Applying for a Position Ashley Carlson, Assistant Director Matt - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The University of Kansas Medical Center Office of Postdoctoral Affairs & Graduate Studies

Applying for a Position

Ashley Carlson, Assistant Director Matt Falk, Senior Coordinator

Objectives

• Know how to approach a job

announcement and analyze the position description

• Be prepared to make a good

impression with a strong cover letter

• Understand how references are

used to reinforce your qualifications

• Be familiar with some other

common application materials

Analyzing a Job Description

Screening and interpreting a job announcement

Analyzing a Job Description

• Analysis will help you
• Weed out postings that aren’t worth your time
• Identify the best opportunities
• Prepare the best application possible
• Questions to answer
• Do you want this job?
• Do you qualify and will you get through screening?
• Will you have a reasonable shot at landing this position?
• How should I tailor my application materials to stand out from the crowd?

Analyzing a Job Description

• Read many announcements-

look for themes and identify quality

• Your first impression, initial

screening

• Are the

requirements/qualifications appropriate?

• Be on the lookout for scams!
• Be wary of low-effort

announcements

Analyzing a Job Description

• Reading the Requirements & Qualifications
• Only apply if you meet at least half
• Education is a hard requirement- its verifiable
• Importance is indicated in descending order, top to bottom
• ATS: Applicant Tracking Systems automatically screen
• Compare other postings to see where the fluff is
• Keep an eye out for soft or unique skills that can lift you above similarly

qualified candidates

Analyzing a Job Description

• Evaluating Duties and

Responsibilities

• These are good indicators of the

values and work environment/culture

• Ask yourself: Do you want to do

these things?

• Importance is indicated in

descending order, top to bottom

seek lead innovate self-start listen teamwork

Analyzing a Job Description

• Look for application instructions
• Be on the look out for a question- is an answer expected in your submission?
• Carefully note what is required and how it should be submitted
• Know the company that is hiring
• Helps to weed out scams
• Provides useful material for tailoring your materials
• Consider the salary
• Use sites like salary.com or glassdoor.com to find comparable positions if the

salary isn’t readily available

Analyzing a Job Description

• Know the code
• Team player = Working with

people

• Strong organizational skills = busy

workload

• Leadership qualities = command

and inspire people

• Additional duties as assigned = be

flexible and willing to learn

Practice Activity

• Get with one or two people at your table & select a job

announcement from those provided

• Discuss and practice analyzing
• What things help with initial screening?
• How would you consider the requirements/qualifications?
• What can you learn from the duties/responsibilities?
• Are there specific application instructions?
• Is there info about the company?
• Are there any code words? What do they really mean?
• After a few minutes, we’ll report out

Things to look for…

• Application Instructions
• Low Effort/Scam Posting
• Specific Number of References
• Hard Requirements
• Soft Requirements
• Soft Skills
• Company Info
• Salary Info
• Code Words
• Education Requirements
• Indicators of Company

Cover Letters

Your chance to make a great impression

Cover Letters

• Expands upon and introduces your

resume

• No more than 1 page, 3-4

paragraphs

• Use standard business letter

formatting

• Use the cover letter to…
• Show you understand and took time
• Demonstrate writing skills
• Highlight and expand upon skills and

experience

• Show you are familiar with the

company

Cover Letters

• Find the name to address the letter to
• Proofread!
• Email options
• Brief email with attached a cover letter
• Or copy and paste the cover letter into email
• Remove formatting and keep it simple
• Omit business letter blocks
• Hard copy letters should be hand-signed along with typed name

Cover Letter Body

• Start with your interest in the position, how you

learned of the opening

• Name your contact if you were referred
• Next 2 paragraphs highlight skills & qualifications
• This is the place to tailor your letter specifically for this
• pening
• Final paragraph summarize your qualifications,

reinforce your interest, and say thank you!

Your Address Block Date Greeting Use formal- Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. ___ : whenever possible Company Address Block Include the recipient’s name and title whenever possible Sincerely, Signature Typed Name

Basic Cover Letter Building Blocks

Body

• 1. Interest
• 2. Qualifications
• 3. Qualifications
• 4. Summarize

Top portion is your business letter formatting and a good place for template use

References

Reinforce how great you are with strong testimonials

Selecting the Right Reference

• Relevant experience
• Choose someone who knows your experience in particular areas.
• Ex. When applying for a faculty position, choose someone who knows your

experience teaching and your writing skills.

• Discuss your overall character
• You will want some of your references to able to discuss items like your work

ethic, positive attitude, etc.

• Internal references
• They provide an instant connection to wherever you are applying to.
• Especially helpful in larger workplaces.

Reference Etiquette

• How to ask
• Ask for permission first.
• In person or phone call.
• Keep them informed
• Update all references when you apply for a new position and they ask for

reference contact info.

• Send them the actual job description.
• Where to list your references
• Some positions may ask for them upfront, while others will wait until later in

the search process.

Letters of recommendation

• When leaving a position, it can

be appropriate to ask for a letter

• f rec.
• These differ from a reference in

that you can use these for future purposes.

• Gives you additional credibility

and does not force a reference to recall detailed experiences.

Other application tips

More to consider

Research proposals or statements

• Summary of research accomplishments and future goals
• Common in academia, but also other research focused roles
• About 2 pages unless otherwise indicated
• Highlight main themes to your research and your skills
• Provide some specific examples of past success
• Describe the future direction of your research, get people excited!

Personal statements

• Generally, first person voice is appropriate
• Be mindful of word limits- if not provided generally 250-500 words
• Start with an introduction, catch the reader’s attention
• Use the following paragraphs to answer application questions and

argue your fit for the position

• Consider including goals and future direction
• Finish with a summary that wraps up your points in the earlier

sections

Teaching statements or philosophy

• A statement in narrative format describing

your understanding of teaching and learning, your teaching methods and style, and explanation of why you use these methods

• Generally 1-2 pages long, usually in first

person, present tense

• Use approachable, common language-

avoid jargon, but connect to your discipline

• Be your unique self, stand out from the

crowd

Applying for a postdoc

• Some use standard posting and application process, others require

unsolicited emails to PI

• Don’t blanket the world with generic emails!
• Customary to include letters of recommendation with a postdoc

application

• May submit a paper packet if you have unpublished manuscripts to

submit or indicate pending publications or drafts on CV

• Consult your network- faculty, postdocs, alumni for help gauging this

slightly nebulas application area

Federal applications

• US government jobs are all found
• n USAjobs.gov
• Provides a USAJobs Resume Builder

tool- definitely consider this!

• You can still upload your standard

resume or CV as well

• Most applications will include an
• nline self assessment

questionnaire

• Often requires transcripts

Recap

Analyzing Job Descriptions

• Weed out and use your time wisely
• Know if you’re qualified
• Learn about the position and the company
• Apply correctly
• Decipher job ad code

Cover Letters

• 1 page, 3-4 paragraph, business letter format
• Expand upon and introduce your resume
• Find a name to address it to and proofread
• Use the 4 paragraph protocol for the body:
• Interest
• Qualifications
• Qualifications
• Summary

References

• Choose those with relevant experience listed in the job

description.

• Should be able to describe your overall character.
• Internal references help immensely.
• Ask for permission
• Keep everyone informed throughout the search
• Never list your references until you are asked to
• Ask for letters of recommendation when leaving a position

Other application materials

• Research proposals/statements tell about your

research successes and directions for the future

• Personal statements answer questions and describe

your fit for the position

• Teaching philosophy/portfolio should be unique and

describe your methods and justifications in present tense

• Postdoc applications are diverse- use your network!
• Federal format can have extra requirements,

consider using the USAJobs Resume Builder

Questions?

Thank you!

Contact Ashley Carlson at acarlson5@kumc.edu or Matt Falk mfalk@kumc.edu with questions or for further help Visit tinyurl.com/KUMCASCEND for upcoming dates and more information Save the date: November 9- CV and Resume Writing!