identify
| causes, needs, problems, solutions
|
| implement
| programmes, systems, policy, recommendations
|
| initiate
| ideas, change, methods, approaches, contacts, schemes, programmes, discussion
|
| interpret
| policies, guidelines, rules
|
| interview
| candidates, students, applicants, clients
|
| investigate
| causes, problems, options
|
| lead
| task forces, working parties, teams, groups, discussions
|
| liaise
| with clients, other departments, service providers
|
| maintain
| equipment, systems, supplies, machinery, accounts, resource collections
|
| make
| travel and accommodation arrangements, bookings
|
| manage
| staff, team or group activities
|
| manipulate
| text, lay-outs, data to final report or camera-ready stage
|
| modify
| procedures, systems, guidelines, forms, manuals
|
| monitor
| records, accounts, expenditure, consumption, information, trends
|
| motivate
| others
|
| negotiate
| contracts, conditions; with suppliers, groups, individuals
|
| operate
| equipment, machines
|
| participate
| in planning departmental activities, in evaluation and selection of systems
|
| persuade
| others
|
| plan
| events, programmes, schedules, itineraries, directions
|
| prepare
| reports, summaries, agendas, minutes, statistics, recommendations, documentation, background research
|
| process
| complex and detailed accounts, non-standard applications
|
| produce
| reports, summaries, results, documents, tables
|
| program
| computers
|
| programme
| events
|
| promote
| services, books, ideas, people
|
| provide
| service, information, guidance, interpretation; advice based on policy
|
| purchase
| equipment
|
| record
| transactions, proceedings of a meeting, data
|
| recommend
| changes to procedures, purchases
|
| refer
| complex enquiries, people to external providers
|
| report
| on projects, expenditure
|
| represent
| the organisation, the department
|
| resolve
| discrepancies, conflict
|
| respond
| to special requests, complex enquiries
|
| review
| systems, procedures, work area guidelines, structures
|
| schedule
| appointments, meetings, work flow, activities
|
| screen
| calls
|
| supervise
| staff, students, functions, property, programmes
|
| take
| decisions, responsibility, minutes
|
| teach
| school groups, students
|
| test
| equipment, systems
|
| train
| staff, students
|
| type
| manuscripts for publication, statistical tables, technical documents
|
| undertake
| research, secretarial functions for formal meetings
|
| use
| software, computers, equipment, information systems
|
| vet
| applications
|
| write
| minutes, reports | |
