Application forms

Advantages of application forms

 You can decide exactly what information you need to know.

 It is easy to compare the skills and experience of different applicants.

 You can re-use the form for future vacancies.

Disadvantages of application forms

 They are time-consuming and can be tricky to design as they must be easy to fill in and have clear

instructions.

 You pay the cost of producing and sending them out to applicants.

 A form can put some applicants off.

What to include in an application form

 Name and address of organisation.

 Job applied for.

 Name, address, telephone numbers and email address of candidate.

 Educational and professional qualifications.

 Work experience.

 Other relevant information and skills, eg languages, clean driving licence.

 Names and addresses of referees.

Be careful to avoid possible discriminatory questions, eg asking them to indicate if they have childcare responsibilities.

See our guide on how to prevent discrimination and value diversity.

E APPLICATION FORM
Application forms are a more and more common way for firms to recruit as they can create their own application
forms to extract just the right amount of information they require to call people in for interviews. Always make a
photocopy of the original and work on the photocopy itself before transferring to the original form as it really does
NOT look good if you have mistakes and crossings out or tipp-ex blobs all over an application form.

A benefit of using application forms in the recruitment process is that it's a fair way of comparing people's
experience and qualifications to get the best person for the job. People lay their CVs out in so many different
styles that application forms will ascertain the exact information required by the company to make decisions to
interview. Some employers also use application forms as the basis for personnel files for employees.

Make sure you follow the application form instructions (usually at the top of the form or with guidance notes
included in the application pack), e.g. if it says "use a BLACK pen" use a black pen, historically this was to ensure
the text was dark enough to photocopy clearly, but more and more these days it's a way for employers to check if
you follow the most basic of instructions – if it says “use black pen” and you use blue, green or pink, why would
you do that? Write clearly and don't use abbreviations.

It's advisable to read the whole form through first before you start completing it to make sure you don't answer
part of a question in one question that crops up later in the application form.

Use the form as an opportunity to express yourself in your own words (something not done so easily in a
standard CV). Use this application process as a chance to SELL yourself. Where there are questions asking you
to describe a situation when you've had to deal with a difficult customer or client or colleague - use this as the
perfect opportunity to describe your interpersonal and communication skills, always ensuring that you show that
you put the customer first.

Don't tell outright lies on application forms as they will come back to haunt you, e.g. don't say you have a First
Class Honours Degree in Computer Science when you didn't complete the full degree or even sit your exams. It
WILL come back to bite you in the proverbial. I knew someone years ago who'd stated on their application that
she had passed Bachelors degree over 10 years ago and was later dismissed by their employer when they
actually checked with the university - they HAD actually studied the degree course but hadn't actually sat the final
exams - I think they might have even gone as far as to say that they had received a pass with Honours!

There's nothing wrong with slightly embellishing things but outright lies will get you in trouble and could lead to
you being dismissed or disciplined at a later stage (if, of course, you get the job) or just looking a fool in the role
when you’re asked to carry out tasks using the skills you said you had in your application but you don’t actually
have those skills.

Make sure you keep the application form free from dirt and avoid folding it as much as possible. Try to send it
back in an envelope the same size as the form without folding it unless an envelope has been provided in the first
place. Don't use small DL envelopes to send back application forms, as you'll have to fold the form at least twice
to fit. I've seen people send in application forms with coffee stains on them as well as ones which look like they
were folded up and kept in someone's back pocket for a week! Not impressive at all.

Do not write "see CV" in response to any questions on the application form. Employers don't bother to look at
CV's when they're sifting through application forms.

Don't underestimate the importance of good grammar and correctly spelt words. I've seen some real howlers on
application forms, some which quite annoyed me as it was difficult to even understand what the applicant was
trying to get across. If grammar and spelling are not your strong point (or if you're not good at proof-reading your
own work), get someone else to check it over for you on the copy before you transfer everything to the original.

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