Writing a job application is a marketing exercise. You may not realise it, but you have powerful ‘secret sales tools’ that may be lurking in dusty cupboards or under boxes in the garage. This is what to look for:

1. Written references from former employers.

These are very useful to back up claims you have made in your application, particularly if the person who wrote the reference is also a verbal referee.

2.Performance Appraisals/Personnel Reports.
Quotes from performance appraisals and personnel reports can turbo-boost your application onto the shortlist. These official records are very powerful self-marketing weapons and should be in every applicant’s arsenal.

3. Awards or other forms of recognition for achievement.
Similarly, awards or any formal recognition of your achievements provide tangible proof of your capabilities. The employer wants to know what you can achieve for them, so your past performance is highly relevant.

4. Letters from customers, previous managers, supervisors, etc.
Letters or references act as testimonials and validate your claims about team skills, leadership, customer service skills and so on.

5. Details of training and professional development courses.
As qualifications and training courses vary from state to state, it’s a good idea to provide a synopsis of the qualification or course to show its relevance to this application. Remember the old saying: ‘The devil’s in the detail’.

6. Other information in which your clients, colleagues, suppliers or supervisors have commented on your work and achievements.
People tend to believe what other people say, rather than what you say about yourself — this is the reason why successful advertising often relies on customer testimonials to sell products or services. The same principle applies to ‘referrals’ from your clients, colleagues, suppliers, supervisors, etc.

Use quotes from these documents to show the employer what you can achieve for them, based on what you’ve already achieved for previous employers. Good luck!