Tips on Getting Your Application to No.1 this Christmas… with a Little Help from Santa’s Playlist

Written by Susanne Stoddart, Recruitment and Selection Advice Manager

Whether I’m wrapping presents to Wham or getting my craft on to Mariah Carey, there’s something about those timeless jingles that always get me in the festive spirit. Staples from the soundtrack to Christmas have achieved astronomical success. Fun fact: Bing Crosby’s White Christmas holds the Guinness World Record for the best-selling single on the planet. But Christmas songs have much more to offer than getting us in the spirit and filling awkward silences at social gatherings. If yule be making applications for summer internships, graduate roles or something else over the holiday period, keep reading to find ways to gather inspiration from Santa’s playlist that could help you sleigh your way onto the shortlist. Here’s three top tips that might stop you making the same mistakes as… last Christmas.

1. Keep it relevant with key words and skills

It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that what makes many Christmas songs so popular and memorable is that they include the word ‘Christmas’, as well as other key terms associated with the big day. Musicologist Dr Joe Bennett analysed 200 Christmas tunes and identified the formula for the perfect seasonal song. It apparently must refer to snow, home, peace, love, Santa and sleigh bells, as well as providing precisely 21 mentions of Christmas. So, the successful songs are those that are tailored around, nay created for, the special season.

If you’re busy with applications, be inspired by the golden rules that govern twinkle-toned tunes this Christmas: keep it focussed, relevant and craft each application for the specific opportunity you’re going for. Read the job description and person specification carefully to identify the key words that recruiters use to describe the skills they require. Explicitly refer to these key words and discuss how you meet them in your application. For example, if team work and communication abilities are highlighted as vital for the role, be sure to make a song and dance about your competency in these areas, showing where and how you developed these skills and what the results were.

2. Show your motivation like Mariah

Mariah Carey’s contribution to the Christmas sound fest – All I Want For Christmas Is You – is arguably the greatest Xmas tune of modern times. It certainly fulfils the Christmassy word quota discussed above, but what other application tips can we extract from this bell-chiming crowd pleaser? Well, there’s no beating about the (holly) bush with Mariah’s lyrics. Far from producing some generic jingle for the holiday season, Mariah’s message is simple yet specific, memorable and consistent. Be inspired by Mariah’s clarity, passion and commitment to what she wants. Do your research on the organisation you’re applying to, write with purpose and convince the recruiter that you really are motivated to work specifically for them… just leave out the bit about waiting underneath the mistletoe.

3. Forget about the competition

Last year YouTuber Mark Hoyle, aka LadBaby, released We Built This City… On Sausage Rolls, a parody of Starship’s hit. Despite zero singing experience, coupled with tough competition from the likes of Ariana Grande and Ava Max, LadBaby pursued the Christmas top spot. As the song’s popularity soared, LadBaby said,

“I had never sung before in my life. I’ve never done karaoke.

“Now I feel like we can go all the way, and why not? We want a Christmas miracle and get the number one spot.”

But it was more than blind optimism that won the day and LadBaby’s sausage-inspired number was much more than some wacky tribute to an old favourite at the Christmas buffet.  With all profits going to food bank charity Trussell Trust, LadBaby was motivated to raise the money because his own family came close to needing a food bank.

So, be like LadBady when you’re making applications: adopt a positive mindset, don’t fear the competition, and don’t let lack of experience hold you back. Remember that recruiters value the transferable skills that you’ve gained through a wide range of activities, so be sure to sell them well! If you’re motivated about a particular cause or project that appeals to, or connects you with, the recruiter, then you – like LadBaby – can aim high because passion will take you far.

Good luck with your applications this Christmas and remember that if you would like some 1:1 application advice, you can book an appointment with us as UCL Careers.