In addition to downloading our resume and cover letter templates, here are our top tips to make your application stand out: 

1. Research the company to get an understanding of the business and how the role you’ve applied for fits into the organisation.
    
2. Tailor your application to the job you are applying for by personalising your cover letter and addressing the skills and experience requirements listed in the job ad directly. 
    
3. Don’t write too much. A one-page cover letter and a two-page resume is enough. Using clear headings and bullet points will help the employer read your application. 
    
4. Follow any instructions listed on the job ad. Some employers want a cover letter, others want applications sent to a certain email. Failing to follow the instructions may mean you are overlooked. 
    
5. Double check your spelling and the presentation of your application. If you include the name of the company or hiring manager in your application, make sure to spell it right!
    
6. Be positive about your skills and experience but don’t provide misleading information – employers will check that the information you provide is correct. 

Looking for work shouldn’t end up feeling like a full-time job. Use these tips to save time and get right to the roles you want to find.

1. Use keywords in online job searches. Keywords can be the industry you wish to work in (for example plumbing), the job title you are searching for (for example 1st year apprentice plumber), a company name and location.  
    
2. Put yourself out there. Many apprenticeship jobs are never advertised so let your family and friends know you are looking and approach potential employers to see if they have any opportunities coming up. 
    
3. Create job alerts. Set up your job search criteria when searching on job boards and get alerts straight to your email. 

It’s important to put your best foot forward in an interview and preparation is key. Our top tips are: 

1. Research the company to get an understanding of the business and how the role you’ve applied for fits into the organisation. 
    
2. Look up what some of the most commonly asked interview questions are (hint: see below!) and practice answering questions out loud.
    
3. Be punctual and try to arrive 5-10 minutes early so that you are not feeling rushed or under pressure.
    
4. First impressions count so dress appropriately and be sure smile, shake hands and make eye contact when you first meet and before you leave.
    
5. Nothing is more distracting than a ringing or vibrating phone so turn it off or leave it at home. 
    
6. Don’t be worried if you can’t answer a question immediately. It’s ok to ask the interviewer for a moment so you can think about your answer or refer to notes. 
    
7. Make sure you have thought about some questions to ask the interviewer. Don’t focus just on salary, working conditions or start date – feel free to ask questions about the role such as what kind of team you’ll be working with!

It is important in an interview to give the interviewer a sense of who you are, not just how well you can do the job. Some commonly asked questions (and how you may choose to answer them) include:

1. Tell me about yourself. Show the interviewer the real you – but keep it short! Try to focus on aspects of your life that may relate back to the job you have applied for.
    
2. Why do you want this job? This is your opportunity to show that you have done your research and have some knowledge about the job and company. Try not to use your own words instead of repeating what is on the website.
    
3. What are your strengths? Review the job ad and see if it lists any of your strengths (these may be character traits, physical skills or intellectual capabilities). Narrow down to 1-2 strengths and be sure to use examples of how you have used these strengths in the past. 
    
4. What are your areas for improvement? Usually this question means the interviewer wants to see if you are aware of your abilities. Focus on areas that relate to the job and be open in sharing a skill or attribute you want to improve.
    
5. Why should we hire you? This is your chance to sell yourself and explain what may set you apart. Explain what you have to offer, where you see yourself in the future and provide examples of your key skills and attributes that are relevant to the role. 

Behavioural interview questions focus on how you have behaved in different situations. 

When answering, it can be helpful to use the STAR model to make sure the interviewer understands your answer. 

• Situation – What was the situation?
• Task – What were you trying to achieve?
• Action – What did you do?
• Results – What was the outcome of your action?

Some commonly asked behavioural questions include: 

1. Describe an occasion when you have gone out of your way to help a customer.
    
2. Describe an occasion when you worked effectively in a team. What was your role? What impact did you have? 
    
3. In various situations in life, you may encounter people that you don’t get along with or agree with. Describe an example of when you have experienced this and how you managed that person.
    
4. Describe an occasion when you have taken the initiative and solved a problem on your own. 
    
5. Describe an occasion when you made a mistake.
    
6. Give an example of an idea you have come up with and successfully implemented.
    
7. Give an example of a situation when you had to complete tasks with competing deadlines.
    
8. Describe an occasion where you needed to make a good impression on someone. How did you achieve this?

Employability Skills are general skills and traits that employers think make a good employee. They include:

Communication: active listening, body language, showing empathy, writing/speaking/articulating clearly

Learning: being open to ideas, enthusiastic, able to make self-assessments, goal-setting

Organisation: planning, scheduling, coordinating, meeting deadlines, ability to prioritise

Problem-solving: taking initiative, being solution-focused, decision-making, taking action

Teamwork: trustworthy, understanding your role, showing respect

Reliability: punctuality, responsibility, attendance, consistency, fulfilling obligations

Personal presentation: Appropriate language (spoken and body), facial expressions, work appropriate dress, personal grooming