Filling Out a Job Application
 Many companies require a cover letter and resume of all potential employees, but it is becoming increasingly common to require a job application as well. A job application gives the company a chance to ask pre-interview questions of candidates, and it gives candidates another chance to highlight their skills and experience. Unfortunately, a botched job application can also hurt your chances of getting a job or even rule you out as an employee entirely. Spend as much time as you can on an application and give your answers careful thought. Adhere to the following tips when filling out your next job application. Then download a sample application form to practice.
- Come Prepared. Some companies will ask you to arrive early for an interview so that you can spend some time filling out a job application form. These forms vary in length from 1 to 5 pages and may include some difficult questions. When you come to an interview, always bring information that you may need when filling out a job application. For example, a standard job application will ask about your previous employment. You may need your former supervisor’s name, address, telephone number and email. Not everyone may know this information off the top of their heads. Also bring the addresses and phone numbers of personal references or information that may be required for a credit check.
- Fill Everything Out. Treat the job application like a medical history form and do not leave anything out. Your doctor would want you to answer every question, and so will the hiring managers. If you cannot remember exactly how much money you made when starting at your previous company, include a salary range. Your job application form, when complete, should be neat and include all the required information. Avoid answering questions with “see resume” or “N/A” if you can. Potential employers never like to see job applications that indicate a lazy candidate!
- Treat A Job Application Like Your Resume. In other words, make it great. If you have the luxury of filling out a job application online, use spell check and edit your answers for grammatical errors. Try to have a friend proofread your application before submitting it. If you must fill out a job application in person before an interview, use dark pen and carefully print all answers. If your potential employer cannot read your answers he or she will be less likely to follow up with previous employers or references. You never want to frustrate the hiring manager with an illegible job application.
- Ask For Help. If you arrive at an interview and the administrative assistant hands you an unexpected application, do not panic. You may not have enough time before the interview starts to finish all of the questions, especially if one or two require extended answers or explanations. Rather than turning in an incomplete job application form, ask for extra time after the interview has ended. If a particular question confuses you, ask the administrative assistant or receptionist for guidance. Always remember to say “please” and “thank you” because many employers ask these employees for information about prospective candidates.
- Online Job Application Forms. Some job application forms will be less obvious if they are online. When applying for a position via an online job posting, you may be asked a series of questions that you can answer off the top of your head. Be careful. These questions may be screening questions designed by the employer to differentiate between candidates. Take your time when answering these questions and always make sure that your answers, if written, are properly punctuated and spelled correctly.
- Be Consistent. Your resume will be the central feature of your job quest. A cover letter will also assist you in getting an interview. When filling out a job application, make sure that you keep all information, such as dates, job titles and duties, consistent. A simple mistake on your job application form could cost you the job if your employer finds a troubling discrepancy. Double check all materials submitted to the hiring manager to maintain a consistent employment history.
- Always remember that every step in the hiring process helps to form a hiring manager’s impression of you. Job applications provide additional information. Whether before or after the interview, online or in person, job application forms will be added to your file at best and ruin your chances of employment at worst. Follow these basic guidelines whenever you fill out a job application form.
Download a sample application form.
You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
|
Job search by state | city | or industry
|
42 Responses for "Filling Out a Job Application"
i would like to work at winn dixie store
i would like to work at fedex or ups
Hi my name is jasmine bedwell i would love to work for a winn dixie store iam a hard worker and i love to get my job done what ever i ma doing i never leave an undone job
Hi my name is willis carrington i would love to for a fedex[ground] i a very hard worker and make sure i on work on time inever leave an undone job.
I’d like to work for the guvermint. I want to help evrybody do things else thaey can’t do.
TO *!&% #$$ Jermaine Fracois Jefferson GO TO SCHOOL
MY BET IS THAT YOU CAN’T READ & WRITE.
Please help me to have the application form for apply job in Canada. Because I really don’t know where to get the best application form to make my new employer satisfice. Thanks so much and God bless u for the way u help me.
TO: Jermaine
I wish people could be a little nicer to each other. You’re comment was totally rude. God help you.
i really need a job but im only 15 i can work whatever hours iv tried everywhere but nobody has got back to me yet and im very unpatient im ready to do something with my life
I agree with Lisa Melton. This isn’t supposed to be a place where you criticise people. That was just cold Jermaine. So knock it off and be nice.
to jermaine everyone is not prefect you know.
While I agree than Jermaine’s response was nasty, the fact of the matter is that literacy is essential for success. Many responders here are unable to spell simple words and use them correctly. I am especially concerned about Kayla Marie, only 15. There is a reason that you cannot legally work at 15; it is to be sure that you have time to devote to school. Kayla, you will not be able to do very much with your life at all if you do not take the time to learn spelling and grammar NOW. Curb your IMPATIENCE and hit the
books. Ask your English teacher for special help. You need it.
i would like a job but i never graduater from high school..
Have you heard of the GED? Call the local junior colleges and get information on how to apply and get help studying for the test.
I want to move at canada
all of you need to stop talking about people because you all can’t spell.!
Hello, I am looking for more info. on job applications not people being rude.So I guess I’m at the wrong site.
You people want jobs, yet yall can barely spell.
that’s quite sad.
the smallest words such as government not guvermint, wtf!!!
@susan I tottaly agree.
Am 23yrs old and am a mother of one and i want to work for winn-dixie ineed a job bad ,but i cant find the right job sites .
Keyonie and Susan, have you taken a closer look at your posts? Perhaps you didn’t realize that editing also goes along with spelling and grammar? Or that ‘yall’ isn’t even a word, but slang for ‘you all’ and isn’t really considered proper grammar to begin with and is actually spelled ‘ya’ll’? You should look at your own back porch before trying to clean someone else’s. I caught this spelling mistake right off; ‘While I agree than Jermaine’s…’ Do you see it? I’ll point it out to you. The word ‘than’ should have been ‘that’. There is a program on most computers called Microsoft Word; it has a spelling and grammar check tool embedded. Perhaps you should all learn to use it.
You’re a critic of people not being able to spell? “Yall” have left me unimpressed. Did you know that sentences begin with capital letters? What is “yall” by the way? Some kind of short for you all? Like some people say y’all? Well, some people may have trouble spelling, then again some people may have trouble speaking. Some people may sit quietly and have everybody think they must be stupid. Other people open their mouths and let everybody know for sure they are stupid.
Keyonie,
While you’re hating on grammatical errors, and spelling. Remember that “ya’ll” isn’t even a word, and it’s not “yall” but ya’ll. A conjunction of YOU and ALL.
In reference to the rude A****** Jermaine. The correct pronunciation would be can’t read or write. People that live in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks.
This is a comedy site …. right?
I’m looking for a job in acting. I’m 16 and already have a plan to study the arts in New York. Does anyone know any good schools up there that are easy to get into? Times are hard and it’s hard to get into a good school right now. I also need a job so I can get to New York seeing that I live in Cali. Any suggestions?
To Lizziebeth,
In order to get into schools for the performing arts, you need to have done lots of theatre productions in your present school. A 16 year old boy at my daughter’s high school had been taking ballet for about 4 years, had been in several high school productions, danced many productions at the local Grand Rapids City Ballet, and was given a scholarship to attend the American Ballet School in New York.
As far as acting, it’s highly competitive, it’s a tough job, and it’s difficult to get into performing arts schools, especially in New York. Become involved in your local community civic theatre productions. There must be several good schools in California for performing arts to start you in the right direction. You need that experience to put on your resume when you decide to apply for admissions for school.
I’d say “best of luck”, but that’s bad luck. Break a leg instead.
The people that comment on this site are very rude. This is supposed to be a help site for young adults such as myself, to teach you needed information about the job field. Instead of blasting people because they have trouble spelling or there grammar is not to par with yours, you should be helping them. I am disappointed that every one of you has nothing better to do than judge others on there performance. To everyone that has been offended by what most people on this site have to say I am sorry. Look for help somewhere where you will get actual help
And to Susan, the kid is 15 years old. Of course they will want to get out there, didn’t every kid at that age? I know I did and that was just a few short years ago. And just because they can’t spell does not mean they need “special help” that sickens me to hear that aimed at a child, learn some manners to go along with your “perfect” grammar and spelling abilities.
I laughed at the first couple comments with spelling and grammar problems, but now it’s just downright sad. It’s unfortunate that our nation is so becoming so lazy and illiterate that we’ll take a politician’s word if it means not having to fact check their sources. Computers have spellcheck for crying out loud! By the way that’s not really my name
I would like a job. I have a GED and am going to college. I am willing to work for just about anyone. I haven’t had a job going on three years, I am needing a job bad.
Ok, Amanda look at your spelling and grammar. Its not perfect ether.
To lizziebeth,
Hey gurl if u aare looking for an acting job i might be able to work something out i would love to employ u some day as an act for a commercial for my shop peace home skillets i luv this site its like totly like aewsome.
lol. Man. I have never seen so many people get bothered over the smallest little mistakes people call typoes. Yes they do exist people. So relax and let people say what they want and how they want. Your not their teacher.
i am 15 years old, and i really really need, a job, i know most places dont hire at 15, but i take directions well, and a fast learner, and im positive if i was hired no one would be disapointed.
may, many comments……..
first, the typeos, like nick said….dont get so worked up,
also…dont troll on an educational site, it just shows how uneducated you really are
to Kay B….i never understood this but why is “best of luck” unlucky and “break a leg” lucky….wouldnt you be lucky WITH luck and unlucky if you broke your leg
ananda pokehard,…nice name xD
and lizziebeth,…the url on your name say “The requested URL could not be retrieved”…did something go wrong with the site if so i wish to know if it is possible to go to the site via another url, and if i can what it is
edit: aManda pokehar…..misspelled name
you so right let people do in say what they want,its just a little adhd.
We all have it in some way!
Well, looking over the comments on this site, I just want to make it clear that I don’t have perfect grammer or spelling, but I love to write. I enjoy making people laugh and making them happy. I love films so much, that sometimes I reanact them. I love to draw beyond the boundaries. I have one short story finished, the second, i just need a good ending. Alot of people don’t want to give me the chance to look over my work. But I think it’s worth looking over at least. Im a young adult, so I know I need to mature in many things. But if you can give me an extra step in any of these subjects, any help, it will be greatly appreaciated. Thank you.
U all need to chill. nobody has a perfect vocab. especcially when it comes to talkin on the comp. Rippin on eachother for spelling this wrong and spelling your rants wrong.I dont have perfect grammer etheir obviously. Heathenic hypicritical A**holes
I’m not trying to “rip” anyone, but you are on a job website asking for a job, so gramdma and speling is importunt to getty ing a jobe.
Now, all you people that are writing that people are being picky when pointing out these errors are doing a disservice to the offenders, and are enabling this behavior to continue. Employers will screen you out if you can’t spell (most anyway). In this tough economy employers have the luxury of being very picky on who they hire. So don’t make it easy for them to screen you out!! I do agree that some people have certain disabilities and have a hard time with spelling, but there are services (usually free) that can help. Good luck!
im a hard worker and i like to get everything done before i can leave thats just me but if anyways i would like to be a mechinc.
i would like to work at winn dixie
Leave a reply