1. EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS HOW TO MAKE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS

2. WHY YOU NEED EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS Whatever plans you have for the future – apprenticeship, employment with training, Post 16 qualifications, college or university course – you will need to know how to make an effective application. • PREPARING A CV • WRITING A LETTER OF APPLICATION • COMPLETING AN APPLICATION FORM

3. WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION • These days all organisations expect you to have, not only good qualifications, but a range of SKILLS (things you can do). • Use evidence of the relevant employment skills that you have developed (both in and out of school) to demonstrate that you will be an effective employee or student.

4. EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SKILLS • Working effectively with other people • Being organised and working independently • Thinking creatively to solve problems • Communicating well – in writing, verbally and using ICT • Presentation skills

5. Use your ‘HOW TO MAKE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS’ booklet for help with… • Writing a letter of application • Building a good quality CV • Filling in an application form correctly

6. PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS…

7. BEFORE AN INTERVIEW • Find out about the organisation – its history, what it does, how big it is, etc… • Check where you have to go for your interview – find it on a map, work out how long it will take to get there and how you will travel • Decide how you will dress for the interview – employers will expect you to take the interview seriously and dress smartly to show you are keen • Think about why you want the job – read your copy of the application form • Think about what skills you can bring to the job – make sure you can prove that you have these skills and what evidence you have to demonstrate any relevant skills • Try to guess what questions the interviewers are likely to ask and think of some good answers • Try practising your interview technique and get some feedback • When you are given an opportunity to ask your own questions, what will you say? It’s a good idea to have some ideas in advance

8. AT THE INTERVIEW • Try to make a good first impression – smile, appear confident and mature • Answer all the questions as fully as you can – provide evidence to support what you say (but don’t waffle!) • Never answer questions with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ • Show your enthusiasm throughout the interview • Be positive about yourself and your abilities • Make good eye contact with the interviewers • Think about your body language as well as what you say • Remember your questions for them – prospects for career progression and further training are always good things to ask about