Writing your application

Applying for a position in the HSU Election is like applying for any other job.

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As with any application, you should spend time doing your research and drafting your ideas before submitting your final version. The more effort you put in, the more likely it is that your application will resonate with students.

Your answers to some questions will have a word limit, so you should think about what you want to prioritise in each answer.

Remember, lots of students vote based solely on what they read in your application, so make sure it's engaging and well-written.

Let's take a look at what to expect from the application...

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Section 1: Role information

In this section, simply select the role you're applying for. Some roles have additional eligibility requirements, and you'll be asked to confirm you understand them if you're applying for one of those roles.

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Section 2: Personal information

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Section 3: Your Vision Statement and Candidate Promo Material

This is your opportunity to tell Hallam voters about yourself and why you think you'd make a good Officer. Everything you submit here will be visible to voters!

Take time and effort to ensure your statement is well researched and thought out. You're trying to stand out to voters, so you should talk about what you think matters most to students.

We have plenty of online resources to help you identify what's important to students if you're unsure. You can read our:

• Student Voice Reports
• Strategy

1. Why do you want to be an Officer, and what values guide how you would approach the role? (500 characters)

Explain what motivates you to get involved, and how that motivation would be reflected in your approach if you were elected. Has a particular experience inspired you? Have you seen the impact of the work of other student leaders? What kind of Officer would you be?

2. What do you think this role should prioritise for students, and why is that important? (500 characters)

What are the big issues affecting students that the role you're applying for should address? How should next year's Officer team make a difference to students' lives? This is your chance to explain your thinking. Make sure you've done your research and are happy with what you write here, as you'll be asked to elaborate on this later in the process. You don't have space to write detailed pledges and action plans, so focus on what the areas and themes are.

3. Which of the HSU Beliefs do you think are the most important?

Choose three HSU Beliefs that you think should be prioritised. Our Beliefs are our official stances on issues that affect students. The form only includes the titles of the Beliefs - please ensure you have read the full description for each Belief before you select them!

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Section 4: Compliance

Provide information that will help us process your application and indicate you understand some of the key aspects of being an HSU Officer.

You'll need to read all the information, check the boxes to confirm you understand, and provide all the relevant info.

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Section 5: Candidate Briefing Attendance

We'll run two different briefings for candidates and prospective candidates. In order to be a valid candidate, you must attend one of each of the two briefings (as well as submitting your application before the deadline!).

The sessions are:

• Candidate Briefing - Covers Election rules and other essential information.
• What's an HSU Officer? - Explains what an HSU Officer does and what you can expect from the role if elected.

You can attend both sessions back-to-back on the same day, or you can attend the sessions at separate times if that works better for you.

On the application form, you should indicate which sessions you plan to attend.

Session 1: Candidate Briefing

You'll select which Candidate Briefing session you want to attend on your application.

Session 2: What's an HSU Officer?

You'll need to book your What's an HSU Officer? session online.

Book your session

If you'd like to attend one of the three sessions being held immediately before Candidate Briefings, you cannot book these online. You'll need to select which session you want to attend on your application.

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All prepped? You're ready to apply!