Proper Ways to Complete a Job Application
Most companies require job applicants to complete a formal application prior to a job interview. In many instances, employers decide who to interview on the basis of the job application. The completed job application serves as the prospective employer's first impression of the prospective employee, so a neat, error-free, accurate application goes a long way to landing a job interview.
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Get Documents Ready
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Detailed job applications require information about the applicant's current situation as well as educational and professional history. Locate information pertaining to your work history, including names and addresses of former employers as well as hire and termination dates, before you start your application. Have an up-to-date copy of your resume so you can make sure that nothing on the resume contradicts the application.
Application Basics
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Read the entire application carefully before starting it because otherwise you may include some information in an early section that you later have to include elsewhere on the application. Many companies perform a variety of background checks including credit checks and criminal history checks, so read the small print before signing your consent to anything. Ideally, you should type your application but if you are unable to do so then you should write it using a black or blue ballpoint pen. Take note of the style preference, as some companies prefer you to write in cursive while others prefer block capitals.
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Personal Information
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List your name, address, phone number, cell number and email address. Providing the employer with multiple communication channels makes it easier for a recruiter to contact you. If you do not want an employer to contact you at your current workplace, then note that on the application. Enter information about your previous employers starting with your current employer. Do not include summer jobs and briefly held jobs unless you have a very limited work history. Describe your previous roles in general terms and avoid using jargon unless you are staying in the same field. Include accurate contact information for both personal and professional references, and as a courtesy, let the named persons know that a recruiter may contact them.
Other Considerations
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Read the application once or twice after you complete it to check for accuracy. Do not leave any blank fields. Write "non-applicable" if you cannot provide an answer or piece of information for any of the sections. If the application asks you to state the hours you can work, only list hours you actually can work. You should not state that you can work weekends in order to impress an employer if you in fact are unwilling or unable to work those hours. Sign the application, take a copy of it for your records and return the original to the employer at the first opportunity.
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