Week 3 - Employment Applications and Professional Interviews

Class Date: Thursday, 4th August, 2011

Today's class could be considered a guide on how to get that job. The first part of the class dealt with applications. What to include, what to exclude and how to judge whether your content is relevant. I found it to be a very useful topic and I now have a hand-out that I shall be referring to again and again in the future.In the past I've been so worried about producing a good application that I can't maintain a clear perspective on whether or not my application is appropriate. Thankfully I've always had good proof readers but now they shouldn't have to work so hard.

I also liked the advice on getting information about the perspective employer. It is something that I've known about but I've always been timid about. Prof. Shortis' instruction that it must be done under whatever guise possible encourages me to make the approach. 

The interviewing topic was also interesting. This is something that I've never felt overly awkward about. I just assume that everyone in the room is nervous. But the reinforcement of the notions of preparation were very good. I assisted my housemate by being a mock interviewer when he was applying for his first medical placement. He in turn did the same for me when I was applying for my cadetship. While these mock situations don't strip all the fears away they do give you a confident platform to start from.

Overall I believe the messages of this weeks lecture is that we should research, prepare and pay attention to all the details of each application we make. If our applications show that the correct consideration has been put into them we are likely to make the shortlist for the interviews. And if we have prepared ourselves to the best of our ability then whatever the outcome of the interview something will have been gained, if only for the next time.

Links

You're Hired!

An interesting piece from America on seeking work and staying sane during a recession. A lot of it is not directly related to this weeks class but it shows that often a mindset, an attitude and persistence offers a good start.

Applying for Jobs Guide from ANU

I found it a few years ago and it has since been the base upon which my applications are always built.

The Trainspotting Interview  (contains adult content)

Once seen it is never forgotten. Spud does his very best to not get a job, while tyring not to look like he is intentionally bombing it so that he keeps his dole payments.While this may not be the most proper content to go on a school blog I feel that its appropiateness to the topic grants it permission to be here.