When you apply for a job, you will have to find examples of where you can demonstrate the skills needed for the role you are applying for. You need to make sure you read the job specification carefully to pick out which skills the organisation wants you to illustrate in your application. This activity shows you how to identify skills in a job specification, find examples of common skills, and how communicate these skills during an application/interview process.
See below a Chat GPT-generated job specification for a marketing role. Read through the specifications and notice the highlighted skills. The 'reflections' summary then notes which Sheffield Graduate Attributes (SGAs) this specification matches.
We are seeking a creative and detail-oriented Marketing Coordinator to join our team. This entry-level position is ideal for an English degree graduate with a passion for marketing, strong writing skills, and a desire to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment. The Marketing Coordinator will assist in the development and execution of marketing campaigns, content creation, and the management of social media accounts.
Content Creation: Write and edit engaging blog posts, articles, social media content, and email newsletters that align with our clients' branding and marketing goals.
Social Media Management: Assist in planning and executing social media strategies, including scheduling posts, engaging with followers, and monitoring social media trends.
Campaign Support: Help develop, implement, and track marketing campaigns across various channels, including email, social media, and web.
Market Research: Conduct research on industry trends, competitor activities, and target audience preferences to inform marketing strategies.
Analytics and Reporting: Monitor and report on the performance of marketing campaigns using analytics tools, providing insights and recommendations for improvement.
Collaborative Projects: Work with graphic designers, content creators, and other team members to ensure cohesive and effective marketing efforts.
Administrative Support: Assist with administrative tasks such as maintaining marketing calendars, organizing marketing materials, and coordinating meetings.
Creative - Innovative, Problem Solving, Research Skills
Detail-orientated - Study Skills, Academic Writing, Critical Thinking
Strong writing skills - Academic Writing, Communication, Influence
Align with our clients - Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Inclusive, Adaptable, Commercially Aware
Planning - Research Skills, Study Skills, Collaboration, Communication, Self-awareness, Autonomy
Email, social media, and web - Digital Fluency, Digital Communication, Digital Citizenship, Communication
Research - Research Skills, Research Impact, Critical Thinking, Translating Knowledge, Adaptable, Commercially Aware
Monitor and report - Academic Writing, Study Skills, Research Skills, Research Impact, Critical Thinking, Translating Knowledge, Adaptable, Commercially Aware
Work with - Collaboration, Leadership, Influence, Communication, Networking, Emotional Intelligence, Community, Problem Solving, Translating Knowledge, Knowledge Exchange, Autonomy, Self-awareness, Innovative, Adaptable
Assist - Collaboration, Influence, Communication, Networking, Emotional Intelligence, Community, Problem Solving, Translating Knowledge, Knowledge Exchange, Autonomy, Self-awareness, Adaptable
You can find examples of how you have used these skills (and SGAs) during your personal, academic, and professional experiences. You can hopefully see that even though one skill is noted in the job specification, there are lots of attributes that you can demonstrate to show that you understand what it means to be good at this skill and why you might feel confident using this skill in this role.
You might be able to find an example to demonstrate the 'Work with' skill during any group work you have been a part of. You can then communicate how you have used this skill and where you have been able to use all the SGAs that match. You can use the STAR technique to help you clearly structure your answer. The STAR Guide can help you with this.
Once you have read the marketing role example, read the Chat GPT-generated job specification for a Graduate Programme Officer role. Like the marketing role example, pick out a list of the skills that are mentioned in the specification and then decide which SGAs match this role. You can then explore examples of when you have used some of these skills using the STAR technique.
We are seeking a passionate and dedicated Graduate Programme Officer to join our team. This role offers a unique opportunity to work on impactful projects, develop programme management skills, and contribute to meaningful change in society. As a Graduate Programme Officer, you will assist in the development, implementation, and evaluation of our programmes, ensuring they meet the needs of our beneficiaries.
Programme Support: Assist in the planning, coordination, and delivery of various charity programmes and initiatives.
Research and Evaluation: Conduct research and collect data to support programme development and assess the effectiveness of ongoing initiatives.
Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with beneficiaries, volunteers, partners, and other stakeholders to ensure successful programme outcomes.
Administrative Tasks: Handle administrative duties such as scheduling meetings, maintaining records, and preparing reports.
Communication: Draft and edit content for reports, newsletters, social media, and other communications to promote our programmes and initiatives.
Event Coordination: Support the organisation and execution of events, workshops, and training sessions related to our programmes.
Monitoring and Reporting: Monitor programme progress, track key performance indicators, and prepare regular reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Team Collaboration: Work closely with programme managers and other team members to ensure cohesive and efficient programme delivery.
Highlight the skills mentioned in this specification and write a list of these skills. Now, match these skills with matching SGAs and write an example of when you have used these skills using the STAR technique.
You can use this technique with any job specifications you want to apply for. You can also practice this again by exploring job adverts on Career Connect (or other job advert websites) or asking Chat GPT to create new ones for specific roles.
By completing this activity, you will have used these SGAs:
Growth Mindset
Defining Purpose
Self-awareness
Communication
Critical Thinking