Job Application Skills

Job Application Skills

Training Session
2013

Job Application Skills

Learning Outcomes
Develop a clear understanding of the duties and

responsibilities within a role description Explore Lominger competency framework as it applies to the recruitment process Analyse competencies to assist in preparing a written application Develop strategies to assist in preparing for a selection and interview process.

Job Application Skills

Analysing a Role Description

Activity: Note the key differences between your current role and aspirational role From your role description, choose one competency (your experience and skills) and link to duties (your key responsibilities) Identify the most complex tasks to focus on.

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Analysing a Role Description (cont.)

When you analyse the role, what additional

questions come to mind? What would you want to ask the contact officer? Where else could you gather information about the role/business unit/organisation?

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What is a Competency?
A competency is the behaviour, skill and/or knowledge

an individual brings to a job in order to perform the task and functions of the job successfully. The job is a set of deliverables, each of which requires a number of individual competencies. Competence is the behaviour demonstrated by an individual when performing these tasks well and using them to meet personal and work objectives.

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Choosing the Competencies

Competencies determined as part of Business

Planning process using the Lominger Leadership Architect Documented in Position Descriptions Set for each level/classification

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Writing your Application - Tips

Keep to the length specified in the role description Keep it brief, but cover each of the competencies in

the your experience and skills section of the role description With a short application, your resume must shine do not cut and paste your duties into a resume, concentrate on outcomes/achievements Focus on discretionary effort.

Job Application Skills

Writing your Application Tips (cont.)

Edit your application, paying attention to your spelling and

grammar, remember this is evidence of your ability to write effectively. Suggested format: I have XXX skill(s), What I do specifically isan example of this is Remember the panel will read lots of applications. What will make your application stand out? What differentiates you from other candidates? Will the person reading your application picture what YOU do?

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Assessment Techniques

Work test or work samples Presentation Discipline history check/referee check Observation/fish bowl technique, role plays Structured interview Situational/scenario based questions Behavioural interviewing Written application.

Job Application Skills

Behavioural interview questions will be more pointed, more probing and more specific than traditional interview questions.

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Example Questions in a Behavioural Interview

Describe a difficult problem that you tried to solve. How did you identify the problem? How did you go about trying to solve it? (Demonstrates problem solving). Describe a time when you tried to persuade another person to do something that they were not very willing to do (demonstrates leadership). Describe a time when you decided on your own that something needed to be done, and you took on the task to get it done (demonstrates initiative).

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Dimensions of Behavioural Interviewing

Dimension 1: Has the candidate demonstrated the skills in good situations and in bad? Dimension 2: Has the candidate witnessed the skill being performed well and handled poorly? Dimension 3: Does the candidate understand how the skill works in him/herself and in others? Dimension 4: Does the candidate have the skill to:a. Repeat/improve skill in the future? b. Enhance learning how to do this?

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Competency: Priority Setting

Dimension 1: How have you involved others in helping determine priorities? Give me an example. Dimension 2: Contrast the best and worst priority-setters you know. Dimension 3: How would you know if someone is bad at setting priorities? Dimension 4: Has your ability to set priorities always been this way?

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The Star Model

Situation: What was the situation? What is the context of your example? This is an example of a previous situation where you have demonstrated a particular skill or ability.

Task: What tasks were involved? What was to be achieved? Project Plan. Demonstrated skills, knowledge and ability.

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The Star Model (cont.)

Action/Activities: What activities did you do? What action was taken/necessary to achieve the tasks outlined? Result(s): What happened as a result? Was your work approved, supported, accepted, implemented, successful? Think about outcomes, impact, achievements and targets.

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The Context Content Outcome Model

Context: What was happening i.e. the events. Content: Your responsibility, were you:

in charge? responsible for certain tasks? part of a team that was responsible?

Outcome(s): What happened as a result, was your work:

Approved, adopted, successful? What difference did your work make to the organisation?

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Using the STAR or CCO model

Using your chosen Lominger competency compose a S.T.A.R. or C.C.O. example from your own experience to demonstrate that you are skilled at this competency.

Job Application Skills

What will the Panel look for?

Evidence that you have demonstrated the competency in the past Evidence that you know what the competency is or have seen it demonstrated by others Alignment with the skilled definition of the Leadership Architect Competency.

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Structured Probes

Actions - How did they approach it? Thinking - Why did they select that approach? Outcome - What was the result? Learnings - What did they take away? Application - Have the lessons been used again?

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Why focus on Learning Agility?

Few jobs will stay the same over time. No matter what competencies you select, the job will change. Change requires learning new or different skills. Its difficult to find the perfect candidate who totally matches the job profile. Some skills will need to be learned on the job. Learning agility is a key to predicting how well a person can make changes and acquire new skills.

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Learning Agility Evaluation

Passive/Non-learners

Active/Agile Learners
Likes challenges Open to ideas of others Specific/detailed Many interests/sources Accepts personal risks; takes

Takes the path of least resistance Closed/internal processor General Narrow in interests/sources Avoids risks; waits; prefers staying the same Cautious Closed; low interest in feedback.

the lead in first time situations Energetic; experimental; high drive Asks for feedback; seeks improvement.

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Learning Agility Evaluation (cont.)

Passive/Non-learners

Active/Agile Learners
Focus on why and how; new

Focus on what answers and solutions Planful; follows steps and process Lives in the present Doesnt spot underlying patterns Cant explain ideas/concepts well Likes own personal solutions.

approaches Resourceful; gets it done somehow Comfortable projecting into the future Detects essence Makes the complex understandable Helps others think things through.

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Managing Anxiety
C Comfort: both clothing and the interview

environment A Air: deep breathing to focus and relax L Lack of stimuli: i.e. coffee, sugar or nicotine M Motivation.

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Thank you for attending