Resume Tips

How to include participation in a competition on your resume

If you're still in school and haven't had a job before, it can be tricky to know what to put on your resume to look appealing to potential employers. But one thing you might have done is enter a competition. And while it might not seem like much, it can be very valuable to include participation in a competition on your resume. So let's go through why and how you should do it in this blog.

Why should you include competitions on your resume? 

Taking part in competitions is a great way to build up your skills and experience. Even if you didn't win anything, it's still good to include participation in a competition on your resume to show what you learned, and how you honed your skills.

Employers don't just want to know about your work experience either - they want to get to know a bit about who you are and your interests to see if you'll be a good fit for their company. Competitions are a great way to show this.

And if the competition topic happens to be related to the job field you want to work in, even better.

Including competitions on your resume 

If you want to add that you participated in a competition to your resume, here's how we suggest you go about it:

• Add the details of the competition. What it was, when you entered, and if you placed or won anything.
• Optionally, write a brief summary of what the competition involved and what you learned from it.

Here are a couple of examples to help:

Example 1 

The Best Young Photographer Competition - July 2024 - 3rd PlaceI have always been passionate about photography and entered this competition to have a professional critique my work. I was able to improve my composition skills and learned more about the use of DSLR cameras. I placed third out of more than 5,000 entries from around the world.

Example 2 

Google Code an App Contest - September 2024 - Participated- Improved my coding skills- Worked as part of a team- Kept to strict deadlines

Including competitions on other applications 

Competitions don't just come in handy for job applications - the skills and experience they give you are really valuable for other applications too. This includes applications for things like:

• Universities and courses
• Scholarships
• Leadership programs/positions
• Volunteer positions
• Gap year programs

In fact, if you ever need to demonstrate your commitment to a particular subject or topic, participation in a competition is a great way to show it.

Certain competitions can even include prizes and opportunities that can help you secure work or get into your dream course, like scholarships and networking opportunities.

Skills for Work

Example responses to job application questions

You might have already thought about doing mock interviews to practise answering interview questions. It is, after all, a crucial stage of any job application. But before you even get to the interview, you might be required to answer some questions as part of the initial application. If you're feeling a bit unsure about how to answer job application questions, we're here to go through what you might be able to expect and provide some example responses for you to follow.

Tips for answering job application questions 

Before we begin, here are some of our tips to help you ace your application.

• Don't just answer the question reflexively - give some thought to what the employer is trying to find out and respond appropriately.
• Use the job description and your research on the company to supplement your answer with relevant information.
• Use the STAR technique (AKA "show don't tell") to answer where possible. Provide concrete examples, not just statements.
• Write original answers - don't copy and paste from your resume or use AI (employers can tell).
• Avoid plain "yes" or "no" answers.
• Don't leave fields empty.

Common questions you might be asked 

Here are a few example job application questions and responses to help you out if you're struggling with writer's block. We recommend you don't just copy the answers - use them as inspiration.

Why do you want to work here? 

Employers want to know if you've given serious consideration to your application. You need to show that you've done your research and understand exactly what the job entails.

"Your company stood out when I was researching the leading IT Solutions companies. I am aware of your dedication to the development of innovative consumer products and I believe that this role would be the perfect fit considering my strong IT background."

Why do you think you are suitable for this role? 

Explain how your skills, knowledge and experience match the job outline, while also explaining your motivation and goals.

"I have always wanted to work as graphic designer that embraces change and provides great user experience. My studies have helped me to develop key artistic and organisational skills, while the experience that I gained from working on the school magazine has been the ideal preparation for a job in this field. I would relish the opportunity to be part of the team that works on your upcoming projects to learn more about the processes involved."

Can you briefly outline your relevant skills and experience? 

Even if you haven't got any direct experience, yet, you can still highlight any transferable skills that relate to the role. Turn your answer into a positive one by making it clear that you want the job in order to gain experience in the area.

"Although I haven't had the opportunity to get work experience in a marketing company yet, I have already created high level concepts that have been used by the organisation where I volunteer, I was the copywriter on a number of marketing campaigns through the school magazine and have generated interest in my work through my website, which I designed myself."

Can you give us an example of how you made a positive contribution to a team and what the outcome was? 

Talk about a time that you were recently expected to achieve a goal in a team setting. Discuss how you went above and beyond to ensure that your contribution made a difference.

"I was elected as captain by my soccer team and committed to winning a few games this season. Along with the coach, I implemented a reward system and encouraged everyone to attend extra training and organised some workshops with other professionals."

Tell us about your strengths 

Identify two or three of what you'd consider to be your best attributes. If you're struggling to think of what they are, what do you often get good feedback for? Make sure you mention how they'd be an asset to the job you're applying for.

What are your weaknesses? 

You don't want to undersell yourself or turn off employers, but you also don't want to say nothing. This is an opportunity to show your self awareness. Follow up with how you'd like some professional development in that area and mention how you've already been working towards it - a specific goal that you're working  towards perhaps?

For example, if you're a bit shy, you could talk about ways that you're taking on public speaking roles and putting yourself forward for leadership or performing roles at school to.

We all have to start somewhere 

You don't have to wait until you're applying for a job to start practising how to answer application questions. You could go online and find jobs similar to the ones you think you'd like to apply for, then go to the application page and copy the questions. Write your answers and ask somebody else to read them and suggest ways you could improve.