How to Complete a Job Application Creatively

Job applications are often a tedious strain on your patience. The perennial lineup of often ridiculous questions can be taxing, especially when you're looking for a job and circumstances force you to fill out a number of these annoying papers. A creative (but truthful) approach to completing a job application can both relieve some of the burden and make you stand out as a potential employee.

Instructions

1. Be honest. Creativity is great but dishonesty will more than likely get you into trouble at some point. Ensure that everything you say on an application is truthful.

2. Prepare yourself for the inevitable rejections. A creative approach to completing a job application will score you points with some employers and will get your application thrown in the trash by other employers.

3. Rid yourself of all the conventional thinking about job applications (except for the need to be honest). If you take the safest road, you're going to end up with the usual results (which can include unemployment, especially in a tight job market).

4. Research the job and company before you fill out the job application. You may find that certain employers appear amenable to a creative approach to job applications.

5. Answer questions about yourself in a manner that doesn't just seek to please a future boss. If you're sick of boring answers to boring questions like "What are your long-term career goals?" then try something new. For instance, say that you want to be President of the United States or something similarly audacious and prepare yourself for follow-up questions in an interview.

6. Write in a manner that reflects who you are, not who you think the employer wants you to be. You are unique and you should complete the application in a way that represents your own uniqueness. In doing so, you'll already be setting yourself apart from other applicants.

Tips & Warnings

• You might want to give a truly honest answer to one of those annoying questions (such as those concerning your career goals); say that it's none of the employer's business, or that the process of reaching your goals doesn't leave you time to fill out such questions. It's likely that you'll annoy most employers, but you just might come across one who will hire you because of your unique audacity.