How to Ace Your Reason for Application

Your ‘Reason for Application’ is an integral part of your application when completing the Kent-Teach online form. This section is where you can show schools why you are perfect for the job so it's important to take your time to get it right, as it will help give you a better chance of securing an interview.

The best way to write your ‘Reason for Application’ is by using the Person Specification as this provides a good structure for you to follow.  This document details the knowledge, qualifications, experience, skills, and attributes that the school is looking for in a candidate. The school will most likely use this form for shortlisting, so to be considered for interview, you will need to meet all the criteria.

It’s important to respond to the points on the Person Specification but you should also use this as an opportunity to tell the school who you are, show your passion for the role and express why you want to work for them. 

Ask yourself, “Why do I want to work here?” and “How would I fit in?” If you visited the school then talk about the experience, as this will help them remember you and make you stand out from other candidates. These answers will certainly form a good introduction to the section.

If there isn’t a Person Specification attached to the advert, you can check with the school or you may have to use the Job Description or advert. 

Some Person Specifications list the criteria as either ‘Essential’ or ‘Desirable’.  For these types you are required to meet the ‘Essential’ criteria and you should be able to meet some of the 'Desirable' criteria. 

If the criteria are not specified by both ‘Essential’ and ‘Desirable’ you will need to meet all the points listed. If you feel you would be great for the job but you don’t meet certain criteria, it may be worth contacting the school and having a chat before applying.

When addressing the points on the Person Specification, it’s not simply a case of saying you can do it, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can by giving successful examples from your current or previous jobs. If you can, try to mention about the impact you have made in these roles.

You need to give specific examples, rather than saying ‘I am able to teach using a wide range of teaching strategies to meet differing learning styles’. Explain what strategies you have used, when and at what schools. This is a chance for you to sell yourself, so mention any successful results or positive feedback as a result of your work.

Certain examples don’t have to always be work related, if the points are about personal qualities or are ‘Desirable’, you can use your volunteering experience or hobbies to enhance your point about team work skills or your interpersonal skills. This is an excellent way to put your personality across and provide unique examples that others may not necessarily include. A range of examples from different workplaces will strengthen your application. 

It’s a good idea to write your ‘Reason for Application’ on a word document as the Kent-Teach website times out after 30 minutes for security purposes. It makes it easier to save and amend for another application. 

This piece of writing is also an opportunity to showcase your written communication skills so be sure to check grammar and spelling. Leave yourself plenty of time to work on this section so you can revisit and edit if need be. It is always helpful to ask someone else to check it and see if it reads well. 

Although this section is the most challenging part of an application, following the above advice will certainly help towards forming a top application and support you onto the next step of getting the job.

Good luck with your job hunting!

Have you read our Twitter Chat write up with great advice on applications and interviews?