Application Guide
How To Write An Application
Applications are daily business within HIA, for almost everything meaningful within HIA it is required to write an application. However applications can be hard to write for some members, therefore we have decided to create this guide to help you write the perfect application for anything you wish to join. The information included can be used for your own improvement.
Tips
1. Take your time
Rushed applications will most likely be filtered out rather quickly because it provides the basic answers almost every member can think of. It is better to write a well thought out and accurate application rather than joining the mass and not standing out. Taking your time will also help you to filter out errors, so always double check your application before submitting.
2. Meet their interests and requirements
Make sure you know what the SU/Team is asking for, indicating why your skills and traits match with the SU/Team you are applying for. It is important to be very specific in your wording when addressing this matter so that the reader actually understands what you can provide to them.
3. Sell yourself
Write your application in such a way that your strong points stand out and that your bad points sound like strong points. Try to refrain from any negative sentences about yourself, always try to show the best of yourself within the application even while describing situations which can be seen as your weak sides.
4. Keep it relevant
While you may want to include every little bit of experience you have, it’s important to grab the reader’s attention, which means you should only write down the information that is relevant to the SU/Team. Anything that isn’t linked to the SU/Team or their requirements should be left out or should be mentioned briefly at the end.
5. Include examples/situations
Always include examples and situations where you have shown your skills and expertise. Because when you mention you have a certain skill or trait it will put more weight to it if you can take the reader to a situation where you actually showed this skill or trait. If you have problems thinking of situations it can be a good idea to ask someone close to you where your skills/traits have shown in the past.
Application Steps
This section will grant you more information on how to properly apply for a Special Unit and how to prepare yourself to write a perfect application. Special Units and Teams are very important within HIA because it grants you more experience which you can use later on in your career. The steps that can be followed before applying are as follows:
1. Gathering information about what you are applying for
There are multiple options to get information about SU’s:
> Go to the special units page on our website
Applications are daily business within HIA, for almost everything meaningful within HIA it is required to write an application. However applications can be hard to write for some members, therefore we have decided to create this guide to help you write the perfect application for anything you wish to join. The information included can be used for your own improvement.
Tips
1. Take your time
Rushed applications will most likely be filtered out rather quickly because it provides the basic answers almost every member can think of. It is better to write a well thought out and accurate application rather than joining the mass and not standing out. Taking your time will also help you to filter out errors, so always double check your application before submitting.
2. Meet their interests and requirements
Make sure you know what the SU/Team is asking for, indicating why your skills and traits match with the SU/Team you are applying for. It is important to be very specific in your wording when addressing this matter so that the reader actually understands what you can provide to them.
3. Sell yourself
Write your application in such a way that your strong points stand out and that your bad points sound like strong points. Try to refrain from any negative sentences about yourself, always try to show the best of yourself within the application even while describing situations which can be seen as your weak sides.
4. Keep it relevant
While you may want to include every little bit of experience you have, it’s important to grab the reader’s attention, which means you should only write down the information that is relevant to the SU/Team. Anything that isn’t linked to the SU/Team or their requirements should be left out or should be mentioned briefly at the end.
5. Include examples/situations
Always include examples and situations where you have shown your skills and expertise. Because when you mention you have a certain skill or trait it will put more weight to it if you can take the reader to a situation where you actually showed this skill or trait. If you have problems thinking of situations it can be a good idea to ask someone close to you where your skills/traits have shown in the past.
Application Steps
This section will grant you more information on how to properly apply for a Special Unit and how to prepare yourself to write a perfect application. Special Units and Teams are very important within HIA because it grants you more experience which you can use later on in your career. The steps that can be followed before applying are as follows:
1. Gathering information about what you are applying for
There are multiple options to get information about SU’s:
> Go to the special units page on our website
> The weekly General Meeting on Sunday is a great place to see the SUs and Teams that are currently accepting members.
> Check the Slack #alerts channel to find information about SU applications
> Check the Chief of Staff Bulletin which will be posted in #alerts weekly
2. Checking whether you meet the requirements
> Pick the SU you wish to apply for from the drop down menu on the website
> Click the SU you wish to apply for and check the page to see which requirements are asked
3. Contact an iC about the Team/SU you want to apply for
> Find the SU page like was mentioned in step 2 and scroll down till you see the iC system of the SU you wish to apply for
> Use the search button on slack to find the iC you want to contact and send them a message on slack
4. Application through google forms
> Go to the website and find the application button
> Check alerts and click the link that brings you to the form
> Fill out the form and click submit
5. Asking for feedback
Always ask for feedback when your application has been submitted, however please do wait until the new members have been announced. Because if you do so earlier the iC’s might think you are hinting to be accepted in their Special Unit or Team. This way they can see that you are truly dedicated and interested in the unit/team as well as in improving yourself and/or your application.
Do’s and Don’ts
1. Question: Tell Us About Yourself
Don’t:
- I like to sleep and do nothing all day. I go on HIA cuz im bored and now i wanna join an SU cause im bored.
- Hi. I like to write. I think Art is cool and I like talking to people.
Do:
- Hello! My name is Sarah and I’ve been a part of HIA for about a year now. I’ve been wanting to join a Special Unit for a while now and now that I have the free time, I’m very excited! I love to write and I’m on my school’s journalism club. I also love to make art on my tablet and I love spending time with my friends and having fun with them. I hope to one day make a difference in HIA. I have made many graphical designs for members within HIA and I am about to study art in real life. Because of those experiences and skills I would love to be a part of this unit!
2. Question: Why Do You Want to Join This Unit?
Don’t:
- It was the first special unit I saw on Slack. I saw you could win 10c if you do the most supervisions a month so I really want that money.
- I like to judge people and grade them on how they do so this unit is good for me. I like to have power over people.
Do:
- I want to join Training Supervisors because making sure trainers are doing their job properly is such an important part of HIA. Training sessions to make sure that all future members of HIA are well equipped with the proper knowledge they will need to carry on HIA. I have also trained a lot of people and have been supervised before so I know how to host a training session well. I am very passionate about HIA and I really hope it continues to flourish in the future!
3. Question: Why Should You Be Picked?
Don’t:
- Cause I'm better than everyone else. I'm more important and a higher rank and I have priority. I know Kate is also applying for this spot and you should not pick her cause she's terrible at hosting events.
- Cause I'm a perfect fit for this job. I will do what you want to be done.
Do:
- I have tons of experience hosting events and I enjoy doing it greatly! I just love seeing how excited people get while playing, how people interact, and how it can liven up a crowd. I am a very fair and fun person and I am very timely and detailed with reports that I will need to submit. I also have ideas for a few new games that we could possibly try out. My creativity is a skill that makes me different from the rest, I can think of very nice solutions for recent problems. This shows through the detailed reports I’ve made in the past.
What should I do if I’ve been rejected?
The first thing to do is to not worry at all! Special units and teams can’t accept every member into their team so if your application was lacking that extra something or even if your application was perfect but you applied a day too late, you may have been rejected. We would like to provide you with the following tips:
> Do not give up!
> Ask an SUiC for feedback and try again
> You can apply as many times as you want and you can reach out to any electives for help applying to any unit. All electives want you to succeed during your time at HIA so do not be afraid to reach out.
> You can also refer back to this guide for tips and to see what a great application looks like for inspiration.
> Don’t take being rejected as a personal thing, just ask the specific SU/Team what the reason is for your rejection.
> It’s always better to leave a positive image to them for if you wish to apply again.
Application Practice
As a last section to this guide we will provide you with a challenge to practice all the things you have learned from this guide. The challenge can be submitted to any Elective that is free for review. The Elective will provide you with any tips they may have for writing a better application.
> Please write an example application submission for any SU/Team that currently has applications open. It is important to follow the information that has been mentioned in this guide as well as possible. You are allowed to keep this guide beside you while writing the application. This will purely be for practice and to provide you with the required tools to write the perfect application.
Created/Edited by: Leguaan and ooo.spicy