Hey guys,

I'm applying for a job, and the main question they ask me on the form is to specify why I want the job. Now I don't know what to write, I've never been any good at this part of an application.

The application pack says these points to mention:

1. Tell us how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification. In particular, what skills you have, with examples if possible. Remember, you need to convince us that you are a candidate we should interview, so just telling us that you are good at something without explaining further would probably not be enough. We are looking for you to give us information about all the skills you have and / or we need, so a couple of short paragraphs in answering this will probably not be enough.
2. Tell us why you want the position. This is the less important element of this question, but we would like a paragraph telling us why you want the job. Try to avoid answers that are just clichés.
3. Give us some idea of whether you would like to study for qualifications as part of the training programme. You will not be held to this but it is useful for us to have an idea. (We will not base our short listing on whether candidates want to study or not.)

Now the 1st part is easy enough as I'll just go through the person specification and explain what I have. I just have no idea what to put for the rest.. it's confusing for my poor brain >.<

If it was me, I'd be brutally honest.

"I'm applying for this job because I have bills to pay, want to save up for nice things, and NEED THE BLOOMIN' MONEY!"



I don't think that was quite the help you were after, mind.

What's the job? Might help with what to say.

It's for "IT Trainee".

http://www.soha.co.uk/Corporate/Jobs/Pages/Jobs.aspx - tells you about the job there

Address each of the points like this: an example of what you did, what did you learn from it, how can you apply it to the training. eg I was involved in the college revue where I was in charge of a props design team. I found it challenging because there was conflict within the team from the beginning but was able to diffuse and help resolve the issues. I learnt that it is important to try and address any conflict within a team so it functions well.


You need more specific information. Why this job rather than a similar job. What do they offer?
study leave and assistance will be provided for anyone wishing to gain formal qualifications
What kind of assistance? If you find out that, for example, they run tuition classes for trainees to help prepare for exams, you can write that in this bit. It shows you've bothered to find out about the course. You really need to chat to somebody who's doing the course now so you can use that info to help you.
range of training and personal development opportunities
Again what are these? I would want to know before applying. Worse case scenario is "yeah, we give you half a day off to do the exam".


Realistically, you need to show you have an endpoint in mind. What you want to do? Where do you see yourself in the future? Will this course help you get there? Then you can state "I want to do xyz. I want to achieve abc qualifications" - it shows you're thinking about the future.

It looks like networking might be a big part of the job so I would mention courses that involve network qualifications. I would ask about what OSes would be used as would be helpful in knowing what existing solutions are available and could be modified. Also research back ups as that linked to a network would be very handy for such an organisation, whether onsite offsite etc. The software could be standard or custom built so that is another area of questioning, and support. Would they need their own in house support so that would make the job a much better long term bet.

Holy crap.

I live (and grew up) in Didcot and know someone that used to work the same job.

TBH he hated it and ended up moving to another company... the town's also pretty crap >.>

Not wanting to discourage you or anything... just giving you a heads up ;>

Well to be honest, it'll be better than what I'm doing now.

Didcot isn't that bad, live not far from it

vdbswong, any way you could in touch with that chap on behalf of lou? Might be able to gove her some guidance forthe job application/interview?

So... I... see....

Well anything's better than Abingdon really



Which chap? I can only see a telephone number/email rather than a person.

Although I think Lou could drive there faster from Abingdon than it'd take me to walk out there.