View Full Version : HELP! Need "evidence" of skills for Application
It's that time of the tourist season again - my job finishes up on 31st October and I'm up to my ears in application forms. The one I'm really interested in has some up with a set of questions asking me to "provide evidence" of certain skills - and I haven't a clue what to put down!!
Can anyone please HELP?
They are looking for proof of stisfying their requirements on the following:
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Computer literate
Commitment to team working
Excellent excel spreadsheet skills
Excelent Organisational & administrative skills
amongst many others - there is a full page in fact - I'd reallly appreciate just a few pointers to get me off in the right direction......
Pretty PLEASE?????
I am scared of being sarcastic - such as the forst one: "Well, can you read this? You obviously understood me on the phone when I asked for it! That's communicating!"
Now, I KNOW that isn't a good idea, but it's really got my back up - I didn't get a degree or spend 9 years as a housing manager and 2 years as a legal assistant without being able to do all these things!!
To top it all, they didn't bother sending the form until yesterday so I got it about an hour ago, and it has to be back for Friday noon! And I'm supposed to be going away for a couple of days, so need to do it before I go - later today! EEK! :bigeyes:
I've done multitudes of applications before, but this one's really got me! :cry:
Crazy Dog
04-10-06, 02:05 PM
Without some sort of certification you can't give any direct evidence. It's even difficult to give a rank as your idea of 'expert' might be someone else's idea of 'intermediate' (or vice versa). Excel, as all other Office appications, has a great deal of functionality that only becomes apparent as you become more and more experienced. This leads users to estimate that they're more experienced than they really are.
If it's possible to give a comment on the form I'd write something along the lines of (in my case) "Development of complex spreadsheets was a fundamental part of my work between 1992 and 2006. Spreadsheets developed were used for data modelling for testing of complex bespoke computer systems, preparation and verification of data ready for uploading to master tables in complex computer systems, routine data entry and storage, analysis, process control, and production of operational and management information. Use of macros and Visual Basic for Applications was extensive. Examples of my work are available for review on request."
I'm sure there are online assessments but it's probably too late for you to take one now. If anyone knows of any please post them here as I have a friend who would like to assess one of her employees who claimed to be an expert on her CV but is turning out to be worse than useless.
Thanks crazydog! That's my point exactly - it's impossible to assess accurately on paper :banghead: But I have to write 2 or 3 lines on each point - will certainly take some of your pointers - THANKS!
Sorry i don't know of any online assessment tools - but I do know what you mean about people over-estimating their own skills - have had bad experience of that too! And I don't want to fall into that trap myself! :)
the best advice I can give is to type up your apllications :) sounds obvious I know :rolleyes:
I took part in some interviews a while ago where an A critea was good computor/word processing skills and one person hand written the whole lot and wasnt short listed but couldnt understand why!
the post was admin assistant! :D
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Yi Win @ 4th October 2006 - 8:56 PM) 202158</div>
I've been known to read one and rip it up and chuck it into the bin thinking if i am that annoyed at the applicatiuon form theres no point in going for the job as I am sure I would not like it and not last long!!!!
[/b]
Excellent point! I came very close to doing just that yesterday! But as the job is only for 2 days a week, it's ideal for me - can get on with our own house the rest of the time but still bring in some money.
I think it's more important for the post that someone has good people skills and some housing & construction industry knowledge - and doesn't mind going out getting dirty on a site! I just don't understand why they put so much emphasis on the menial parts of the job in the form - unless they just use a standard application form for everyone from IT administrators to joiners..... probably!
Beth - I wish I had been able to type it, but living in a caravan with no space for my PC, let alone a printer, is a bit of a problem! I'm also of the opinion that being able to type doesn't actually show good PC skills as I used to interview plenty of people who had typed forms but couldn't do much more than just type - one couldn't even switch on a computer :banghead:
Oh well I've sent the form hand-written now anyway, will wait and see if I get an interview - although at the risk of sounding big-headed, I do know that I'm over-qualified for the post :lol:
Actually, I've had this problem before - all I ever hear is "why do you want to be an X when you've been the boss of 20Xs for so long?" -
WHY, oh why do emplyers never, ever believe that people want to downsize / have less stress / need less money than they used to / have more time for a life?! :rant: It seems that we are all supposed to be power-crazed, career-hunting automatons, desperate to take our work home with us and all want the Director's job - ! If that's true, then I'll NEVER get a job - :cry: But at least I won't get an ulcer! :D
Sorry for the rant, I do feel better now though! :blush:
Crazy Dog
06-10-06, 12:15 AM
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smoo22 @ 5th October 2006 - 7:39 PM) 202281</div>
WHY, oh why do emplyers never, ever believe that people want to downsize / have less stress / need less money than they used to / have more time for a life?! :rant: It seems that we are all supposed to be power-crazed, career-hunting automatons, [/b]
There's a general assumption that everyone wants to take on more responsibility, earn more, have more power. If you think any other way you are deemed to be a failure.
I gave up a high-profile IT consultancy, which took me around the world for about 10 years, to run a small shop in the leisure industry. That didn't work out so now I've retrained as a plumber. I did try to get back into the IT industry (as a lowly PC technician) but was told at more than one interview that as I'd 'failed' once in the industry I would never get back into it again. :blink: