How to apply

Applying for an advertised position online...

Select the advertised position you are interested in Career Opportunities. Open the link and follow the prompts. The Applicant Details form is enclosed with the Position Description.

View the Applicant Details here.

What to expect of the recruitment and selection process?

For information on what to expect and what to include in your application see Applying for an Internal Position.

For further queries, see FAQs

Covering Letter Tips

This letter opens the door to introducing yourself and showing that you have the capabilities required by the position. What does it need to include?

• Provides broad information to show that you meet the selection criteria without having to specifically address each criterion in a separate statement (unless you really want to)
• May provide one specific example of selection criteria to demonstrate depth (optional and apply to critical areas)
• Stated interest in the role

Résumé Tips

An up to date résumé close to hand means that you’ll be ready to apply for your next job role or better still make your mark before a job is even advertised.

What is important is the information you forward not necessarily the order in which it is presented. Here’s the suggested checklist for your résumé:

Personal details

There’s no need to have a separate page, it’s just wasting paper. List your name, contact details, postal address, and email address if you can access your email daily. If you’re already working at UWA then include your work telephone number. Make sure you have voicemail on your telephone or mobile. Don’t include your work number if you’re not an employee unless you have some privacy and can take a personal call.

We don’t need to know your age, marital status, family status, religion, health, political persuasion, or ethnicity when you apply, as this information is not relevant to your ability to do the job. If a position requires discrimination on these grounds, then this will be advertised and you will need to indicate if you meet this requirement.

If you are an international applicant you need to be eligible to work in Australia. For further information refer to visas and citizenship.

Career objective (optional)

Consider including this information to identify your career goals and match it to the job that you apply for.

You can choose to leave this section out but do include it in your letter of application.

Career Profile (optional)

Keep this brief and punchy. You want to create a logical story of work experience. If you’ve moved downwards or sideways then indicate your reasons for doing so, for example, to accommodate a young family, study needs, or look after sick parents.

You can choose to leave this section out but do include it in your letter of application.

Education & qualifications

List the qualification gained, when and from where the qualification was obtained, the country/city the institution is located in, starting with the highest level of achievement.

If you are part way through your studies then indicate when your study commenced.

Include any prizes or scholarships you have been awarded.

If you are a recent graduate and just started your career then include your subjects relevant to the position requirements.

If you are an academic then place education and qualifications before employment history. List your publications, conference papers, research grants, committee work, and teaching portfolio in job specific information.

Employment history

List your most recent employment and then work backwards. List the most important component company or job title and be consistent with the format. For example, Wesfarmers, Corporate Services, Personal Assistant or Chief Executive Officer, SME. List your commencement and completion dates.

Job summary

Next to the company and position title, describe the job responsibilities in a single statement or, if detailed, use bullet points to briefly provide a description. Then include your main achievements. These should be around what you have delivered in one or two statements. Use bullet points if there is more than one major achievement.

Quantifying achievements may be difficult in some jobs so outline your action and the result.

When employment history is 10 years old, or irrelevant to the job, group the information and provide less detail.

Job specific information

Include specific information that is requested or will strengthen your job application. This may include

• Technical training
• Professional affiliations and memberships
• Research grants
• Joint ventures
• Committees
• Licenses and accreditations
• Language skills
• Awards
• Interests

For example, for academic positions and leadership positions the University will be interested in your professional network and your relationships within the community and industry.

Referees

Choose your referees who can support your application for employment. Check with them to gain their consent and support prior to listing them as your referees. Remind them of your skills and tell them about the position you are applying for. Check on their availability to provide a reference. Unless specified in the job application, you may choose not to include referee details in your résumé but indicate that they are available on request. Academic positions usually require at least three referees.

Formats

Choose the format that best suits your employment history and skills you want to transfer into the new role.

The chronological format lists your most recent job to the last relevant job. It is used when there is a sequential career progression that leads up to the job which you are applying for or when you want to change from one tertiary institution or related industry to another.

The functional format lists your functional skills that you have acquired. You can use this approach first then add your employment history after this. This approach enables you to show how your skills acquired over different industries, different work, study or other experiences can be transferred to directly to the position that you are applying for.

Alternatively combine these formats to showcase your experience and skills. Use the functional format to show your employment history. Use the chronological format to group the selection criteria and write against these in your résumé.