Application forms

Employers use application forms to get an idea of your skills, qualities, achievements and experience in a format they can compare with other applicants. If the employer has asked for an application form do not send a CV.

Your main aim when filling in an application form is to present yourself effectively, so that the employer wants to interview you. To do this you have to know what the employer is looking for.

• Research and preparation
• Answering the questions
• Tips for paper application forms
• Tips for online application forms
• Scanning software - make sure your application gets read

Research and preparation

Before you do anything else, read the application form through from beginning to end. This will help you plan what information should be included where. The essential points you want to make must be tailored to fit the form while still answering the questions clearly and concisely. 

Step 1: Understand the employer and the job

Read the job advertisement very carefully. What experience, personal qualities or qualifications are they asking for? This will usually be described in a ‘person specification’.

If nothing is specified, you can still make an intelligent guess as to what the employer will be looking for by looking at the detail of the job description or by doing some research about the company.

Use your contacts. Do you know anyone who already works at the organisation? Talk to them. The Brighton Graduate Association may be able to put you in touch with ex-students who are working for the company. 

See Research and preparation for ideas on researching a potential employer or contact the Brighton Graduate Association.

Step 2: Match yourself to the job

The person specification will often refer to ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ requirements. Do not be discouraged if you do not meet all of the 'desirable' requirements. A person specification usually describes an employer’s ideal candidate. They will expect to receive applications from candidates who match the majority, but not all, of these requirements.

Use the person specification as a guide and show how you match each of the essential requirements. Also show how you meet as many of the desirable requirements as you can.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the qualities, skills, aptitude or temperament required to do the job. The best way to do this is to give an example of something you have done that illustrates these qualities or that helped you to develop them.

For example working at a call centre may have given you tenacity, endurance and a thick skin; waiting at tables could have developed your patience, tact and stamina.

Think through all the jobs you have done: industrial training, vacation work, voluntary work. Consider the positions of responsibility held that you have held. You should also consider your studies and your hobbies and interests. Decide if the skills or aptitudes you can demonstrate in each case might be relevant to the job you are applying for.

Step 3: Identify your unique selling point (USP)

Remember that the employer is comparing your application with many others so make the most of your unique experiences and achievements. For example, many applicants may have studied French; only one might have taught in a French school, worked in a Swiss children's holiday camp or taught English to immigrants.

Mention any other things you think are important: vacation courses attended, prizes won, voluntary work undertaken. Decide what your unique selling points are and make the most of them. Organise the form carefully to make sure your selling points make an impact.

Your degree

Where your degree is particularly relevant to the job, the employer will probably want more information about course content and special projects. In this case your degree is a major selling point. However, when applying for jobs where degree subject is not specified, the employer will still be interested in any relevant skills and aptitudes you have acquired during your course of study.

 Answering the questions

Make sure your application is focused and concise and you will maximise your chances of making the shortlist. Faced with cutting 100+ applications down to a shortlist of six or seven, an employer will not waste time sifting through your application looking for relevant content.

It is vital that your answers provide the specific evidence that the question is asking for. You may be asked to ‘describe a time when you overcame obstacles to do something’. Make your answer as clear and concise as possible. Set the scene, say what you did and what the end result was.

Take care in completing any section asking for additional information in support of your application. This will usually be located at the end of the application form. Provide information that is relevant, interesting and that conveys your personality, but make sure that it also demonstrates that you have the qualities the job requires.

If you are offered an interview, the application form will probably be used by the interviewer as a basis for discussion. A lively, interesting form could lead to a good, stimulating interview. Keep a copy of the finished form, and your draft versions. You will need to re-read your application before an interview to remind yourself of what you said and how you said it.

Pay attention to detail, including spelling, grammar and punctuation and always use appropriate language.

Interests and activities

Don't just give a list; try to expand on one or two points. Think about any achievements relating to your out-of-work activities which you can draw attention to. Remember this will contribute to the employer’s impression of the kind of person you are. Be prepared also to talk about your interests at interview.

Gaps

Avoid leaving gaps in the chronology of your application. If you have been unemployed say so, but be positive about how you used your time.

Don't leave sections blank - if questions are not relevant to you you should put 'N/A' (this is an accepted abbreviation for 'not applicable').

Extra information

If there is something you are keen to say which you think is a point in your favour, use your ingenuity to fit it into the most appropriate part of the form.

Attach an extra page to the form if there really isn't enough room in a particular section, but remember that the point of an application form is that it is a concise way of presenting information.

An extra page may be of particular use to students of technical subjects who want to elaborate on special projects.

References

Before giving someone’s name as a referee get their permission and ask how they wish to be contacted – by email, phone, or letter. This is courteous and sensible.

Employers usually expect at least one academic referee for recent graduates; the other could be an employer or a professional person who knows you personally.

Tips for paper application forms

Make a photocopy and complete a draft of your application before you try to fill out the actual form.

Once you have finished the draft, ask a friend or family member to review it, or make an appointment with a careers counsellor. This is essential in checking that you are saying what you want to say in the best way possible.

Remember that the appearance of the form (neat, scruffy, smudged) is the first impression you will give before even a word is read.

Never fold an application form once you have filled it in, even if it arrived folded. Return it flat in an A4 envelope. The form will be photocopied for members of the shortlisting and interview panels and fold lines running through text may render the photocopied version illegible.

Be extra careful about grammar, spelling and punctuation. These mistakes can be enough to disqualify your application.

Always proof read your application, do not rely on spell-check to do this for you.

If you copy text from one application form to another make sure it is relevant to that particular role.

If you can send your application early then do. There is growing evidence that some employers scan applications on receipt and invite applicants for interview before the deadline

Tips for online application forms

When completing an online application the rules of spelling, punctuation and grammar still apply. Lack of attention to detail is just as likely to disqualify your application.

Employers often use standard searches and electronic scanning of applications when looking for candidates. They look for key skills and qualifications that relate to the job description. Use language that is positive and appropriate to the job you are applying for.

You will often have to answer questions within a fixed word limit. Concentrate on saying what you want to say and edit as necessary. Be prepared to leave out details if you are struggling to stay within the word limit. You can always expand on your answer at interview.

Don’t sacrifice grammar for the sake of squeezing in everything you would like to say. This will count against you.

As with a paper form, if you copy text from one application form to another make sure it is relevant to that particular role.

Save a copy of the application form if possible, or copy the content into a Word document or similar.

Scanning software - Make sure your application gets read

Recent media reports indicate that many large companies use software to scan applications and CVs looking for keywords. If the keywords aren’t found the application is rejected before it gets seen by a human being.

Software will often be company and role-specific, so it's more important than ever to tailor your application to the job you are applying for. You should repeat back to the employer specific words and phrases they use in the job description.

Use the links below to get more information about scanning software and how to 'beat' it;

• Lifehacker
  Tips on working with and getting past scanning software.
• Quintessential Careers
  Advice on effective use of keywords in CVs.
• Resume-Help
  Information on use of scanning, use of keywords and general tips on writing applications.