Application success

Whether an application form, CV and cover letter, or portfolio of evidence, all of these just give you a structured way to provide information about how you'll meet the requirements for a role.

When we receive your application we don’t know you, make sure you tell us about you, what you can do and why you would be fantastic addition to our team.

Before anything else, make sure you give yourself the time you need to complete your application. Leaving enough time for you or someone else to check it, is sometimes helpful.

Get the diary and pop in some time to prepare, draft, check and submit – all in time for the deadline.

Make sure you read the advert. This will give you the information you need to apply for the role. This may include asking you to provide specific information in support of your application; without this you may not be shortlisted.

So, note down what we’re asking you to do and then begin drafting your application.

Make sure you're clear about the requirements of the role, and how you're going to meet them.

Requirements come in various formats: values, behaviours, knowledge, skills and qualifications. We believe the criteria detailed within the role profile is what we think you need to do the job well.

If you're unsure, get in touch and we’ll happily talk it through.

There are some things that we’ll almost always ask you to provide, such as career history, education, and qualifications. Write these as a timeline, making sure you account for any gaps.

We’ll also ask you to provide information on your career achievements, key skills and how you reflect our values and behaviours.

We suggest that you prepare a list of examples to provide in your application, but before doing this let’s be clear on what we’re asking:

• Achievements – these are your successes showing the effort you put in and the impact of your outcome.
• Skills - are activities that you can perform. Take each skill that is asked for and make a list of the ways you fulfil these responsibilities in your current and previous roles.
• Values - are about the underpinning drivers for our behaviour. These are ‘why’ we do things. Take the values and list as many instances of when you have done things that would show others that you operate consistently with these.
• Behaviours - looking at the approaches you use when you work. They are less about ‘what’ and more about ‘how’. Take each area and make a list of specific times and instances you have shown the positive behaviours required.

The more examples you prepare the easier it will be to draft your response. Identify examples that are as closely aligned to the level and role requirements as possible. If you have to, use non-work examples, but make sure the level and behaviours required are similar to those required by the role.

If you find it difficult to think of examples, or think there is something you can’t demonstrate, ask a friend or colleague who knows you well. Often they will quickly find things you'd forgotten or don’t see in yourself.

Now you've got lots of examples you need to draft your response, carefully choosing your very best evidence that demonstrates you have what we’re looking for.

Remember – we want to see your achievements and skills, not a list of what you do. You need to show us the breadth of your experience and we want to see how you meet our values and behaviours.

Don’t provide anything you don’t need to; be succinct. Make sure you’ve met any word count limits and check your application, refine it if necessary before you submit it.

Your application will be acknowledged. If you want to check up on progress or have any queries, drop us a line at talent@midlandheart.org.uk