osce.org Department of Human Resources. September 2018

Preparing a Job Application for the OSCE

Webinar Outreach Programme

Get Pen and Paper

Speakers

Marta Fernandez de Mazarambroz Recruitment Officer

Gustavo Araujo Chief of Recruitment

Agenda

1. Planning your application

2. Understanding the Job

Description

3. Describing Achievement and

Responsibilities

4. Recruiter’s Corner

5. Tips on Creating a Cover

Letter

6. Q&A

Planning your application

What are the main tasks and projects of the

work unit?

Is this the work area for you?

Do you have the relevant skills and

experience?

Would you enjoy the tasks associated with this position?

Does your profile match

the job minimum

requirements?

Realistically assess the job market for your

area of expertise

Research before applying

OSCE Core competencies

Check Job Description

carefully for

Competency definitions

and levels of proficiency

needed since they vary

by position.

Jobs.osce.org

Sample Competency

Initiative Taking

Required Skills and Experience

Education Experience

Languages (Requirements or

Assets)

Required Skills and Experience Associate Project Officer (P2)

Required Skills and Experience How do

I stand

out?

Minimum Skills and Experience

Education Experience

Languages (Requirements or

Assets)

Putting Job Description in Context

Duties and Responsibilities

Competencies and Expertise

Qualifications, Experience and Language Skills

Putting Job Description in Context

Duties and Responsibilities

Competencies and Expertise

Qualifications, Experience and Language Skills

Gender Differences in Application Patterns

Understanding the Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

How can I

show that I

have ‘directly

relevant

experience?’

How can I

show that I can

‘hit the ground running?’

How do I

show that I

have potential

transferable

skills?

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Needs of the Organization My professional Experience

Duties and Responsibilities

Needs of the Organization My professional Experience

Designing an outreach and partnership

strategy and establishing partnerships

Supported an outreach campaign and

assisted manager in liaising with potential

partners. Directly involved in the

development of key partnerships.

Preparing substantive and financial

reports and liaising with donors as

required

Collected information from diverse

stakeholders to support in the creation of

reports

Representing and delivering

presentations in formal and informal for a,

meetings and discussions, inside and

outside the Organization as requested

No experience / but comfortable with

presenting in front of audiences as

currently possess client-facing position…

Recruiter’s Corner Bit.ly/martaosce

Describing your Achievement and Duties

Positive Results

Focus on YOUR ROLE

Quantify

Awards

Relevant Skills

Impact

Creating a Profile: Achievement and Duties

*Achievements

• Quick overview of positive results you have accomplished

• Be clear about your role / contribution

• If possible, quantify the achievement (number of individuals trained, amount of money saved)

• Mention related awards and acquired skills

• Indicate how your achievement affected the team or even organization

Describing your Achievements

Sample 1

Advised the national Minister on Social

Policy on combatting human trafficking

matters, and spearheaded the

legislative package establishing safe

centres for victims across the country

and their entitlement to social and

financial assistance.

Describing your Achievements

Sample 2

Designed and delivered 30 outreach

presentations online to an audience of

>1,000 law makers from South Eastern

Europe in 20 months. Topics focused on

raising awareness of innovative policy

solutions to support gender

mainstreaming practices.

Describing your Achievements

Sample 3

Organized 3 large conferences on

human rights in the past year

counting with the attendance of

2,300 participants including high

stakeholders from delegations.

Describing your Achievements

Sample 4

Implemented new travel policy with

effective controls, resulting in greater

efficiency and consistency in travel

planning and a $100K reduction in

costs.

Describing your Achievement and Duties

Tailor

Show FIT

Action Verbs

What, Why, How and for Whom

Relevant Skills

Impact

Creating a Profile: Achievement and Duties

*Description of your duties:

• Show the hiring manager how your past responsibilities make you a good fit for the job

• Tailor each application to job!

• Start each statement with an action verb to make it concise and emphasize your role

• Write statements that demonstrate what, why, how, for whom and where you performed the duties

• Use a few modifiers along with action verbs to enable hiring managers know how you performed the duties such as ‘successfully, efficiently, independently.’

Use Action Verbs

Use Action Verbs

Be truthful and realistic about

your descriptions and

achievements.

You lose credibility fast if the

achievement do not align with

your reported experience, job

title or organization.

How do you align

with the

mandate of the

Organization?

Creating a Profile: Cover Letter

Introduction

Argument

Closing

•How do you align with the Organization’s mandate?

•Why do you think you’re a fit to make an impact?

•Show evidence of accomplishments

•Don’t regurgitate your resume

•How do you use your transferable skills?

•Re-iterate your potential value-add

Cover Letter

Be professional and straightforward

Letters should be clear, well written and properly formatted

Avoid slang and informal language

Use complete sentences with appropriate grammar and spelling

Follow instructions regarding cover letter and job application

What did we learn today?

1. Planning your application

2. Understanding the Job

Description

3. Describing Achievement and

Responsibilities

4. Recruiter’s Corner

5. Tips on Creating a Cover

Letter

6. Q&A

Talent Acquisition Newsletter Every month, you will receive:

- Webinar of the Month Announcement

- Tips for Job Applications, Interviews and Career

Management from best practices in the private, public and

multilateral sectors

- OSCE in Action (snapshot of the OSCE activities across its

region on video, podcast, photo essays or short articles)

- FAQs

- Open vacancies

Join us next month for another webinar!

https://us.cubiks.com/insights/international-secondments-huge-opportunity-organisations-and-individuals

LIVE WEBINAR - Preparing a Job Application for the OSCE

Marta Fernandez de Mazarambroz Recruitment Officer

Gustavo Araujo Chief of Recruitment

WEBINAR

IN

PROGRESS