This guide will help you complete job application forms.
Starting point
Companies ask you to complete an application form so that they can find out some facts about each person who is applying for work.
This is your chance to prove to the employer that you have the skills, ability, knowledge and enthusiasm to do the job.
Remember the completed form must convince the employer that you are worth interviewing.
Never be tempted to just send your CV. If an organisation sends an application form they want it to be filled in. You can add any additional information that is relevant by attaching a separate sheet to the form.
Preparation and presentation
Here are some useful things to consider before you complete the form:
Presentation of your form is very important. If the form does not look good the employer may not bother to read it
Take a photocopy of the blank application form and use this to draft your answers on
Before you begin, read the whole of the form and any accompanying information.
This will give you a good idea of what you need to include
Follow the instructions does it say 'please complete in capital letters' or 'use black ink'?
Write clearly and neatly, or have the form typed
Ask someone to check for spelling and grammatical mistakes
Avoid leaving blank sections. If a section does not apply to you put 'N/A' or 'not applicable'
Once complete, photocopy the form for your files – it may be useful when filling in future application forms
Remember to sign and date the form
Use a good sized envelope
Make sure you post the form to arrive before the closing date
Completing the form
Most application forms are split into sections.
Here are some of the sections that may be included:
Personal details
This section is for facts about you. It usually includes name, address, etc.
Education
In this section you will need to:
List the schools and colleges you have attended and any qualifications gained
List any evening classes or short courses you have been on
Also include any company training you may have received. If there is a training section on the form this information can go there
Do they want your most recent education listed first? Follow the guidelines given on the form
Employment/Work Experience/Work History
In this section you will need to:
List your former employers and the dates you worked for them. Don't worry if you cannot remember the exact dates. The dates can reflect month/year or just the year if it was a long time ago
Most forms ask for brief details of what you did. Try to think what parts of your previous work will be useful in the job you are applying for and list these first
If there are large gaps in your employment write down the dates and explain what you were doing during this time, e.g. unemployed, bringing up family, travelling, studying etc.
Activities and interests
Employers are looking for clues about your personality, so include information on:
Your hobbies
Any clubs you belong to
Any positions of responsibility held in the community
Any voluntary work you do
Personal statement
This section is sometimes called 'Relevant experience' or 'Provide other information to support your application'. This section allows you to show the employer what you have to offer by matching your skills, qualities and experience to what they are looking for. Start by looking at the advert and any details the firm has sent you.
Look at the person specification and job description. This tells you what they are looking for. Read it through and see if you can identify any areas that match your skills, experience and qualifications. Use examples from:
Examples:
" I feel I work well as part of a team as I have been working on the committee of a local community centre for a number of years."
" I enjoy working with the public and believe I do this well. In my present job I deal with enquiries from the public on a daily basis."
" In my present role I supervise 5 administrative assistants and manage their workload. I also introduced a training programme for administrative assistants so they could improve their qualifications and experience."
"In my present role I use IT on a daily basis and am fully experienced in using Microsoft Office programmes including Word, Access and Excel."
" I regularly use the Internet and have recently attended an Internet course at North Warwickshire College."
If you get stuck on this section you could break it into small chunks by writing about:
What attracted you to this job and the company
How your qualifications and experience are relevant
How your skills match the job requirements
What you're willing to do to upgrade your skills or qualifications - especially if there's something in the job description you don't have
How activities you are involved in demonstrate your personality
Explain why the position is a move forward for you and how it fits in with your longterm career aims
If you have access to a computer type your personal statement as this makes it look neater and is easier to read.
You may also want to include some information about the industry, sector or company. So you will need to find out as much about the company as you can. Most central libraries have books and databases of company information. The internet is also a good source of information. Many companies now have a website containing information about their business, service or products.
The following websites are also good for researching a specific company or industry sector:
www.kellysearch.co.uk
www.kompass.co.uk
These websites contain large directories of companies, suppliers and manufacturers.
Large libraries may hold hard copies of these directories.
You could also look at company leaflets and marketing materials.
References
You will usually be asked to give the names of two referees. One should be your current or last employer. The other referee could be from a previous job or someone that knows you well and could talk about your personal qualities. This should not be a relative. It should really be someone who has a position of responsibility in the community (e.g. church, temple or mosque leader, teacher, doctor, community leader etc.), or someone who has worked with you in another situation (e.g. a college tutor or through voluntary work). If you don't know anyone like this then ask a friend or neighbour.
Remember to ask these people if they are willing to be a referee for you.
Making online applications
Many organisations now offer the opportunity to apply for jobs online. This can be done in a number of ways:
Completing the form in Word and e-mailing it to the employer
Printing off the applications form and returning it by post
Filling in a series of questions via an online questionnaire. If this is the case, remember to take your time and answer the questions as fully as possible in the space provided, just as you would do for a paper-based application form
Attaching a copy of your CV to an online application form. See 'A job seekers guide to... Writing a Curriculum Vitae' for more information on how to do this
The process for completing a form online is the same as completing a paper form, so follow the guidelines in this leaflet.
Even with on-screen forms it is important to complete a draft copy of your answers. If this is possible, you could do this by:
Printing off the form and drafting your answers on the paper copy
Paste the form into Word and prepare your answers
When you have completed the form remember to:
Do a spell check, print it out and read carefully before sending it
Save a copy of the form for yourself
If you want to apply for jobs online you will need to set up an e-mail address. There are a number of web-based e-mail providers that allow you to access your e-mail from any Internet-connected computer in the world.
Here are some web-based e-mail providers that you can register with, but there are a number of others available:
www.mail.yahoo.com
www.hotmail.com
Online Testing
Sometimes the online application process can include online tests such as aptitude tests, self-assessment tests and personality tests.
If you are faced with an online test you usually only have one chance to answer each question and there is no opportunity to go back and change answers. So make sure you follow the instructions carefully and set aside enough time to complete all the questions.
Examples of online and psychometric tests can be found on the following websites:
www.guardian.co.uk/graduate
Guardian newspaper website with psychometric and IQ tests.
www.2h.com
Personality and IQ tests.
www.support4learning.org.uk
Click on Jobsearch and then click on assessment of your skills.
Lists a number of links to online tests and tools.
There are also lots of books about job tests. Your local nextstep service will have some books which you can use to help you prepare for your test. To find out where you can go to access this type of resource ring nextstep Coventry and Warwickshire on 0800 9 17 18 18.
Need more help?
For further information please contact CHEERS or complete the enquiry form below.
Opening times
Monday - Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 2pm
Family Community Care Centre
Ramsden Avenue
Camp Hill
Nuneaton
Warks
CV10 9EB
Telephone: 024 7639 9330
Mobile: 07811 966345
E-mail: info@cheers-cda.co.uk
The Opportunities Centre
Pool Road Industrial Estate
Pool Road
Nuneaton
Warks
CV10 9AE
Telephone: 024 7640 0005
E-mail: info@cheers-cda.co.uk
