Guidance on completing the application form
Introduction
By completing this form you will enable us to take into account those achievement and abilities which are relevant to the job/jobs for which you are applying.
Read this guidance carefully and formulate your answer fully before writing anything. This is your chance to highlight the examples from your experience which are best able to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, abilities and experience in the required areas. You can draw on relevant experience you have gained in other jobs or outside the formal workplace. This written evidence will supplement any information you provide at interview.
Completing the form will also help you to prepare for an interview.
How to complete the competency evidence sections of the application form
The competencies are part of British Council\'s core competency framework and identify core skills, knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes seen as critical for achieving successful results in these roles. You should draw on your past experience inside and outside the work situation to demonstrate evidence of each competency and record what you have achieved.But what you have achieved is not all we want to know.We also want to know about the skills, knowledge, abilities and approach you used and that you might be able to apply in a different situation in the future.
For each competency give an actual example, from the last two to three years if possible. You can draw on relevant experience you have gained in the workplace or outside the formal workplace. Confine your answer to a maximum of 200 words. It should cover:
·the circumstances (nature of the problem or objective)
·the impact (outcome or result)- this should not be more than a brief sentence or two.
·behavioural evidence, i.e. what you actually did
·proportion of the achievement for which you personally claim credit
Evidence in excess of 200 words will not be taken into account
Circumstances and impact
Describe what you did and what was achieved. Write a short summary of between one and two sentences describing the facts surrounding the situation, how it affected the organisation, the project, the customers, etc. and any problems and difficulties that you encountered. Convey the significance of what was done and how it affected the outcome, together with some brief details of what was involved. For example.\'We had to develop and implement a new process for promoting local education opportunities but were constrained by budget cuts throughout the department. As a result of working with local authorities we achieved our objectives within budget and within the 3 month timescale\'.
Behavioural evidence (what you did)
This is really the most important part, as it concerns explaining what you actually did. Give a brief summary of the critical actions you personally took that relate to the competency in question. The best way to approach this is to ask yourself:
What were the one or two key things I did that had the greatest impact upon the final result?
Competencies and skills required for this post are listed in the linked job description.
The application form, job description and guidance on completing the application form are linked to this job advertisement. Candidates are strongly advised to read guidance on completing the application form before completing the application form.
Interested applicants should submit a completed British Council application form to us.
Deadline for applications is 17:00 on 6 January 2006. Interviews will be held the week of 16 January 2006. If you have any questions about completing the job application form please email to us.
Please see www.britishcouncil.org.cn for more information about our work in China.
The British Council, operating in China as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy, is inviting applications for the two posts.
