Applications for The Apprentice Series 8 – How to produce a winning application

4th Jul 2011

The Apprentice seems to be losing none of its popularity and the entries for the next series are due in by midnight on Sunday 3rd July.

Matt Craven, Managing Director of The CV & Interview Advisors gives his advice on how to produce a winning application.

Q1) Why should you be Lord Sugar's business partner?

Think of this section of the applications form as your business case. Behavioural traits are all very well and good but what about your track record. Make sure you provide evidence of succeeding in business and quote revenue and profit figures. Lord Sugar is all about core business KPIs so you must demonstrate that you can move revenue and profit forwards. Obviously doing this in a sustainable manner is important, therefore other KPIs such as client retention and service levels are worth a mention. Focus your application on tangible and measurable success and then back this up with how you feel your personality and way of doing business will dovetail with Lord Sugar’s approach. This is also your opportunity to present an outline of your business idea, explaining why you think there is huge potential and what returns might be achieved. This might look like a mini version of a business plan that you would present to a bank.

Q2) What makes you different from everyone else applying?

Probably not best to mention the 6 toes or the fact that you are distantly related to Jack The Ripper. Solid fare is setting up a business when you were 8 years old or that you built your own house at 16 years of age that sold for £2.2m in 2004. For everyone else, try and think of something impressive that might allude to some useful skills that can be applied to succeeding in business. Everyone is unique but not everyone has done truly remarkable things; fall back on sporting achievements or extra curricular activities such as charity work. What springs to mind is one of my Executive clients who has competed in full contact martial arts competitions over 80 times; now that really does stand out as being different and demonstrates skills such as determination, will power, drive, energy etc. The idea here is to talk about something you have done in life then push how this provides you with unique skills that make you a fab potential business partner for Sir Alan.

Q3) What is the most interesting thing about you?

Personally, I find this question too similar to Q2 but hey ho, it’s their TV programme!! My afore mentioned martial arts example would work well here or perhaps making the summit of Mount Everest, playing in a band that got signed by Sony, being selected to play for England National Tiddlywinks Team etc etc. Think of something that will bring a smile to their face or make them think wow!, that really is impressive.

Q4) What’s the most impressive thing you’ve ever done in business?

This should be an obvious one but the way in which you write this might be key. I would recommend using our STAR framework which goes something like this: Situation – describe who you were working for and what situation they found themselves in (or the problem they faced); Task – describe in what capacity you were involved and what your position was at the time; Actions – mention the 5 or 6 key things that you did to drive a positive outcome and achieve whatever it was that you achieved; and Result – make sure you provide tangible and measurable evidence that you succeeded by using £s and %ages opposed to anecdotal evidence. Try to pick an example that relates to running a business (as this is what you will be doing with Lord Sugar’s money). The perfect example would be taking seed capital and making significant returns, so the closer you can get to that the better.

The CV & Interview Advisors provide a range of personal branding and career coaching services such as CV Writing, Executive Biographies, LinkedIn Profiles, Application Forms, Cover Letters, Interview Coaching, Outplacement and Executive Coaching. You can contact them on 01274 408 222 or info@cvandinterviewadvisors.co.uk.

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