Cut
and paste information for your CV
into an application form and run
the risk of failing to answer the
question. This is an easy way for
recruiters to weed out unsuitable
application at the first read through.
Don’t
allow sloppiness to ruin your chance
of getting that COOL Interview.
Some
employers like to cover all bases
and ask applicants to submit a CV
in addition to completing an application
form. On the whole, however, unless
the job advertisement or application
pack directs you otherwise, it is
not good idea to submit your CV
along with the application form
you have been asked to complete.
Your CV will most likely just repeat
much of the information included
on the application form. Anything
you would like to mention, but were
unable to include on the form, can
be put into covering letter.
Before
you start…
It's important to plan how you're going to complete
the form. Make sure you read the instructions on the
form carefully. If it asks you to put the information
in a certain order then make sure you do!
Online application forms
If the form is online, draft your application offline
first – in a word processing package like Word
– and save it to your computer. This way you'll
be able to run a spell check before you copy the info
into the online system. It also means you'll have
a back-up if there's a problem with the form.
More and more sites offer the option
of storing your application online
and coming back to it. If you do
this in more than one sitting, keep
a record of any usernames and passwords
so that you can get back in!
Online forms can be longer and more complicated than
paper forms – follow the instructions carefully
and check how many screens you have to fill in before
you can submit your application. If necessary, copy
all the questions into an offline document –
that way there’s no danger of submitting an
incomplete application.
Paper application forms
If you’re filling in a form by hand, write as
neatly as you can in black ink and use block capitals
if the form asks you to.
A good way to avoid mistakes and crossings-out on
the final form is to photocopy the original and practice
filling in this copy first. Take care of the form
– don’t spill anything on it or leave
it in your bag to get creased!
Section-by-section help
Now you’re ready to fill out
your application form, take a look
at our
for
section-by-section help.
Some important final checks…
Whether your form is online or on paper you should:
• Read it over a few times to check for spelling
and grammatical errors – these are one of the
most common reasons applications are rejected
• Ask someone else to proofread it for you
• Check you’ve filled in all of the boxes
that are relevant to you – if you leave an empty
box the employer may think your form is incomplete.
If a box isn’t relevant, put ‘N/A’
(not applicable)
• Photocopy or print out the finished form,
so you have a record of what you’ve put. You'll
need to be able to refer back to it at the interview
stage
• Take note of the closing date and send your
application form to arrive in good time.
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