Do you have the right approach?

An excellent application has crucial significance, especially when it comes to filling executive positions.

"To apply" actually means to promote yourself. You are the "product". Your task is to draw attention to your personal strengths and qualities. In order to do that, you must be sure of yourself and your approach.

Applying is also a matter of attitude. It is important to neither be too self-critical nor too boastful. Your application must appear as authentic as possible. An application dossier that conveys self-criticism will hardly be appealing. You must be sure of yourself before you can convince others of your qualities. If you exaggerate and tend to be self-glorifying, you lose credibility. By doing so, you risk to raise expectations for a job interview that you can not meet.

The fact is, your application dossier is only good if it is a reflection of your personality.

Your application must always be bespoke and customised to the particular vacancy. That will show your future employer that you are serious about their company - which is important, because here the focus is not on you, but on your potential employer and the solution to their problems.

The company will only place trust and invest in you, if they are convinced you are the right person. That is why the benefit you will bring to the new company must be clearly articulated and form the focus of your application.

Thus, writing an application is not merely about writing a CV, but about dealing with yourself intensely. Doing that requires a considerable amount of time and effort, for if your aspirations are to take you above average, you have to make greater efforts to get there!

Since there is no such thing as the best and one and only correct application, we at SCHERL & PARTNER have compiled some important advice and tips. These can be significant, because your application is supposed to be an advertisement of yourself.

Advice and tips for your application

• The first impression of your application must be positive. Therefore, the visual layout or design is of particular importance.
• Be inventive when designing your application! Use your creative ideas to tailor it to the special requirements of the company.
• Your application must express clearly and unmistakably who you are, what you want, what your skills are and how the company will benefit from you.
• Your application is unique. It should display individuality and quality, for you have to stand out from the competition of applicants.

Thus, applying also means investing considerable time and effort in yourself. An investment that will eventually pay off- because: No sweet without sweat.

Your application is supposed to market yourself. As you apply for a middle or top management position, we - as well as our clients - expect you to be able to send a qualified CV (in tabular form, with scanned picture, including cover/motivational letter). As an executive, particularly in middle or senior management, you must be able to create documentation and presentable concepts independently, especially in international companies. You will have to prove your skill on a daily basis when dealing with your staff and your clients.

We wish you every success with the writing of your application.

The SCHERL & PARTNER team