Documents to have ready before you apply

Of the 96 roles in our first week's index, 46 name a resume and 18 a covering letter.¹ One names certificates, one references and one an application form.¹

None of the 96 names a police record, a TRN or an NIS number. And 49 name no documents at all.¹

That is one week of notices, not every notice. Read the one you are answering.

A resume is the document most notices name. Put it in a PDF. The Jamaica Information Service's form takes .doc, .docx and .pdf, up to 25 MB.²

Read a resume for Jamaican employers to set yours out.

Send one if the notice names it, and write it for that role: here's how. One government agency's careers form takes one in the same formats.²

Send certificates only when the notice asks. Have them ready as PDFs, and a list of two referees who have agreed to be named.

Our advice: ask your referees first, and tell them the role.

The Ministry's overseas programmes require applicants to have no criminal record.³

The regular speed takes 21 working days, so start early.⁴ See getting a police record certificate.

The Ministry's overseas programmes require a valid passport, a TRN and an NIS number.³

See TRN and NIS for your first job.

Applying by email or by post covers how to send each file. If the notice says only shortlisted applicants will be contacted, read what that means.

This checklist is our advice. Save each on your phone, named so you can find it fast:

• Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf
• Firstname-Lastname-Covering-Letter.pdf (rewrite it for each role)
• Firstname-Lastname-Birth-Certificate.pdf
• Firstname-Lastname-Passport-or-ID.pdf
• Firstname-Lastname-TRN.pdf
• Firstname-Lastname-NIS.pdf
• Firstname-Lastname-Certificates.pdf, one file per qualification
• Firstname-Lastname-Police-Record.pdf, once you have it
• Firstname-Lastname-Referees.pdf