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I have a science degree and right now have no career goals.
And at the moment, I want a job. ANY job.
But the thing is, on every online job application (whether it be for finance, IT, engineering, sales or marketing), I just don't know what to write for those LONG competency questions...
I obviously can't write "I JUST need a job GOD DAMMIT and will even take a pay cut if I have to"...but then again, I don't know how to answer questions like "Why are you interested in marketing" or "Why are you interested in a career as an office clerk " or "Why finance" or something....
So I would greatly appreciate any advice anyone can offer me on how I can go about cracking these job competency questions because right now, its just me against those computer softwares which these HR guys use which automatically filter out my application to oblivion because it doesn't have the right "key words"....
Unfortunately, those of us with terrific writing skills (I was an author, writer, editor, textbook writer) had horrible science and math skills (even though I wrote high school level natural science textbooks, ha!), and sometimes the reverse is true.
You need to learn to write as if you know what you're talking about (I'm not being rude, I had to write magazine articles I knew nothing about all the time), and that either comes from a really confident sense of self, or a creative writing class.
If you are asked why you are intested in a marketing position, you could say something like (don't use this, it would be plagerism, which is illegal): "I find my science background has enlightened me to the possibility toward inventions. I would like to gain first-hand knowledge of the marketing process to provide me with the needed education and skills needed if I ever decide to take this plan further."
I'm just making something up on the fly. It obviously doesn't necessarily fit your situation. Think of it as a thesis paper. Work on it as a paragraph at a time.
Unfortunately, those of us with terrific writing skills (I was an author, writer, editor, textbook writer) had horrible science and math skills (even though I wrote high school level natural science textbooks, ha!), and sometimes the reverse is true.
You need to learn to write as if you know what you're talking about (I'm not being rude, I had to write magazine articles I knew nothing about all the time), and that either comes from a really confident sense of self, or a creative writing class.
If you are asked why you are intested in a marketing position, you could say something like (don't use this, it would be plagerism, which is illegal): "I find my science background has enlightened me to the possibility toward inventions. I would like to gain first-hand knowledge of the marketing process to provide me with the needed education and skills needed if I ever decide to take this plan further."
I'm just making something up on the fly. It obviously doesn't necessarily fit your situation. Think of it as a thesis paper. Work on it as a paragraph at a time.
Feel free to contact me for more help if needed.
what you wrote magazine articles with that?
enlightened me to the possibility........what does that even mean? Enlightened is an adjective not a verb.
provided me with the needed education and skills needed........that sounds redundant.
As I said, I wrote it on the fly. I'm currently disabled and don't have the skills I once had. It doesn't matter what I wrote, I was just giving you a way to put words on paper that didn't say "I need a "G-d damn job!"
Many of them are called Unicru tests. The best way to answer them is in the extreme, never in the middle. Search for "unicru" and you'll even find the answer key for them.
The bottomline is that you must answer the question like a sucker weakling employee would, even if it's not true. They also ask you the same question at least 3 more times in different ways, so pay attention to that as well.
enlightened me to the possibility........what does that even mean? Enlightened is an adjective not a verb.
provided me with the needed education and skills needed........that sounds redundant.
And how is that helping the OP insulting someone?
Anyway OP I think you were given great advice. Just think about the job you are applying for and how your qualifications can fit into the job skills. One article I read had great advice. List all the skills needed in one column, and in the other, write how you can fill those skills.
Not all jobs are scanned simply by a computer. I had to take an exam and fill out a competency section. It was all reviewed by the owner, no computers involved. It might be different for larger companies though. Either way, those questions are in place to prevent the wrong person from being hired for the job. What happens if you get the job, and have no clue what you are doing? That's what companies are trying to prevent, so both parties aren't wasting their time.
Many of them are called Unicru tests. The best way to answer them is in the extreme, never in the middle. Search for "unicru" and you'll even find the answer key for them.
The bottomline is that you must answer the question like a sucker weakling employee would, even if it's not true. They also ask you the same question at least 3 more times in different ways, so pay attention to that as well.
You are referring to personality assessments, I'm fairly certain he is referring to open-ended questions.
Also, Unicru/Kronos is really not that common so I wouldn't be telling people that. They were common about 10-15 years ago, but I work in the assessment industry and I can tell you most companies do not use Unicru/Kronos.
Quote:
Originally Posted by veuvegirl
And how is that helping the OP insulting someone?
Anyway OP I think you were given great advice. Just think about the job you are applying for and how your qualifications can fit into the job skills. One article I read had great advice. List all the skills needed in one column, and in the other, write how you can fill those skills.
Good luck!
It typically helps with credibility when you can show that you at least remotely have the skillset you are preaching.
I'm not sure what OP means by competency questions, but if they are open-ended. Be honest. There has to be something you find intriguing about the job or you wouldn't want to work there at all. For example, even if I was forced to work in a low-level job I'd apply to a grocery store because I like stocking shelves and completing tasks, instead of working at a fast-food joint.
You are referring to personality assessments, I'm fairly certain he is referring to open-ended questions.
Also, Unicru/Kronos is really not that common so I wouldn't be telling people that. They were common about 10-15 years ago, but I work in the assessment industry and I can tell you most companies do not use Unicru/Kronos.
Um, no disrespect, but when I had this same problem two years ago, the people who helped me said these personality tests were called "unicru". Whether they are or not, doesn't matter. When I did a search under "unicru" and/or "personality tests" I was linked to the answer keys and the proper way to answer the questions.
I'm too lazy to do it for the OP and since he has a masters in science and other stuff, I'm sure they can google the info themselves.
Um, no disrespect, but when I had this same problem two years ago, the people who helped me said these personality tests were called "unicru". Whether they are or not, doesn't matter. When I did a search under "unicru" and/or "personality tests" I was linked to the answer keys and the proper way to answer the questions.
I'm too lazy to do it for the OP and since he has a masters in science and other stuff, I'm sure they can google the info themselves.
My point was just because the company you applied to used Unicru does not mean everyone uses it. Very few do. So to tell someone it is Unicru and to answer extremes may not be an accurate statement and may cause a person to fail an assessment they would have otherwise passed. I worked for a consulting firm and we supplied tests to many high volume retail, shipping, manufacturing companies and we most certainly were not using a Unicru test. Your advice would have caused a person to fail our assessment.
Just because somebody said it on the Internet does not make it true.
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Chill
insulting someone? 
