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.
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 items:
Optional items that you may also want to include are:
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
|
Contact: Claire Webb, cwebb@csd.uwa.edu.au
Last Update: 7 March 1996
URL: http://www.csd.uwa.edu.au/job/guide/sec_3_1.htm