Application Forms
Introduction
Many employers ask applicants to apply for jobs in their organisations by using a company application form. This gives the employer the ability to compaire applicants on a like-with-like basis in terms of their approach to and completion of a standard form.
The use of application forms usually indicates a more transparent and scientific approach to recruitment on the part of the employer.
There is more likely to be a a "job specification", with notes provided on how to complete the application form. When you submit a CV, you might imagine selling yourself to a reluctant reader whose attention you need to capture. When you fill in an application form, imagine a systematic reader checking that you meet clearly set criteria.
Completing the Application form
Application forms should never be completed in a hurry! This is an ideal opportunity for you to sell your skills. It is a good idea to make copies of the application to practise on prior to completing the form properly. This will provide you with the opportunity to correct any mistakes and decide on the best possible answers.
Another method for completing an application form is to type it, but beware - this can become difficult!! If you decide to type your application, we again highly recommend the use of practise forms. On the other hand, if the form is going to be hand-written, ensure you make use of a black pen and obviously make sure your handwriting is neat and legible.
Make sure you include sufficient information about your past so that an employer is clear as to what your responsibilities and duties were and take the opportunity to give the employer some extra information about yourself through use of the "further information" section - normally located at the end of most application forms.
The most common mistakes when completing application forms include: smudges, messy corrections, and writing outside the allocated space. Another, and the most common mistake, is illegible handwriting. Do not abbreviate words - they may sound clever but the reader might not understand. Also, ensure the use of the full company names and do not use negative comments, such as "I got bored", as a reason for leaving a previous position!
Application form sections
Application forms are usually structured in a similar way and include the following topics:
Education
Some forms are short on space for listing all your qualifications or modules. It may be possible to summarise key results or modules and refer to a fuller listing on a separate sheet, in the additional information box, or as ‘available upon request’. If in doubt, contact the employer to confirm.
Employment/work experience
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List your jobs in reverse chronological order by job title.
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If you didn’t have an official job title, try to think of one that describes your position well.
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Full addresses are not usually required.
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Describe your responsibilities or achievements in your job experience roles, bearing in mind the skills the employer is seeking.
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You can group together or prioritise some experiences if space is limited
Interests and achievements
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Similar principles apply as for your work experiences.
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Emphasise key words that demonstrate evidence of your skills.
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Focus on demonstrating appropriate behaviours rather than seeking to impress an employer with an amazing achievement.
Competency based questions
Some recruiters will have an application form (on paper or online) made up of competency based questions. These ask the applicant to provide detailed answers based on personal experience to demonstrate a skill required in the job.
An example might be: ‘Think of a time when you have had to influence others to do something they were reluctant to do'.
What was the situation? How did you do it? What was the outcome?’
Often there will be a word limit attached to the answer.
The employer is looking for a clear succinct and disciplined answer.
For this question you should try to:
briefly outline the situation; explain what you did in terms of skills and processes that you used in some detail; describe a positive outcome or personal learning point.
There is likely to be a series of questions covering a range of personal skills such as;
problem solving; teamwork; communication.
Avoid using the same scenario twice. Provide a spread of evidence in your answers,
References
Two referees are the norm, one work-related, or a character referee if allowed. Give their phone number and email along with their title and full contact address. Always ask for their permission first and remember to keep them informed of your career aspirations and achievements to date.
If a reference from your immediate manager is not possible, consider using someone else in the company.
If using an international referee, it’s a good idea to confirm with them that they can provide a fax or email in English.
Approaching difficult questions
There’s only one strategy - ensure that you understand the question, provide relevant evidence, use concise language, and perhaps include key words if there’s a chance the form will be electronically scanned.
Remember to use a variety of experiences to evidence your skills and attributes.
Do not use the same experience to demonstrate more than one skill.
Also beware of trying to take credit for the work of a team of people. This is particularly important when answering competency based questions aimed at finding out your role.
Before you send the form
Ask someone with a fresh pair of eyes to check through the application. You may not be able to see your own mistakes. Print a copy of your application and keep it with the job advertisement details. You may need this later for interview preparation!
The information on this page has been extracted from Prospects UK - Completing application forms|