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The Application Process
The document provides tips for job applicants on preparing for and navigating the application process. It discusses researching the company and position, ensuring one's online presence and qualifications are suitable, writing a strong CV and cover letter, and optimizing documents for applicant tracking systems. The key steps are to thoroughly research the role and company before applying, craft relevant and quantifiable achievements in the CV, address the job criteria directly in the cover letter, and use a simple, keyword-optimized format for electronic submissions.
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The Application Process
- 1. THE APPLICATION PROCESS YOU SHOULDKNOW THIS BEFORE YOU SEND THAT CV BY OLUWATOYIN PUDDICOMBE #TOYINTALKSTALENT HTTPS://MEET.GOOGLE.C OM/PMC-IDOU-YDV
- 2. • I aman HR professional with over a decade of active work experience. I have worked in Aviation, Business Services, Consulting, and Insurance, gathering and acquiring skills and competences in Client Services, Relationship Management and Human Capital Management with a strong bias for Talent Acquisition and Development. • I believe that our work is a platform for sharing our gifts with the world. Unfortunately, a lot of young graduates underestimate themselves for various reasons; the economy, wrong course choices, wrong career choices, failure to plan their careers, multiple rejections and so on. • I believe that each person is uniquely gifted by God to make their way in the world using those gifts and I would like to help in discovering them and finding fulfilling careers. • This is the reason for Toyin Talks Talent. Oluwatoyin Puddicombe ACIPM, SPHRi, SHRM
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- 4. WHAT KIND OFCOMPANY IS IT? • What can I offer? What makes me stand out? • Do your Research. Is it an industry that interests me? • Where is it located? • Where does it fit in my career plan? • Can I build a career there, or is it a temporary job? • If a career, where do my skills fit? • If a steppingstone, what do I want to gain from there and how best can I get it?
- 5. Is there anything inappropriateon my social media? • Profanity • Following or liking controversial people Do I need to update my LinkedIn profile? Can I learn about the company from friends or connections?
- 6. What would Ibe doing on the job? Can I do the job? Do I have the skills they asked for? Do I have the qualifications? If I don’t have all these but I know I can do the job, how do I convince them?
- 7. APPLICATION Writing your CVand Cover Letter
- 8. TIPS FOR WRITINGA GOOD CV DOS • Choose a good format or template • Choose a good font. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or fonts like these are best. Size between 10 and 12 points. • Be consistent and uniform in your spacing and arrangements. • Check spelling, grammar, tenses, names of companies and people for accuracy. DON’TS • Use bright colours. However, industries that are creative like advertising allow for some license • Include your photograph except specifically requested. • Include unnecessary information like age, marital status, LGA, secondary school, languages spoken (unless specified)
- 9. WHAT A GOOD CVSHOULD HAVE A BASIC OUTLINE
- 10. 1. CONTACT INFORMATION •Name • Contact Address – this could be you own address or where you can be reached • Email: [email protected] or [email protected]. Do not use casual addresses like [email protected] • Phone number • LinkedIn address – make this a hyperlink so that the recruiter can go straight to it.
- 11. 2. CAREER SUMMARYOR PROFESSIONAL PROFILE • Simply put, it’s ‘this is who I am, and this is what I want’ • It is a hard-hitting introductory paragraph packed with your most sought-after skills, abilities, accomplishments, and attributes. In short, your career summary is key to getting noticed. • Include your career objectives • Resist overselling yourself. Be confident but modest. • Check https://zety.com/blog/resume- summary for more samples Agile and well-organized receptionist with 6+ years of professional experience in the private and public sectors. Skilled at dealing with sensitive situations and keen to support ABC Inc. with organizational, diplomacy, and communication skills. At DEF Inc., implemented a CRM system with reporting capabilities that contributed to cutting costs by up to 25%. Insightful sales associate with 5+ years of professional experience in online and print media. Eager to boost DEF Inc’s revenue by at least 40% over the next fiscal year. In previous positions, exceeded quarterly sales targets by 10% every quarter. Maintained a customer retention rate of 90% YOY thanks to which won Salesman of the Year Award in 2018.
- 12. CORE OR KEYSKILLS • List your strengths. Find the professional lingo to describe them. • Prioritize those that are relevant to the job you are applying for. • Examples are: Problem solving, Emotional intelligence, Sales leadership. Data Analysis, Languages. Mobile app development, People management, Video production Oral and written communication skills, teamwork, agility, adaptability etc. • Remember that digital skills are in demand now so include any you have
- 13. EMPLOYMENT/WORK HISTORY • Listin chronological order, include position details and dates • Include Achievements: achievements should be in format TASK, ACTION, RESULTS • Start with an ‘action word’: it positions you as a ‘doer’ and not a ‘looker’. • Results are the impact on the company • Results must be measurable / quantifiable results / benefits.
- 14. EXAMPLES What did Ido? What was the Result? Made a complicated inventory program for my company. Saved the company time and money. Wrote a complex inventory application, saving time and money. Implemented a new accounting system Implemented a new accounting system for multiple locations reducing time for customer inquiries Implemented a new client service program Developed and implemented client service program, which expanded small-to-medium client base 35%
- 15. EXAMPLES OF ACHIEVEMENT STATEMENTS • Developeda new employee orientation program that 100% of the company locations adopted. • Responded to over 85 customer calls daily and solved 90% of their concerns. • Served customers in a positive way, receiving two customer service awards in the past year. • Assisted credit manager in account collection by phone and mail, increasing accounts receivables by 20%. • Created a multi-media campaign that increased enrollment by 700 students in eight years.
- 16. LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS •Re-organized something to make it work better • Identified a problem and solved it • Came up with a new idea that improved things • Developed or implemented new procedures or systems • Worked on special projects • Received Awards • Been complimented by your supervisor or co- workers • Increased revenue or sales for the company • Saved money for the company • Saved time for the company • Contributed to good customer service
- 17. OTHER COMPONENTS • Education Includeuniversity, dates, discipline, and details of degrees,. • Professional Qualifications Certifications and Accreditations • Computer Skills • Volunteer Experience • Training and certification • Awards (Optional and only if relevant) • Publications (For Academic roles only) • Books (mention as accomplishment) • Professional Memberships • Interests/ Hobbies
- 18. WRITING A GOOD COVER LETTER ABASIC OUTLINE
- 19. COMPONENTS • Your contactinformation, • A salutation • The body of the cover letter, • An appropriate closing and a signature.
- 20. STRUCTURE AND FORMAT •There are two main types of cover letter • the targeted letter - for use when responding to specific advertisements • the speculative letter - for use when approaching companies “cold” • The letter should be presented by following standard business letter protocol and should be written in a simple and concise manner, with no spelling or grammatical errors • It should be four to five paragraphs and should not exceed a single side of A4. • There may be instances when this is not the case, but always follow these rules, unless instructed to the contrary.
- 21. FIRST PARAGRAPH • Explainyour reason for writing and, if this is a targeted letter, where you saw the advertisement. • You should then grab the reader’s attention by including a few lines about what you have to offer, ensuring this is directly relevant to the particular role (targeted) or type of position (speculative) that you are applying for.
- 22. THE NEXT TWOPARAGRAPHS • Focus on your skills, experiences and achievements. • In the case of a targeted letter, it is important to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria specified in the advertisement. • If this is a speculative application, think about what skills are looked for in the type of role you are targeting and make these the focus of the two paragraphs. • A cover letter should also include something directly related to the company that you are writing to. • It is a good idea to state what it is about their organisation that interests you and, if you can include any statistics or snippets of information, that indicate that you have done some research, this can only improve your chances.
- 23. THE FINAL PARAGRAPH •Thank them for their time and consideration and proactively encourage an interview, stressing your flexibility concerning interview dates and times. • In summary, your cover letter should pick out the very best bits of your CV, without just repeating the information verbatim. • It should convey a positive approach and attitude and should grab the reader’s attention. • Sign off with your name and repeat your email address and phone number.
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- 25. WHAT IS THEAPPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM (ATS)? • An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that manages the recruiting and hiring process, including job postings and job applications. It organizes and makes searchable information about job seekers. As its name implies, an ATS tracks candidates through the hiring process • Today, approximately 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies rely on ATS software to help streamline their recruitment process (topresume.com)
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- 27. If the addoes not specify, use an MS Word document Don't put important details in the header or footer. Might get ATS scrambled! Optimize your resume with keywords. This largely depends on the role JD.
- 28. Avoid images, charts, andother graphics. They can become scrambled or left out Stick to simple bullet points. Another scramble alert. Use a clean resume design with a clear hierarchy
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- 30. PAY ATTENTION TOTHESE • Make sure your resume is well labelled: name surname month year. E.g. John Doe June 2020 • Make sure the recipient’s email address is accurate • Make your cover letter the body of the email • Make sure the subject accurately states that it is an application. Note that sometimes the ad specifies how to label your application. • Do not send your resume as part of an email trail. Always send a fresh application in a new email.
- 32. JOB BOARDS • LinkedInjobs • Hot Nigerian Jobs • Glassdoor • Jobberman • Jobgurus Nigeria • Jobstoday • Jobomas
- 33. REFERENCES AND RESOURCES •Jobs.telegraph.co.uk • Resumelab.com • Ecs.ihu.edu.gr/co/ • Topresume.com • https://simpleresume.com/simple-resume-format- bullet-points/ • Sending your job application: a few dos and don’ts by Oluwatoyin Puddicombe (LinkedIn article)
- 34. CONNECT WITH ME! •Twitter - @toyintalktalent • Instagram - @toyinpuddy • Facebook – Toyin Talks Talent • LinkedIn – Oluwatoyin Puddicombe
Editor's Notes
- #31 These are for general applications. Networking is a different topic as well as using LinkedIn optimally.