Application forms

Introduction

  • Research the job you’re applying for thoroughly to make sure you’re suitable for the vacancy.
  • Check any queries with the employer before starting the form.
  • If writing you form, use black ink to help with photocopying.
  • Use a font that’s easy to read if sending as a word document. Verdana and Times New Roman are popular.
  • Carefully check for any spelling or grammar mistakes.
  • Write on lined paper to help presentation.
  • Always make a few photocopies of the blank form to work on.
  • Check with referees before using their names.
  • Photocopy the finished form so you can reference it at an interview.
  • Set aside enough time to complete the form – don’t rush!

Application forms, both printed and electronic, are being used more and more by employers. In the past, CVs were the main form of written application, but most large organisations these days will expect you to fill in an application form as past of the recruitment process.

Knowing how to fill in the form is crucial as they are used as much to weed out unsuitable candidates as they are to select the good ones. Therefore, a lot of thought needs to go into how you’ll complete the form.

In this article, we’ll be looking at tips on how best to approach application forms. Also, there’ll be advice on filling in all the sections commonly found on the forms.

The form

Filling in your form can be a time-consuming process, but you should approach it as a project.

Before starting

Here are a few quick tips to bear in mind before starting your application form:

  • Photocopy or print off at least two or three copies of the form for yourself to work on.
  • Give yourself plenty of time to complete the form. The more of them you do, the quicker it’ll become, but never rush, as you’re bound to makes mistakes.
  • Research the company/organisation you’re applying to well before beginning to write anything down.
  • Read through the form thoroughly, checking for instructions. These might be that you should write only in black ink or stating a font and font size for people sending their forms back by email.

Filling it in

You’re now ready to start putting your information on to the form. Your first attempt should be on one of the photocopies. You should have a clear idea of what you’ll put in the form before starting, but the first draft gives you room to make mistakes and also to improve on any areas that you feel need it.

Here are a few basic guidelines to follow:

  • Use black ink unless it states otherwise.
  • Fill in one of your photocopies before filling in the actual form.
  • Write clearly and tidily. If necessary, place a lined writing pad under the form to make sure what you write is as tidy as possible.
  • Check whether the form needs to be completed in a particular font and font size if sending yours back by email.
  • Check your spelling and grammar. Just running your form through a spell-checker might not be enough. Read through it yourself taking time to check for errors, or, better, get someone else to go through it. Proofreading your own work is not always the best method.

You’ve finished the form

Your form is now completed, but that’s not the end of the story. Here are a couple of quick tips for the final stage of the process:

  • Use an A4 envelope to send it off. There’s no point scrimping on money at this stage. A scruffy envelope might easily be discarded, as the employer could think that if you can’t be bothered then why should they?
  • If sending electronically, make sure any other required information is included with the email, eg, CV, ethnic monitoring form, etc.
  • Make sure the form is sent back well before any deadline.

Personal information

Application forms are usually divided into three sections: personal information, competence-based questions and administration information.

The personal information part of the form will ask for things like your name, address, education and work history.

The only real tips for this section are the same as for all the others: read the instructions so that you fill in the form in the way the employer wants, and make sure you tell the truth. Shaving a few years off your age, or adding a few GCSEs that you don’t have might look like a good idea, but it’s easy for any employer to find out that kind of information about you; it’s always best just to tell the truth.

Competency-based questions and additional information

This part of the form can carry a lot of weight, as it’s your skills and experience on show. How you fill in this section can greatly affect your chances of being offered an interview. You might be asked specific questions, or you might be asked to give general reasons why you are suitable for the role. You might find a sentence like the one below may be on your form:

  • Please give your reasons for making this application, relating your qualifications, experience and personal attributes to the person specification.

It’s now up to you to sell yourself. Make sure you tailor your skills and experience to the job in question. You might be asked for specific examples where you have displayed a certain skill. This could include the type of requests below:

  • Give details of a project you managed from start to finish.
  • Describe a difficult problem you have faced and how you went about solving it.
  • Give an example of a team decision that you have been involved in. How did you aid the team in reaching that decision?
  • What has been the biggest challenge in your professional life and how did you overcome it?

Don’t panic if you can’t think of any work-related examples for all the situations listed above. There’ll probably be a lot of occasions in your home life where you’ve had to be well organised, or faced a difficult problem. The key here is to explain the situation well. What matters is making the employer believe that your experience of an issue displays the skill needed well enough to do the job.

Of course, some questions ask for professional or work-related examples. You might think you haven’t displayed the skill needed in your working life but try to be imaginative. You might not think you’ve ‘managed a project’ but chances are there are things you have done that with, a bit of thought, you can adapt to fit the requirements. It’s important to be positive about your skills and experience.

Administration information

In this section, you’ll be asked to give the names and addresses of at least two references. You’ll also have to give details of any medical conditions. These days most organisations also include an ethnic monitoring form within this section.

When choosing who to put down as a reference, make sure the people you choose are going to be able to give any prospective employer useful information about you.

It’s a good idea to contact the people you are using as referees, so that they are aware there’s a chance that they might be contacted. Let them know about the job(s) you’re going for. This gives them a better idea of the type of things your prospective employer might ask about.

Final thought

Following the advice in this article can only help you to get to that elusive next stage of the job finding process: the interview. Taking your time filling in the form and thinking carefully about how to sell yourself will help you in the search for your chosen job. Good luck!