Job applications

Former Member

Hi all

I'm getting back into the world of job applications (groan) after a year in education and a year of a really hideous retail job.

Before my hideous retail work I was a sabbatical officer in a students' union and the sort of work I'm applying for is most related to the work I did there. Is it ok to include that as my most recent employment, even though it's not, because it's the most relevant recent position (if that makes sense?) - I sort of saw my retail job as something of a year out whilst I applied for postgraduate study, so although it was a job it doesn't dramatically inform the skill set I need for the jobs I want.

Help?

Former Member

Hmm, tough one. If you don't include the retail work you will need to explain the year's gap on your CV, so it may be simpler to include the job but not talk a great deal about it. If you did any voluntary work in that year you could put that on as well, to try and shift the focus from being a till monkey to being something a bit more "worthy".

I think the best thing would be to really hammer home the skills and experience you obtained from being a sabb and only dwell a bit on the retail work. If you'd only been in the job a few months you could have fudged it, but a year's gap on your CV would stand out like a sore thumb IMHO.

Former Member

Officially, I was temping when I was in retail, so I was going to put it on but as 'previous' experience because I worked in the same place 2005-8 then 2011. Does that make sense?

Former Member

Put everything in your application, the more job experience you've got the better. 1 year, regardless of how you felt about the job isn't a "blip" on your CV.

Former Member

I'd add the jobb so you don't add a "hole" to your resume, and it's only a year while studying so it shouldn't matter as long as you're trying to emphasize focus on your most relevant work experience.

If you think it'll be hard for your employer to spot the most relevant positions you've had, add a section in your cv about your key qualifications and experience, and place it above the list of all your previous work experiences. In that section, you can sum up your jobs, and really focus on what you learned in the most relevant job(s). It's all about showing a potential employer that you're conscious about what you've learned in the different jobs and have been able to "pick out" what's most important for this particular job. (That's why I advise people not to just send out a standardized cv all the time, as different jobs in different fields have different focus - which should be reflected on a cv.)

Also, be sure to mention any relevant voluntary work etc.

Former Member

Hey there,

When making job applications it is best to order work experiences in date order, because you are bound by the company's application form (normally the application forms just ask you to list your work experience in the relevant boxes). Therefore, if you put your work in a different order they won't be able to see any gaps in employment and it could just confuse the employer.

It is different if you are submitting a CV and cover letter. In a CV you can tailor it to the job specifications; and therefore you can have different headings for your work experience section, for example;

1. Relevant work expereince
2. Other work experience
3. Voluntary work

Also, don't discount any work experience just because it isn't directly relevant. In all work experiences you would have gained skills that can be applied to any job.

You might find it useful to have a look at TheSite's section on Applications for more information and guidance on writing job applications.

Good luck with the job hunting.