How to write a supporting statement

Prepare

Preparation is key and getting everything you need before you start to write your statement will make all the difference.

First draft your supporting statement in a word document. This will make it easier for you to make changes and send it to other people to read over it with a fresh pair of eyes. You can then copy and paste it into the application form. If you have received support to complete your statement, make sure you understand what you’ve written. You will be asked to expand on your supporting statement if you get an interview.

After you have finished writing your supporting statement, read it back carefully. Then read it for a second time, aloud. You might feel a bit silly but it’s easier to identify any mistakes when you read it out loud. It’s important to make sure your spelling and grammar are correct, try to get someone else to read over it before submitting it. Once you're happy with what you've written, you can then copy and paste it into the application form. Things to remember:

• Write in short paragraphs to avoid a wall of text. Choose a clear font such as Arial, to make sure that your statement is easy to read.
• Lay your answers out in the same order as the criteria. This will make it easier for managers to find your answers. 
• Remember to save your work as you go along. The online application form ‘times out’ after 30 minutes.
• There is a word/character limit. If you don’t have enough space, you can group your answers together. If a project you worked on shows different skills, group them into a single example and write about the project once, highlighting each of the qualities in the question.

Identifying your skills

Your skills can help you choose the career that’s right for you and you already have lots of them. You might pick them up through work, study or activities you do in your spare time. Skills can be developed at school, college or university. You can build them through extra-curricular activities, like clubs or teams you’re a part of.

If you’re able to recognise and talk about your skills, you’ll find it easier to work out what you want to do. When you’re applying for jobs, they’ll be the things that convince employers that you’re the right person for the job.

Research

Researching a company is not only a great way to make sure you’re a good fit for them, but also that the organisation would be a good fit for you.

Why not take some time to look around our website? It’s good to show that you have researched our organisation. If you read about something that interests you, you can add this into your statement, for example: “I was impressed with your regeneration project…”.

We would also encourage you to take a look at our core values, they are very important to us. One of our values is working as one team, this is important as we can see that by working together and making strong connections across the whole organisation, we can make the best use of our resources by focusing on our customers and our communities.

Using the STAR model

When you are writing your supporting statement, you need to make sure there’s some structure to your answers. The STAR model is a great way to structure your examples.

• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Result

It’s important to follow the layout of the essential criteria, making sure you don’t miss anything out. It also helps us as employers evaluate the skills, qualities and experiences you have that would help you fit with the job or company.

Here, we will show you how you could use the STAR model to answer the following example question:

Q: Can you give me an example of working as part of a team?

Situation: Describe the situation in which the event took place.

"Whilst in school, I did my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.  As part of this I had to work as part of a team to get from one camp site to another".

Task: Describe the task you were asked to complete. If there was a particular problem or issue you were trying to solve, describe that here.

"I was in a group of 4 with my friends. We each had to carry different parts of the equipment we needed, e.g. tent, tent poles and cooking equipment.  I feel I have good communication skills, so I made sure we each knew what each other was carrying, so that we didn't leave anything behind. I was nominated to be first in the group to read the map and use the compass to get us to the first check point which I was happy to do".

Action: Explain what action you took to complete the task or solve the problem: What you did, why you did it, how you did it and what skills you used.

"As a group, we worked well together. Once of the boys was struggling with the weight of his backpack so I suggested we all take some of it and put it in our bags, which made it easier for him to carry on".

Result: Explain the result of your actions. For example, if your actions resulted in completing a task, resolving a conflict, improving your company’s sales record, etc., explain this. Try to focus on how your actions resulted in a success.

"We reached our next camp site within the time allowed. I felt we worked well as a group and talked through anything we were unsure of along the way. My friend felt happy that he completed the walk as he didn't think he would manage to do so, but as a group we encouraged him to keep going, and by going a little slower and taking some of his equipment, we were able to get to the camp in good time".

Put it into practice

Let’s start writing it down! Once you’ve mastered the research and preparation it’s all about putting it into practice and writing it down. Think of it like a set of cogs, if you miss one out, they won’t work together!

Use real-life examples:

These help to show a manager what you can do and explains why you’re ideal for the role. Instead of ‘I have strong leadership skills’, talk about a project you worked on or a process you implemented.

Honesty:

Always be honest in your application form about previous employment, experience and your role. You may get asked questions about your statement during an interview.

Be clear and concise with your answers:

Don’t make managers hunt for clues and piece together your story. Use the supporting statement to your advantage to show your skills and qualities.

If you don’t meet the essential criteria:

It can be tempting to not write about these and hope no-one notices, be positive by acknowledging them and use an example that gives the employer confidence that you can pick up new skills quickly.

Good luck, and we hope to see you soon!

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