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Application Forms That Facilitate You in Getting a Job

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You don't complete an application form to get a job - you complete an application form to get an interview!

Most companies, even small ones, insist that you complete an application form. They can take a long time to complete and the process can be frustrating because they never seem to ask the right questions. On the one hand, you are asked to supply details which seem to be completely irrelevant to the advertised job and yet, on the other hand, you are never asked to provide specific information which could prove to an employer that you are the person he is looking for.

Well, that might be so, but before jumping to conclusions let's look at what an application form is used for and then we'll see why so many companies use them. There are always lots of applicants for most advertised jobs. Many will have some of the knowledge and skill required but many more will not. Some applicants will have misunderstood the requirements of the job, others will lack experience, and some may not have the necessary qualifications. It would be a waste of time for a company to interview every candidate, especially when so many applications are clearly inappropriate. So the form is a type of filter, a means by which an employer can compare your experience and background with his ideas of what the perfect candidate should be. Careful study of 50 or 60 application forms can produce four or five individuals who appear to be worth interviewing.



On the front page, an application form requires your name, address and telephone number. It puts you in the frame and allows the company to contact you easily. Questions about age and marital status are also frequent front page items. If you are fortunate enough to be offered the job, it is a simple matter for the interviewer to photocopy this page and send it on to the wages and pensions department. Everything they need to know about you is contained on that single piece of paper so you can be assimilated into the payroll with a minimum of fuss. It is in your own interests to make sure that your first page of information is accurate.

Some forms, especially those from government organizations, may ask detailed questions about you and your parents' country of origin. You may feel reluctant to complete such a 'racist' section of the form but the questions are there to ensure that the organization is complying with equal opportunities legislation and with its own equal opportunities policy. Equal opportunity employers try to recruit the most appropriate person for the job irrespective of race, gender or religious belief. These organizations check their commitment to equal opportunities by comparing the 'mix' of people employed against a sample population - they ask the detailed questions to see if they're getting it right.

The form will also ask about your employment history. It gives an employer a brief overview of where you've been and what you've been doing. There are no rights and wrongs here. Too many previous jobs could indicate someone who doesn't easily settle, a person who soon becomes bored, or someone who has never stayed anywhere long enough to see a job through. Too many job moves could indicate someone without ambition or someone whose experience is too narrow. At this stage you don't know what the company is looking for. Perhaps they want someone with a wide experience of work in a variety of companies, or perhaps they would prefer someone with a good track record of development within a single organization. You've no way of knowing for sure so - as in all things - honesty is the best policy.

Application forms usually ask about your educational record and any qualifications gained at school or college. Some jobs will demand a professional qualification or a certain level of academic achievement but, in many cases, the employer will be merely seeking to establish that you have the ability to cope with any training which you may be required to undertake while working for the company. In some instances, rates of pay are linked to educational qualifications, but don't be tempted to give yourself qualifications which you haven't earned. In many companies you could face instant dismissal for giving false information and, in any case, the company is looking for the most appropriate candidate, not necessarily the best educated.

Questions about hobbies and interests usually also feature on application forms. Employers are often keen to take on 'whole', fully developed individuals and how you spend your spare time can tell an employer a great deal about your personality. Take as much care over this part of the application form as any other.

Most forms devote space to 'Further Information'. Many people choose not to complete this section in the misguided belief that they have nothing of further value to add - so here is your chance to shine!

So far, no question on the form has asked you what specific reasons an employer might have for considering you. What do you want to tell him? Use this space to give concise reasons why you should be considered for the post. Look at the job description and think about your background, experience, skills and qualities. Convince him that you could do the job and then hint at the additional benefits he could obtain by employing you. Above all, be enthusiastic.

Remember that when you drop your application in the post-box, you are creating a major problem for someone who has the difficult task of reducing a pile of 50 or so forms to five or six strong candidates. Your application is the only weapon you have so give him no excuse for turning you down. Spelling mistakes, sloppy handwriting or untidy corrections are all nails in your coffin.

When your receive an application form, always read it thoroughly before starting to complete it. Photocopy it and use this as a draft or else answer all the questions in pencil and get someone to check your writing and spelling before putting pen to paper. If your handwriting is untidy ask someone to type the form for you. Most application forms are photocopied at some stage so always complete them in black ink. (See also Handwriting.)

Finally, go to the library or local print shop and take a photocopy of your completed form before sending it off. Most application forms ask for the same basic information so life becomes easier once you've completed one form and kept a copy!
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EmploymentCrossing was helpful in getting me a job. Interview calls started flowing in from day one and I got my dream offer soon after.
Jeremy E - Greenville, NC
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