From the Teacher Support Network, www.teachersupport.info.

APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS
Landing an interview and making your first impression a strong one

A Practical Guide

Making an application

Once you have decided to apply for a job, make sure you’re properly prepared. Put simply, a good application will get you interviews which lead to job offers. If properly produced, it will highlight your skills, accomplishments and work experience in a way that distinguishes you from the other candidates. Read through all the application details carefully and do some extra research if you feel you need it. Here are some tips for completing your application:
  • Photocopy the form and do a draft version first.
  • Make sure your answers fulfil the person specification.
  • Check your spelling and grammar - get a friend to look through it for you.
  • Keep a copy so that you can remind yourself of your responses, should you get an interview.
Supporting letter
You also need to write a supporting letter to accompany your application. This should be concise - no longer than one side of A4 - and should re-emphasise your good points.

Tone
When writing a letter of application, it is important to keep the tone professional and focus on demonstrating your experience as effectively as you can. Your letter of application should be more than a list of what you have achieved. It also needs to communicate your personal philosophy of teaching.

Linking to the Job Description
Be aware that a person specification and job description are two separate things. Make sure that your letter addresses both.

It is important to scour the person specification for approaches and personality traits that are desired for the job. Aim to use these words in your letter and link them to your own experience. If the specification calls for ‘a positive attitude’ then use this phrase in your application, linking it to a concrete example of when you have displayed this particular trait.

Likewise, it is a good idea to shape your teaching experience to suit the job description. Make sure that your letter links to skills and experience outlined in the job description. Ideally, your experience will reflect many aspects of the job description, but if not, you will need to think about how you can ‘talk up’ the experience you already have or qualities you have that would enable you to meet the demands of the job description.

When you are satisfied with your application letter, ask someone to read it through, checking for accuracy. A fresh pair of eyes can often pick up mistakes you might miss. This is extremely important, as inaccuracies could suggest to prospective employees that you are not 100 per cent committed. If your attention to detail is poor on a letter of application, what could that say about your professional skills?

A strong supporting letter is vital, as it will often set you apart from similarly experienced candidates. Feel free to bring some of your personality into this letter, but avoid waffle and any attempts to be too humorous!

Tips for CV writing

Most posts now require you to fill in an application form, though occasionally you may be requested to send a CV instead. You need to tailor your CV to what the school wants in a candidate. What key elements did they ask for in the job description? How specifically are you suited for this particular role and organisation?

Your CV should:

• Be simple, clear and to the point.
• Be no longer than two sides.
• State clearly why you are qualified for the role.
• Highlight your skills, abilities, achievements and work experience.

Your CV should contain:
  • Contact details
  • Personal statement
  • Education and qualifications
  • Employment history
  • Other skills
  • Other relevant experience
  • Interest and hobbies
  • References
Most importantly - tell the truth! Whatever you do, don’t lie on your CV. You may think you can get away with it but it is far better to be open about anything you are less than proud of on your CV. If you do put deliberately misleading information on your CV the word will get around.

Our factsheet a model CV for teachers will show you the ideal layout and content of your CV.

Why do I need to give a reference?
Whenever you apply for a job, in order to ensure that the appointment process is carried out correctly and fairly, there is normally a section on the application form that asks for details of a referee to give a short statement about you saying that you have been a competent employee and that they believe you would be able to do this job.

Usually they will ask for two referees, and usually they will ask for at least one to be from your current or most recent employer. If you are applying for your first job then a reference from a school, college or university would normally be fine. The form will often ask you if your referee can be contacted before appointment: you are free to indicate on your form that your referee should not be contacted until your application has been successful. If appointed it will be under the condition of satisfactory references being received.

What happens next?
Once you have sent your form off, the human resources department at your potential employer have the right to follow up the references (but will wait until offering you a position if you have asked them to. They will normally write to each referee asking them to provide a reference about you although this could be done via email or a telephone conversation.

It’s quite common for the employer to send out a copy of the description of the job for which you are applying. Very often once the short listing process is complete even before the interview, although it’s common for references to be followed up after the interview, especially if you are to be invited to second interview or have indeed been successful.

Worried about your references?
Generally all data given in a reference should be based on fact or capable of independent verification and the reference must not give an unfair or misleading impression overall. This means if a reference contains negative elements, it must be accurate and they must be able to support any reference that is negative if asked to.

Your previous employer can refuse to give a reference, however, it is rare for an employer to refuse - partly because it is established practice to provide a reference and a refusal could result in adverse consequences for the employee.  If an employer does refuse and you have already been offered the job then it is difficult for employers to change their minds after they have appointed on the basis of a negative or no reference. Even if you receive a negative reference the employer may still appoint you.

Can you see your references?
The CIPD website can be a really useful resource on the different areas of the recruitment process.

According the to CIPD, under the Data Protection Act 1998 it is no longer possible to guarantee that a reference will remain confidential. The author of a reference may stipulate that it is confidential, and need not show it to the employee.

However, employees can ask their new employer for a copy of the reference which may be discloseable if it is proper to do so, having balanced the rights of the author, any other person mentioned in the reference, and the employee. Ideally steps should be taken to obtain the consent of the author.

What do I need to do?
  • It’s a good idea to keep a copy of your application form along details of your referees.
  • If possible let the person know if you have put them down as a referee for you – this will enable them to be prepared for the request and they will be able to return it quickly.
  • Indicate whether the referee can be contacted prior to an offer of the job being made.

Source information:
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