37 tips to make your application a success! Part 1

You put so much thought into what you should add into your resume/P11/PHP (or whatever the application form is called in the organization you are applying for). Impactpool’s 37 unique tips help you to focus on the right things and make your next job application, the best ever.

A resume template for an International Organization looks different compared to a private sector application template. When applying for the UN it is important to include all your experiences, starting at the earliest year of your career although these experiences no longer have relevance for the job you apply for. In this article, we focus on   37 tips that make your next application the best you have ever made.  We start with the cover letter, we continue with format tips and end with what kind of experience you always should highlight in any application to an International Organization.

Cover letter
1. What is the optimal length of a cover letter?

Keep the length within one page, preferably half a page. Make your statement short and to the point. I never read long cover letters, if the cover letter is too long I start with the application and first if the applicant meets requirements I return to the cover letter.

2. Structure of the cover letter in a clear and logical way

The order of provided information may be different, but a good cover letter for an application to an International Organization should include the following content:

• Introduction, where you express the interest in the job, a smart start is to list the requirement and highlight that you meet them all: - Into the role of Director Administration, I bring 20 years' extensive experience of leading large teams across the globe…”
• Pitch and motivation - highlight the three main reasons why you are the candidate for the job, use the T-table structure to identify what three reasons you should select.
• Save the summary of your background, education, professional experience, skills and competencies to the resume/P11/PHP or what the application form may be called;

3. Show your personality in the Pitch and motivation statement and make the reader remember you

When applying for a value-driven organization, don’t forget to have your value proposition shining out in your pitch and motivation. Make sure that when you study what you have written that it is clear that you respond to the question - “Why am I applying to work for [Organization X]?

4. Avoid using clichés in your Pitch and Motivation statement

“Save the world”? “Serve a great cause”? “Help the poor”? A recruiter that sees this will just put your cover letter to the side. Pitch your application, tell a bright inspirational story, three selling points which stand behind your desire to work at [Organization X], be personal introduce yourself as a real person!

5. The sales pitch:

Make sure your cover letter is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered, easy to read and not cramped – here is where the use of a T-table and a structure using IPAR, STAR, CARI and CARL play a pivotal role; remember that the purpose of your cover letter is to get the recruiter’s attention. So ask yourself: Is my cover letter selling’?


Formatting
6. If not an application system, structure most recent experience at the top

Always structure your work experience in the old fashioned reverse chronological order (where your most recent experience is listed at the top). 

7. Never use visual or clipart - studies show that visual elements reduce recruiters’ analytical capability and block rational decision-making.