Job application advice
Discussion
Right, I'm applying for first proper job. Applying to some grad schemes to start in the Autumn. Trouble is, I'm having trouble reconciling questions like this:
It's easy for the CV+covering letter type applications, but these online form jobbies are a little more tricky.
So come on PH, how do I get my ostensibly irrelevant experience onto these bloody forms. Some of you must have been in this situation before. How did you change industries/careers?
Job application form said:
Please provide details of any work experience which you feel is relevant to your application. This does not need to be a complete account of all temporary/part time positions held while studying. Please only include details of those roles which you feel support your application:
{followed by very prescriptive "employer's name", "employer's address" and "role title" fields on one of those bloody online application forms.
}
with this section of my CV{followed by very prescriptive "employer's name", "employer's address" and "role title" fields on one of those bloody online application forms.
}CV said:
--Employment
-October 2008 – January 2009
{employer} Contracting, Asburton, New Zealand.
Agricultural machinery operator.
-2003 – 2008 Various employers.
General farm work. Duties included machinery operation, main-
tenance and repair, building work, steel fabrication, customer
and supplier liaison.
Typically 60-90 hours/week.
Key achievements:
• Arranging with external customers the efficient and timely
removal of the straw crop from 2500 acres.
• Managing the conversion of livestock housing for 500 pigs.
-Autumn 2003 – Spring 2004
{Family business} Pigman. In charge of daily management of
growing herd.
On the surface, the experience isn't all that relevant to the jobs I'm applying for (mainly engineering). But, I worked bloody hard to pay my way through university, and learned a lot in doing so, and I'd like to get that down somewhere on the application forms.-October 2008 – January 2009
{employer} Contracting, Asburton, New Zealand.
Agricultural machinery operator.
-2003 – 2008 Various employers.
General farm work. Duties included machinery operation, main-
tenance and repair, building work, steel fabrication, customer
and supplier liaison.
Typically 60-90 hours/week.
Key achievements:
• Arranging with external customers the efficient and timely
removal of the straw crop from 2500 acres.
• Managing the conversion of livestock housing for 500 pigs.
-Autumn 2003 – Spring 2004
{Family business} Pigman. In charge of daily management of
growing herd.
It's easy for the CV+covering letter type applications, but these online form jobbies are a little more tricky.
So come on PH, how do I get my ostensibly irrelevant experience onto these bloody forms. Some of you must have been in this situation before. How did you change industries/careers?
You can twist any experience you have to be applicable.
Pigman (nice title by the way) which has taught me time management etc. I used spreadsheets to keep track of feed times etc.
You should be tailoring your CV to the position, that even means your outside interests, do some research.
Use your imagination.
Pigman (nice title by the way) which has taught me time management etc. I used spreadsheets to keep track of feed times etc.
You should be tailoring your CV to the position, that even means your outside interests, do some research.
Use your imagination.
Easy
Conversion of livestock house = must have had some kind of project plan, cost limitations associated with it, managed getting materials on site at the right time etc.
Think about the basic skills needed to do each of the jobs - time keeping, project planning, cost management, contractor management, etc - and talk about these.
Conversion of livestock house = must have had some kind of project plan, cost limitations associated with it, managed getting materials on site at the right time etc.
Think about the basic skills needed to do each of the jobs - time keeping, project planning, cost management, contractor management, etc - and talk about these.
Mattygooner said:
You can twist any experience you have to be applicable.
Pigman (nice title by the way) which has taught me time management etc. I used spreadsheets to keep track of feed times etc.
You should be tailoring your CV to the position, that even means your outside interests, do some research.
Use your imagination.
Yeh thought about swineherd, but I thought maybe they'd think I was taking the piss.Pigman (nice title by the way) which has taught me time management etc. I used spreadsheets to keep track of feed times etc.
You should be tailoring your CV to the position, that even means your outside interests, do some research.
Use your imagination.
Tailoring the CV is easy. It's these application forms that are tricky. Must be some kind of test of intelligence/perseverance. "Pah. You've got your degree. Now fill in this."
I realise they need the data in a set format, and they don't want a load of s
t CVs from idiots with no clue, but bugger I does it make for frustrating going.rhinochopig said:
Easy
Conversion of livestock house = must have had some kind of project plan, cost limitations associated with it, managed getting materials on site at the right time etc.
Think about the basic skills needed to do each of the jobs - time keeping, project planning, cost management, contractor management, etc - and talk about these.
Yeh sounds easy. But I've already talked the job up as much as I can. In reality I was just working for my dad for the summer and there was a bit of digging/concreting that needed doing. Nothing I hadn't done before, but this time dad let me think I was in charge.Conversion of livestock house = must have had some kind of project plan, cost limitations associated with it, managed getting materials on site at the right time etc.
Think about the basic skills needed to do each of the jobs - time keeping, project planning, cost management, contractor management, etc - and talk about these.
Organising the straw involved:
Truckie: Alright my cocker. Where are you?
Me: Just over the back of Cowden. This is all for *** though. You've got the wheat down by Picket Piece.
Truckie: Righto. See you there in a bit.
Clue is in the first line of my job description: "General farm work"
f
k it, I'll just make something up.bitwrx said:
Mattygooner said:
You can twist any experience you have to be applicable.
Pigman (nice title by the way) which has taught me time management etc. I used spreadsheets to keep track of feed times etc.
You should be tailoring your CV to the position, that even means your outside interests, do some research.
Use your imagination.
Yeh thought about swineherd, but I thought maybe they'd think I was taking the piss.Pigman (nice title by the way) which has taught me time management etc. I used spreadsheets to keep track of feed times etc.
You should be tailoring your CV to the position, that even means your outside interests, do some research.
Use your imagination.
Tailoring the CV is easy. It's these application forms that are tricky. Must be some kind of test of intelligence/perseverance. "Pah. You've got your degree. Now fill in this."
I realise they need the data in a set format, and they don't want a load of s
t CVs from idiots with no clue, but bugger I does it make for frustrating going.rhinochopig said:
Easy
Conversion of livestock house = must have had some kind of project plan, cost limitations associated with it, managed getting materials on site at the right time etc.
Think about the basic skills needed to do each of the jobs - time keeping, project planning, cost management, contractor management, etc - and talk about these.
Yeh sounds easy. But I've already talked the job up as much as I can. In reality I was just working for my dad for the summer and there was a bit of digging/concreting that needed doing. Nothing I hadn't done before, but this time dad let me think I was in charge.Conversion of livestock house = must have had some kind of project plan, cost limitations associated with it, managed getting materials on site at the right time etc.
Think about the basic skills needed to do each of the jobs - time keeping, project planning, cost management, contractor management, etc - and talk about these.
Organising the straw involved:
Truckie: Alright my cocker. Where are you?
Me: Just over the back of Cowden. This is all for *** though. You've got the wheat down by Picket Piece.
Truckie: Righto. See you there in a bit.
Clue is in the first line of my job description: "General farm work"
f
k it, I'll just make something up.bitwrx said:
Right, I'm applying for first proper job. Applying to some grad schemes to start in the Autumn. Trouble is, I'm having trouble reconciling questions like this:
It's easy for the CV+covering letter type applications, but these online form jobbies are a little more tricky.
So come on PH, how do I get my ostensibly irrelevant experience onto these bloody forms. Some of you must have been in this situation before. How did you change industries/careers?
Quite a CV you got there.Job application form said:
Please provide details of any work experience which you feel is relevant to your application. This does not need to be a complete account of all temporary/part time positions held while studying. Please only include details of those roles which you feel support your application:
{followed by very prescriptive "employer's name", "employer's address" and "role title" fields on one of those bloody online application forms.}
with this section of my CV{followed by very prescriptive "employer's name", "employer's address" and "role title" fields on one of those bloody online application forms.
}CV said:
--Employment
-October 2008 – January 2009
{employer} Contracting, Asburton, New Zealand.
Agricultural machinery operator and livestock rapist.
-2003 – 2008 Various employers.
General farm work. Duties included machinery operation, main-
tenance and repair, building work, steel fabrication, customer
and supplier liaison.
Typically 60-90 hours/week.
Key achievements:
• Arranging with external customers the efficient and timely
removal of the straw crop from 2500 acres.
• Managing to sexually assault 500 pigs.
-Autumn 2003 – Spring 2004
{Family business} Pigman. In charge of daily management of
growing herd.
On the surface, the experience isn't all that relevant to the jobs I'm applying for (mainly engineering). But, I worked bloody hard to pay my way through university, and learned a lot in doing so, and I'd like to get that down somewhere on the application forms.-October 2008 – January 2009
{employer} Contracting, Asburton, New Zealand.
Agricultural machinery operator and livestock rapist.
-2003 – 2008 Various employers.
General farm work. Duties included machinery operation, main-
tenance and repair, building work, steel fabrication, customer
and supplier liaison.
Typically 60-90 hours/week.
Key achievements:
• Arranging with external customers the efficient and timely
removal of the straw crop from 2500 acres.
• Managing to sexually assault 500 pigs.
-Autumn 2003 – Spring 2004
{Family business} Pigman. In charge of daily management of
growing herd.
It's easy for the CV+covering letter type applications, but these online form jobbies are a little more tricky.
So come on PH, how do I get my ostensibly irrelevant experience onto these bloody forms. Some of you must have been in this situation before. How did you change industries/careers?
M3CHA-MONK3Y said:
bitwrx said:
Right, I'm applying for first proper job. Applying to some grad schemes to start in the Autumn. Trouble is, I'm having trouble reconciling questions like this:
It's easy for the CV+covering letter type applications, but these online form jobbies are a little more tricky.
So come on PH, how do I get my ostensibly irrelevant experience onto these bloody forms. Some of you must have been in this situation before. How did you change industries/careers?
Quite a CV you got there.Job application form said:
Please provide details of any work experience which you feel is relevant to your application. This does not need to be a complete account of all temporary/part time positions held while studying. Please only include details of those roles which you feel support your application:
{followed by very prescriptive "employer's name", "employer's address" and "role title" fields on one of those bloody online application forms.}
with this section of my CV{followed by very prescriptive "employer's name", "employer's address" and "role title" fields on one of those bloody online application forms.
}CV said:
--Employment
-October 2008 – January 2009
{employer} Contracting, Asburton, New Zealand.
Agricultural machinery operator and livestock rapist.
-2003 – 2008 Various employers.
General farm work. Duties included machinery operation, main-
tenance and repair, building work, steel fabrication, customer
and supplier liaison.
Typically 60-90 hours/week.
Key achievements:
• Arranging with external customers the efficient and timely
removal of the straw crop from 2500 acres.
• Managing to sexually assault 500 pigs.
-Autumn 2003 – Spring 2004
{Family business} Pigman. In charge of daily management of
growing herd.
On the surface, the experience isn't all that relevant to the jobs I'm applying for (mainly engineering). But, I worked bloody hard to pay my way through university, and learned a lot in doing so, and I'd like to get that down somewhere on the application forms.-October 2008 – January 2009
{employer} Contracting, Asburton, New Zealand.
Agricultural machinery operator and livestock rapist.
-2003 – 2008 Various employers.
General farm work. Duties included machinery operation, main-
tenance and repair, building work, steel fabrication, customer
and supplier liaison.
Typically 60-90 hours/week.
Key achievements:
• Arranging with external customers the efficient and timely
removal of the straw crop from 2500 acres.
• Managing to sexually assault 500 pigs.
-Autumn 2003 – Spring 2004
{Family business} Pigman. In charge of daily management of
growing herd.
It's easy for the CV+covering letter type applications, but these online form jobbies are a little more tricky.
So come on PH, how do I get my ostensibly irrelevant experience onto these bloody forms. Some of you must have been in this situation before. How did you change industries/careers?
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