Very difficult part of my job application?

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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Ok forum this part of my application is screwing with my head :confused: The postion is for porting at a hospital near where I live, I've been at this application for four days now. I filled in everything about who I am and what I've done before then had a bit of a problem selling myself in the addiontal part about what makes me the ideal canidate etc but I've over come that now, but heres where I'm stuck :mad:

Heres the question.

We understand that any visit to a hospital can be an anxious and stressful time. We therefore expect all staff to be helpful, professional and caring to patients, carers, family members and members of the public at all times whether in the course of their duties, or informally as part of the CUH community. We also expect this courtesy and respect to be extended to colleagues. Please give examples from work, leisure or home to demonstrate that this is your approach.


I was going put somthing like "I totally respect all my co workers and the people around me in any situation in and out of the workplace."

This part to me just don't make sense:confused:.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • wenchwench Posts: 8,928
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    Are there any examples where you have gone out of your way for colleagues and family and friends in and out of work?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    Hi,

    You need to put something more than that. How much space does it give you to answer? Does it specify a word limit?

    Notice it asks for examples. Making a vague statement is not enough. You need to think of a good example, or a few if there's room, of times when you have behaved in the way specified on the application form.

    So, examples from your work life (ideal), leisure pursuits (good) or family life (if you can't think of anything else) where you've gone out of your way to be helpful, professional and courteous, and to put people at ease.
  • FieldfareFieldfare Posts: 2,739
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    I agree a work example (or two) is best. Maybe if you'd had a job in a supermarket before you might say 'when I worked at the checkout I tried to give some of the older customers a bit more time as I processed their items and asked them if I could help with their packing'. An example for a colleague could be something about being flexible at work and putting in an extra couple of hours to cover for someone who needed to go home early to attend to a poorly child.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    Well I can think of a few work, University and home. The work one would be somthing about how I got a order done in a matter of hours as the client was desperate for the parts he needed. The Uni one would be about when I went away for the weekend and left someone in charge of the group but while I was away getting a call and being told that the work hadn't been done by that certain somone and then how I had to finish it and get the project done. And the third would be about how I've took the time to help my cousin and nan how to work a computer. Would these examples or at least one of them (of course with more detail) be good enough? Also there is no word limit. Thanks for your help.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13,367
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    jack42 wrote: »
    Well I can think of a few work, University and home. The work one would be somthing about how I got a order done in a matter of hours as the client was desperate for the parts he needed. The Uni one would be about when I went away for the weekend and left someone in charge of the group but while I was away getting a call and being told that the work hadn't been done by that certain somone and then how I had to finish it and get the project done. And the third would be about how I've took the time to help my cousin and nan how to work a computer. Would these examples or at least one of them (of course with more detail) be good enough? Also there is no word limit. Thanks for your help.

    I would probably stick to two examples. You need to outline them in enough detail for it to be clear what you did, without getting bogged down in the intricacies of it.

    So, in your work example, you would need to cover:
    - The customer's need (briefly)
    - Why it was beyond what would normally be offered (briefly)
    - What you did to facilitate good service and go 'the extra mile'
    - How you treated them
    - How the situation was resolved

    However, I'm not sure it's the very best example you could pick, as the application is more about putting people at ease than providing efficient service.

    If you like, I can PM you an application I did recently which asked similar sorts of questions. (I got the job!)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    This is so hard, I do have some examples but I don't think there very good. I've mainly worked on and off in factorys and been in education most of my life. I'll sit down with a pen and paper right now and try to figure somthing out. IslandNiles if you could send me that simular question that would be much appreciated if you don't mind. Thanks
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 281
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    One of the key attributes they will be looking for as a porter will be your personable skills. I would assume the entire application is expecting you to be focused on showing the hospital you can get on with everyone you will come into contact with everyday.

    IslandNiles has given you a brilliant breakdown to use. :D From the examples you've given, I'd pick the one with you helping your cousin and Nan use a computer, it shows you are sociable, and actually enjoyed helping them learn a new skill, with the only reason for doing it being you wanted to help them out.

    I'd be cautious with using the parts example, from what you have written, the obvious question coming to mind is why you offered this amazing service to this one customer and not everyone else.

    A good example to use would be you explaining about a time when someone (colleague or customer) has annoyed you a great deal but you were professional, put your issue with the person aside and did a good job all the same.

    Good luck! Hope you keep us informed with how you get on.
  • culturemancultureman Posts: 11,700
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    The postion is for porting at a hospital
    If you get called to interview, or even if you mention it on your application form, it's portering.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    Dr Pepper wrote: »
    One of the key attributes they will be looking for as a porter will be your personable skills. I would assume the entire application is expecting you to be focused on showing the hospital you can get on with everyone you will come into contact with everyday.

    IslandNiles has given you a brilliant breakdown to use. :D From the examples you've given, I'd pick the one with you helping your cousin and Nan use a computer, it shows you are sociable, and actually enjoyed helping them learn a new skill, with the only reason for doing it being you wanted to help them out.

    I'd be cautious with using the parts example, from what you have written, the obvious question coming to mind is why you offered this amazing service to this one customer and not everyone else.

    A good example to use would be you explaining about a time when someone (colleague or customer) has annoyed you a great deal but you were professional, put your issue with the person aside and did a good job all the same.

    Good luck! Hope you keep us informed with how you get on.

    I'm currently breaking down a story I just remembered where a friend of mine called me up at three in the morning because he lost his work on his computer and I helped him to recover it. Hopefully that will help and I think I'll use one example.
  • feistyfeisty Posts: 2,987
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    jack42 wrote: »
    I'm currently breaking down a story I just remembered where a friend of mine called me up at three in the morning because he lost his work on his computer and I helped him to recover it. Hopefully that will help and I think I'll use one example.

    I would give 2 examples are you have highlughted at all times. therefore I would give a work related example as well as a family related example. This provides eviidence of your caring nature isn't just confined to the workplace but how indeed you apply these principles to your everyday life to all people...Good Luck..
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    Ok here's my first example.

    While at University I got a phone at 3 O'clock in the morning from a friend of mine asking me to come round to his house as he lost his work on his computer. Although I wasn't happy to be called in the early hours of the morning, I felt that if I didn't solve this problem for him it would A- Possibly be an easy solution to solve and solved quickly and simply and B- I've asked him a few favours in the past and felt that maybe I should repay them favours even if it was in this time in the morning. As I was solving his problem he felt that he had lost his work forever and that if he didn't have it handed in by the next day he would fail and have to retake the course all over again the next year. As I was working I assured him that if I couldn't get the hole thing back I would at least get something back and if I came up something or not than his tutor would understand as these things happen. During this time he did put a lot of pressure on me to try and get something and as I had to go somewhere in the morning as well I was putting some pressure on me as well. In the end I successfully got some of his work back and although he was grateful and happy he did have a lot of work to catch up on and felt he would not complete it in time. Hours later after he talked to his tutor he said that the situation is fine and he was allowed a couple more days to complete the work.

    Seems very long? Even though there isn't a word limit I don't want the employer to something that's quite long. Might have to cut it down a bit.
  • richard craniumrichard cranium Posts: 4,388
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    All that for a Hospital Porter ?

    I had all that similar guff for joining the Railway.

    "Give an example from your life where you used your initiative in an emergency"

    I couldn't think of any, so I made it up..........they're not gonna check out your story although you might have to repeat the story in an interview, so beware
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    All that for a Hospital Porter ?

    I had all that similar guff for joining the Railway.

    "Give an example from your life where you used your initiative in an emergency"

    I couldn't think of any, so I made it up..........they're not gonna check out your story although you might have to repeat the story in an interview, so beware

    I know it's a bit far for company's to ask you to do this kind of thing but unfortunately this is how they want it. All to find the "perfect" Employee :D
  • Knuxs7Knuxs7 Posts: 3,878
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    jack42 wrote: »
    Ok here's my first example.

    While at University I got a phone at 3 O'clock in the morning from a friend of mine asking me to come round to his house as he lost his work on his computer. Although I wasn't happy to be called in the early hours of the morning, I felt that if I didn't solve this problem for him it would A- Possibly be an easy solution to solve and solved quickly and simply and B- I've asked him a few favours in the past and felt that maybe I should repay them favours even if it was in this time in the morning. As I was solving his problem he felt that he had lost his work forever and that if he didn't have it handed in by the next day he would fail and have to retake the course all over again the next year. As I was working I assured him that if I couldn't get the hole thing back I would at least get something back and if I came up something or not than his tutor would understand as these things happen. During this time he did put a lot of pressure on me to try and get something and as I had to go somewhere in the morning as well I was putting some pressure on me as well. In the end I successfully got some of his work back and although he was grateful and happy he did have a lot of work to catch up on and felt he would not complete it in time. Hours later after he talked to his tutor he said that the situation is fine and he was allowed a couple more days to complete the work.

    Seems very long? Even though there isn't a word limit I don't want the employer to something that's quite long. Might have to cut it down a bit.


    If you want to be the best of the bunch, this will need a tidy up. Far to many errors in this. It's true the application is only the first part of the process, but you need to use it to sell yourself, and most important of all, you need to use it to get any further in the application process.

    The example is OK though. Like others have said, you must use another one, ideally related to something from your work experience.
  • jackoljackol Posts: 7,887
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    If you cant fill out the application form without help then i suggest you forget it and go and work somewhere less demanding, try Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, McDonalds etc...
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    jackol wrote: »
    If you cant fill out the application form without help then i suggest you forget it and go and work somewhere less demanding, try Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, McDonalds etc...

    But I am getting help? That's why I've come on here. If I'm honest I don't usually ask for a lot of help, I always attempt this kinda thing on my own, but till I came across that question I thought the only people who would be able to help me are the smart people of DS:D
  • culturemancultureman Posts: 11,700
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    jack42 wrote: »
    Ok here's my first example.

    While at University I got a phone at 3 O'clock in the morning from a friend of mine asking me to come round to his house as he lost his work on his computer. Although I wasn't happy to be called in the early hours of the morning, I felt that if I didn't solve this problem for him it would A- Possibly be an easy solution to solve and solved quickly and simply and B- I've asked him a few favours in the past and felt that maybe I should repay them favours even if it was in this time in the morning. As I was solving his problem he felt that he had lost his work forever and that if he didn't have it handed in by the next day he would fail and have to retake the course all over again the next year. As I was working I assured him that if I couldn't get the hole thing back I would at least get something back and if I came up something or not than his tutor would understand as these things happen. During this time he did put a lot of pressure on me to try and get something and as I had to go somewhere in the morning as well I was putting some pressure on me as well. In the end I successfully got some of his work back and although he was grateful and happy he did have a lot of work to catch up on and felt he would not complete it in time. Hours later after he talked to his tutor he said that the situation is fine and he was allowed a couple more days to complete the work.

    Seems very long? Even though there isn't a word limit I don't want the employer to something that's quite long. Might have to cut it down a bit.
    As a piece of written English from a university graduate, I'm not trying to be deliberately unkind, but this is pretty weak.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    cultureman wrote: »
    As a piece of written English from a university graduate, I'm not trying to be deliberately unkind, but this is pretty weak.

    I am dyslexic BTW and my spelling plug-in on firefox is having some compatibility problems at the moment.
  • culturemancultureman Posts: 11,700
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    jack42 wrote: »
    I am dyslexic BTW and my spelling plug-in on firefox is having some compatibility problems at the moment.

    Are you including that information on your application form?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 489
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    cultureman wrote: »
    Are you including that information on your application form?

    Maybe. Though I don't like to.
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