Filling Out A Job Application Form
In this lesson, learners will learn to:
Identify the function of a job application form
Identify the format of a job application form
Use several useful tips to fill out a job application form
The materials in this course will be delivered in a video (contains a presentation and explanation) and quiz related to the topic.
This lesson will require approximately 45 minutes, including a video and a quiz.
There is another document that you have to complete, although you have already sent your CV, resume, and cover letter to apply for your dream job. That document is a job application form. You must be wondering why do you need to do it? Aren’t the employers able to see all of your information on your resume and cover letter? What is it actually for? And how to complete it? To answer all of those questions, you need to follow this lesson. Here, you will learn all about the job application form and how to fill it out.
The functions of filling out a job application form are a part of the screening process and the employee data collection process. Completing forms as a part of the screening process is usually done before the employers or recruiters invite you to an interview. You can use this to impress them and convince them how serious you are about wanting the job. The other function is as an employee data collection process. Several companies might have a policy where they require collecting their employees’ data, so the filled forms from this process will be kept by them.
For the form itself, there are two types of job application forms commonly used by the employer. First, it’s a digital form. This form is to apply for a job on the company’s website or via email. The other one is a printed form. You can get the form directly from the recruiter in the company’s building when you apply for the job in-person. The duration for filling the form might vary depending on the company. It could be one hour or even days. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare documents that are useful for completing the form. Here on the right is the example of a job application form.
Next, it’s the format or structure of a job application form. It usually includes personal information, educational background and certification, working experience, list of skills and abilities, personal statement, competency questions, and references.
The first point is personal information. In this section, you will be asked about your details such as your name, address, phone number, email address, place, date of birth, etc. The second point is educational background and certification. You are expected to provide the name of schools you attended like high school and university, the certificates you got from training, organization, and competition you joined before. The certificate you provided must be relevant to the position you apply. The third point is the working experience. You have to mention your employment history, starting from the latest job then going backward. If you have many job experiences, you just need to include experiences that are related to the job you are applying for. You could also include internships, part-time, and voluntary jobs if you have any.
The fourth is a list of skills and abilities. In this part, you could list your skills and abilities that are relevant to the job or required in the job vacancy. It is important to always include language skills (of course if you could speak other languages) and be honest about the information that you mention here. The fifth point is a personal statement. It describes your reason why you are applying for the position so you could promote yourself. You need to arrange well-structured sentences that could demonstrate you as a perfect candidate for the job. When you have finished, please check your grammar and spelling again to avoid mistakes before you submit the form to the employer.
The last two points are competency questions and references. These two kinds of questions are not always asked; it depends on the company itself. For the competency questions, you have to show your relevant skills and competencies specifically by giving some details or examples in different situations. The questions examples are “What do you think about working under pressure? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Could you give an example of how do you face the biggest challenge in your previous job?” For the references, you need to have at least two people as your references. These people could be from your current job or at least have experience working professionally with you. It is better to put your colleagues, your previous manager, supervisor, or other people that are not your relatives to keep it professional.
Before we end the lesson, here are some useful tips for you about filling out a job application form. First of all, you have to do some research about the company and the position you are applying for. You need to have at least the knowledge about the company’s profile, culture, and requirements for the open position. Next, you have to prepare the documents that you need to help you complete the form. Don’t forget to match it with your resume or CV! After that, you may want to ask the recruiter to bring home the form. If they permit you, it would be better and easier for you since you have more time to fill the form. So, don’t take it for granted! But if you don’t get permission, you are not allowed to force the recruiter to get what you want. It’s better to follow what the recruiter said. Then, you must read the instructions carefully before you fill the form. It is very important because a small mistake, such as using the wrong pen color or filling it with full capital letters instead of the normal writing for the form, might disqualify you from the recruiting process. Next, you must be honest and accurate for every answer. Making up answers to impress the recruiter is truly unprofessional. This also might get you in big trouble in the future. Last but not least, you have to re-read your form to avoid several mistakes, especially grammar and spelling. So, proofreading is highly recommended before submitting your form.
This is the end of this lesson. For the next module, you will learn about the interview process. However, you have to do the quiz before you continue to the next module. Thank you for taking this lesson and see you.
