Application Hints and Tips

Application Hints & Tips

Applying

Review the role requirements closely in preparation for your application and assessment.

The application form asks you to provide a CV and cover letter to explain how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the mandatory and desirable role requirements listed in the job advert. 

See also the Managing Your Application section.

Tips for writing your cover letter

Applications are assessed against key criteria specified in the job description in order to draw up a short-list of candidates for interview.

The cover letter gives you the opportunity to show the shortlisting panel why you think your knowledge, skills and experience are a good fit with the requirements of the role. The best approach is to copy the mandatory and desirable criteria from the job advert. Then for each of these criteria provide a succinct summary or a few bullet points to explain why you think you meet that criteria. If you do not meet any or all of the desirable criteria requirements you can simply remove those criteria from your letter.

Try to use an easily readable font and size for your cover letter (e.g Arial, Cailbri, Times New Roman and font size of 10-12) and avoid italic text. 

Tips for writing your CV

Two or three A4 pages would be the maximum expected CV length.  

The panel will be looking for details of relevant work experience, in reverse chronological order. This is the most important section, as information about your past experience will help inform us about your potential for the position. Refer as much as possible to specific achievements e.g. length/budget/scope of projects you have worked on, results achieved etc.

The panel will also be looking at educational background and training which is relevant to the role you are applying for.

We do not require additional personal details or photographs on CVs other than the personal details you will be asked to provide when you register and complete the application form. 

Try to use an easily readable font and size for your cover letter (e.g Arial, Cailbri, Times New Roman and font size of 10-12) and avoid italic text.

What qualities do we look for in a candidate?

When assessing candidates, we look for a range of technical skills and qualifications as well as ways of working such as proactivity, communication and collaboration skills, flexibility and adaptability to change.

For senior and managerial positions, we also look for proven management and leadership skills.

The Interview

An interview panel usually consists of at least three people. That may seem daunting but don't let that put you off, the panel will be seeking to make the interview as relaxed as possible for you to talk about your experience, skills and knowledge and how these fit with the requirements of the role.

If you have been asked to prepare a presentation, you will be expected to keep it to the time requested.

If you are connecting via a video or audio link and the line is not clear for some reason, make sure you explain this to the Panel. It is better that they are made aware of this. 

In your preparation for the interview, make sure to look for information on SKAO’s website about the organisation and the team you are applying to work with.