What is an expression of interest for a job?

Lydia is applying for a job that requires an “Expression of Interest”. What is it? According to my research, an “Expression of Interest” is a term used when an employer is casting a wide net to find a certain type of candidate.

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How strong is your resume?
Read the instructions
Make some headings
Write it like a business letter
Reread it and make sure it’s brief
How do you write an expression of interest for a job?
What is an expression of interest example?
What do you need for expression of interest?
How do you write an expression of interest with no experience?

Typically, the employer might have a number of jobs to fill and so is using this type of job ad to pull in skills sets rather than people answering to a specific job title.

It appears the term is used to fill recruitment projects as diverse as call centre roles to technicians needed to fulfil a big building contract such as a defence force contract. The advice is to use a heading on the cover letter such as “Expression of Interest: Call Centre Consultants”.

The opening sentence of the cover letter would start with the words “I am writing to express my interest in …”. Bradley Feller of recruitment firm Hudson said the candidate should then briefly outline his/her skills and the type of role that he/she would be looking for. Mr Feller said a well-written ad should list the skills an applicant would need to be successful.

“It may be a generic advert however, it should point to specific skill sets needed to do the jobs,” he said.

Lydia was the first person to write to me on this topic but there have been three others in close succession. I’m now receiving up to 800 emails a month so a few emails on one topic is not necessarily a trend. If anyone has any thoughts on this, I’d like to hear them.

By Kate Southam, Editor of careerone.com.au

For more useful tips read the other stories in the Job Hunting Strategy section.

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Going back to this client of mine, they need to have their teams together and ready for that green light – or even multiple, simultaneous green lights.

In this case, they need full work crews including operators, leading hands, supervisors, plus project engineers and managers.

They need that resource ready so that they can go these people and say, hey, we want to recruit you now because we have won the job.

So, it is really important when you are job seeking to apply for these jobs and put the same amount of effort in as you would a non-expressions of interest opportunity.

You may not get the same kind of response as you would with other roles, due to the fact that there is no definitive closing date, but your resume needs to be in there for when things start to happen.

Government agencies are using EOIs more and more and we are also starting to see them in the community sector.

How to Write an Expression of Interest (EOI)

Sometimes organisations call for an Expression of Interest (EOI) rather than a standard job application. An EOI is a short letter which introduces a jobseeker, tells a prospective employer why the jobseeker would like to work for them and what skills they have to offer.

Organisations might call for an EOI because they are planning work but haven’t settled on what role to offer, or they have a lot of short-term work on; it’s a way of getting a sense of who is willing and available. Government agencies are using EOIs more and more and we are also starting to see them in the community sector.

The good news about an EOI is that you don’t have to spend ages writing essays in response to selection criteria!

Here’s how to write an EOI:

Read the instructions

Usually EOIs have a word limit; they are meant to be quite short. Read carefully about the job they are wanting done.

Make some headings

In your EOI you will need to cover:

An opening paragraph saying who you are, why you should be considered and why you want to work for this employer.
Examples of your work or skills that qualify you for this job. Look for examples that combine these (remembering that brevity is the soul of an EOI). If you are a new graduate and don’t yet have a professional work history think about the skills you have – you might be surprised what skills you acquired doing your casual hospitality job.
The reason why you would like to do this work – tell them about what you hope to contribute to their organisation or work.

Write it like a business letter

If you are a consultant you might put a coversheet on your EOI to display your business branding. For most individuals though the best approach is to write it like a business letter. This means name, address, contact details on the top of the letter; a professional looking font (no comic sans!); a professional greeting (Dear Ms/Mr…) a professional ending – “I look forward to speaking to you, [name]”; and professional language throughout…and no spelling or grammatical mistakes.

Reread it and make sure it’s brief

Double check you are within the word limit. Editing is a good exercise that can improve the quality of your EOI.

How do you write an expression of interest for a job?

When sending an expression of interest letter, you should include information about your skills and experience that make you a good fit for the job or company. You should also briefly explain why you are interested in the position or organization. It is important to be concise and professional in your letter.

What is an expression of interest example?

I wanted to reach out now and express my interest in securing a job as a retail assistant when the new shop opens. As a plus-sized woman, I feel I could be a great ambassador for your brand.

What do you need for expression of interest?

You need to provide the following information for each job:.

position title..

employer name..

country..

start date and end date of employment..

if the position is related to your nominated occupation..

if you are claiming points for the position..

How do you write an expression of interest with no experience?

Introduce yourself and detail your reason for writing An effective introduction is brief but interesting and includes who you are and your most relevant qualifications or achievements. Because you have no professional work experience, focus on your relevant skills and how they would support you in the role.