Introduction & Background Information
The initial application process is used as a fast way to sift through potential employees to obtain a refined list. Employers will always be looking for things that make you stand out from the rest of the flock. These can include your internships/vacation work, university club or project involvement, extra-curricular activities, and interesting hobbies or experiences. Applicants should also be aware that numerous companies send the applications through a computerised screening process which pick up on specific key words with the aforementioned topics. You won’t know what these key words are so it’s best to cover all your bases.

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Tips

• Ensure you submit both your CV and Application Letter to each Grad job regardless of whether or not it is required and tailor it to suit the position you are applying for.

• Ensure you adequately research the position beforehand and know what the company is looking for in their new recruits.

• Briefly address any selection criteria in your cover letter, why you think you’d be a good fit for the company.

• Be yourself on your CV. People read them, and having tidbits about hobbies make you memorable and more human, not just a name and a number.

• Always try to be concise, the people who read them have to sift through 1000’s of applicants.

• You should try to make your applications visually appealing in terms of formatting. The more that it stands out the better. There is a limit to this (don’t use word-art rainbow font for instance), but within reason you can use colour and styling to make your CV and Cover Letter stand out. Microsoft Word has some great templates you can look at for inspiration.

• If you have had an internship/vacation experience or any engineering experience for that matter, don’t just put down the responsibilities that you had at the company. Employers are more interested in what YOU personally did. For instance, employers would rather hear that you increased productivity by 10% rather than you were just responsible for increasing productivity.

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Conclusion
The application process can be a tough and tedious time, however there are definitely ways
to make yourself stand out. Try to be yourself as best as you can and concisely present your
professional and personal experience. Applying these tips will give you a great chance of
moving onto the next stages of the employment process.