Demonstrating skills

When you apply for a job, it's up to you to demonstrate to your prospective employer that you're the person they want. Employers receive many applications for each advertised position. They're more likely to select you as the best candidate if you can demonstrate that your knowledge and skills match the selection criteria.

As a new graduate, you may feel uncertain about what you can offer an employer. You've just finished studying, you don't have much work experience, and you don't know how to demonstrate your skills to them anyway. Well, it's not as hard as it seems...

How to demonstrate your skills

Find out what you can offer

You can't demonstrate your skills until you know what they are... So first you need to explore your own career interests, experiences, skills and values. When you know what they are and what you can offer an employer, you'll have the content of your job application. You might want to review:

• Interests
• Values
• Skills

Read the map

Selection criteria are like a map of your job application. They tell you what qualifications and experience, technical and generic skills the employer wants you to have for the job. You need to demonstrate these convincingly in your job application. You might want to review:

• What employers look for
• Addressing selection criteria

Match the selection criteria

Your aim is to match your application exactly to the selection criteria the employer provides. In other words, tell the employer exactly what they want to know. You must use examples that demonstrate exactly when and where you have used the skills and attributes they are asking for. The more recent the example and the more often you can demonstrate your use of the skill, the better. Where possible, refer to your achievements. Don't be shy about describing what you have accomplished and how your efforts have benefited your previous employer or colleagues.

Select your examples

Work through your skills, attibutes, experiences and knowledge to find examples of how you meet the selection criteria. Make a list of examples for each of the criteria. Don't be selective at this stage - make a note of everything you can think of.

Now choose those examples that are most important or significant, or would make you stand out to the employer. You now have the basic content of your application cover letter. If your letter becomes too long, you might have to use fewer examples - and include only those that will sound most impressive to your employer.

All you have to do now is put together your application...