How to complete a job application

Submitting a job application is often the first contact you have with a potential employer, so you better make a good impression. Knowing what to write and what the hiring manager is looking for will help you to submit an application that gets you an interview. There are several important steps that you should follow when completing your job application. You should:

Reading the job application may seem like an obvious step but people frequently skip it. Even if you scanned the job description before you decided to apply, it is still a good idea to go back and read it a couple of more times to make sure you did not miss any details. Employers typically receive hundreds of applications for a position. One of the most common methods they will use to narrow the applicant pool is to eliminate anyone who they think did not read the job description or requirements.

Many employers also use something known as an applicant tracking system (ATS). This is an automated system that can be fine-tuned to reject applications that are missing information or do not have the right keywords. Even though you may not be able to completely predict what the ATS is looking for, you can still advance your application in the system by making sure to include the correct information.

Follow the instructions

Sometimes a field calls for a full paragraph, a couple of sentences or just a “yes” or “no.” There are also fields that require you to spend some time answering in-depth questions. Regardless of what the specific questions require, make sure you are answering them correctly. Read the question a couple of times to make sure you understand and take some time to formulate a thorough answer.

There are employers who ask a variety of types of questions, including character, behavioral and hypothetical. If you want to increase your chances of success, you need to respond to these questions effectively and accurately. Not all applications will include long answer questions, but it never hurts to adhere closely to the instructions. Taking care while filling out the information demonstrates to an employer that you are a worthy candidate and invested in the hiring process.

By Type (2)

Part I. Personal Information

(1) Applicant Name. The Job Applicant, who will submit this application, will need to be identified at the beginning of this process. His or her name is expected in the standard presentation of “First,” “Middle,” and “Last” where requested.

(3) Address. The Job Applicant’s residential address must be distributed to the next area. Two lines are provided for this purpose. It is inadvisable to use a P.O. Box address unless absolutely necessary. Most if not all Employers will need the home address of each potential Employee to support a background check.

(5) Telephone Number. Many potential Employers will contact the Applicant by telephone for important matters, questions, or decisions. The Job Applicant’s cell phone and/or home phone number(s) should be displayed with his or her other contact information.

(6) Social Security Number. A generally accepted and extremely reliable means of verifying one’s identity is his or her social security number. Therefore, a specific area has been reserved for the Job Applicant’s social security number to be displayed.

(8) Desired Pay. The pay rate that is expected by the Job Applicant can be defined as a dollar amount paid by the hour or a set yearly salary. The production of this information should be made as a dollar amount followed by either the “Hour” or “Salary” checkbox selected.

(10) Employment Status Sought. It should be indicated whether the Job Applicant seeks “Full-Time,” “Part-Time,” or “Seasonal” employment. If the Job Applicant is flexible, then any combination of these checkboxes can be selected so long as it matches the Job Applicant’s intention.

Part II – Employment Eligibility

(11) Legal Eligibility To Work. The ability to legally work in the United States should be one of the Job Applicant’s qualities. If so, the “Yes” box should be marked or selected. Otherwise, if the Job Applicant is unable to legally work in the United States (i.e. he or she may require Sponsorship), the “No” box should be selected.

(12) Previous History With Employer. The “Yes” box should be selected if the Job Applicant has worked for the Employer accepting this application. If not, then the “No” box should be marked. Bear in mind that if the Job Applicant has worked for this Employer before then a production of the first calendar date and the last calendar date of his or her term of employment with this Employer must be included in this section.

(13) Criminal Status. The criminal history of the Job Applicant will need to be established. If he or she has never been convicted of a (felony) crime then the “No” box must be chosen. If not, then the “Yes” box should be checkmarked or selected and a discussion of the nature of the conviction on the circumstances that led to the conviction as well as its result will need to be documented.

Part III – Education

(14) High School. A brief history of the Job Applicant’s academic history is required for this application. Thus, the name of the high school that he or she attended should be supplied along with the city and state where it is located.

(16) Completion Status. The “Yes” box should be marked if the Job Applicant graduated from high school and the degree he or she earned should be dispensed. If the Job Applicant did not graduate high school then the “No” box should be marked.

(19) Degree Status. If the Job Applicant is a College graduate, then the box labeled “Yes” must be selected and the degree he or she earned should be selected. Otherwise, if he or she did not earn a degree, then the “No” box must be marked.

(20) Other Educational Facilities Or Courses. A record of any other type of education attained by the Job Applicant should be included. For instance, if the Job Applicant attended a trade school, the name of the school along with the city, state, the dates attended, and the degree or certification obtained by the Job Applicant should be dispensed for review.

How to format an application letter

1. Use a professional format

A job application letter should be more professional than a thank-you card or an email to a coworker or friend. The alignment of the document should include single spacing, one-inch margins and left alignment. It’s best to use a professional and traditional font, such as Times New Roman, in a size from 10 to 12 points. Try to keep your job application letter to one page. When a hiring manager reviews your job application letter, they will get their first impression of you as a potential employee, so take time to format it professionally and keep it concise.

2. Create the heading

Use a formal business heading for your job application letter. The heading should include your name and contact information, the date and the company name and address. If you send your job application letter via email, you can eliminate your name and contact information from the header and put it at the bottom of the email after the signature instead.

3. Address the letter to the hiring manager

In your research, try to find the name of the person reviewing applications for the job. Address your letter to this person with a common business greeting, such as “Dear Mr./Ms.” and their last name. If you’re unable to find their preferred gender pronouns (she/her, them/they) of the individual reviewing your application, you can use “Dear [first and last name]” or “Dear Hiring Manager.”

Resources:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/completing-job-application-to-get-an-interview
https://eforms.com/employee/application/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-write-an-application-letter-for-a-job
https://www.successcds.net/learn-english/writing-skills/job-application-bio-data.html