APPLICATION/RESUME Preparation for Transit Chief 2017

Recruitment/Selection Process

AGENDA

• Introduction

• Disclaimer

• Purpose of Application/Resume

• Preparation for Selection Process

• Logistics

• Questions

Purpose: Have a clear understanding of a preparation technique for application

and resume development.

DISCLAIMER

• Disclaimer – This course is intended to assist potential applicants in the preparation of materials for the Transit Chief process. It is by no means a foolproof method of advancing in the selection process, but rather, a guide of preparation techniques that we in HR have seen as helpful to applicants. Applicants are not required to take this course in order to be considered for the position.

PURPOSE OF APPLICATION/RESUME

Preparation for Selection Process

Explains how your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities relate to the job you’re applying for

Gets you to the interview stage

PREPARATION FOR SELECTION PROCESS Spoiler Alert: doing your homework in preparing your application

and resume is also preparing you for an interview

REQUIRED MATERIALS

• Online Application • Purpose: The ‘nitty-gritty’ details of the

job(s) you’ve done • Extra Credit – describe your job in a way

that relates to the position you’re applying for (i.e. highlight leading, communication, problem-solving, etc)

• Requires ten years of history

• Can include all relevant experience, not just Transit, not just work

• For Transit Chief – Supplemental Questions

• Resume • Purpose: Highlights your proudest

achievements in each of your roles • Should not have experience here that is

not also reflected on your application

• Very important to relate this back to the job

• Top three-five accomplishments per job • Be the movie trailer, not the movie

• Resume length • Consider your audience

TAKE NOTE!

• This is an online application process –

• If you’ve applied online before, MAKE SURE you are updating your application with current and relevant experience

• Be aware of the checkmarks!

• Make sure you attach all required documents

• Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your materials

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Companion Document to ANY Selection Process

TRANSIT CHIEF COMPANION DOCUMENTS

• Competency Profile for Transit Chief

• Website Job Descriptions

COMPETENCY PROFILE

• These are the competencies identified as being key to success in the Transit Chief role

• They will be assessed in the application and interview process

• Become familiar with the competencies

Competency Resources

WEBSITE JOB DESCRIPTIONS

• Formatted to show job duties first

• Bottom section shows the most important minimum qualifications

• Your materials must demonstrate how you meet and/or exceed each of the qualifications for each position you wish to be considered for

• You will be prompted to do this on your supplemental, but should aim to do this for all of your materials

• On site, lists each of the Transit Chief positions being recruited for

USING THE COMPANION DOCUMENTS

• Go through them line by line • Document your experience for each item

that clearly demonstrates competencies, qualifications, and job duties

• Don’t need ALL of them, but should have a majority, (should be clear how you are qualified)

• Pick experience that has most ‘bang for the buck’

• Spoiler Alert: Interview Prep • For each example, consider this:

• What was the situation?

• What action did you take?

• What was the result?

• What did you learn, or what would you have done differently?

• How did you apply what you’d learned in another situation?

• Now – identity any other competencies/qualifications that your example demonstrates

ONCE YOU’VE IDENTIFIED YOUR EXPERIENCE

• Sort into:

• Those that describe your current/previous jobs well – this is for your application

• Those that stand out as accomplishments, things that are unique to you and what you bring to the role – this is for your resume

• Special note on acting experience:

• Just because you have acted as a Transit Chief does not necessarily make you qualified to do the job permanently. You still have to describe what you did, and how you stand out from a crowd of individuals who have very similar experience to you

TAKE NOTE!

• For Education • If the position has a degree requirement,

experience relevant to the position can be supplemented in lieu of a degree, in a year for year conversion

• And, unless the degree is transferrable, you should not assume that it can be substituted for an experience requirement

• For Training • Evaluate your training for

recency/remoteness, and relevance to position.

LOGISTICS Other items to consider

GRAMMAR/SPELLING/PUNCTUATION

• Not something that would prevent someone from moving forward, but errors are distractors that can take away from your message

• Use Spell Check

• Be aware of typos: i.e. Manger v. Manager

• Try to view your documents in hard copy form

• Have someone else look over your materials

• This is where that friend who corrects restaurant menus comes in handy

• Bonus: if the reviewer can tell what you are applying for from your materials, then you’ve done well

AESTHETICS

• Keep it simple, unless you’re a graphic designer

• Use resume templates and wizards

• Pay attention to margins, 1”

• Objectives – feel free to leave them out to create more space

• Save in .pdf format

ROOKIE MOVES

• Leaving information off of your application

• Saying ‘Will explain in interview’

• Saying ‘See Resume’

• Cutting & pasting application to resume and vice versa

• Not attaching all required materials

• Assuming that because you advanced in the last recruitment that you’ll advance in this one off of your old materials

• Not making an effort

QUESTIONS?

Reeshema Lewis

Senior HR Analyst for Transit Chief Recruitment

206-263-8413

reeshema.lewis@kingcounty.gov