Job Application Forms! Dos/Donts

Lacroix

Hello all,


I'm employed, but its just a job, and i've seen something I think I could actually do (working at my old Uni no less), so I want Form filling in advice so I don't fall down on the basics. Basically, I need to know from those of you who are old hat at this employment lark what sort of stuff a recruiter prefers.


These are mainly some formatting questions for an online application form for a Job:

1.) Can I change the text size (for the text boxes)? Do Employers like the default text set for a reason, because it is HUGE and unneccesarily expands the form IMO.

2.) I'm met with a table for education info:

DateFromMth/Yr

ToMth/Yr

Place of Study

Subject & Level
i.e. English-GCSE

Grade

Date gained (or expected)

--- There are 12 colums for this. So, do I for instance put 3 entries for my Sixth Form (a row per course) and however many for my GCSE. OR, do I just use one row per institution, and cram all my subject info into one text box (well, not cram, it auto expands I know) and delete any empty rows?


3.) I am working, they have an option for 'do you want to be consulted before we contact your reference'. I ticked this because um, yeah, I don't want my boss to know i'm looking to leave if i can help it. However, if most of my skillset come from this job, will I just be written off as 'Oh, he wants to be consulted before we contact his reference because he's lying.

3.2) What makes this worse is that my only other Job (I've only been out of Uni 2 years) was as an Agency worker. Legally I can only provide my recruitment agent rather than manager, which means as a reference they can't really talk about my work with any personal knowledge.

3.3) So, even though it says that you do not need a third reference for this post, I am thinking of including my University Professor, as sonmeone who can actually talk about me as a person. However, since it says a third reference is not required, and I have gone and included a professor from the university as a reference - does it look too much like kissing ass?

4.) On the Kissing Ass front, can I actually put in my statement that I am interested in working for the University because I went there and enjoyed the experience/want to give back (which is true)? Or should I shy away from that and just express 'career development). The same applies for the 'reason for leaving' section on my current job description - I'm only interested in leaving because this particular position appeals to me (its a better job, better wage, but I wouldnt have applied if it hadnt been at my University) -should I not put that info?

5.) They give an applicant spec of skills they want me to show in the app. However alot of them have overlap, and/or come from the same skills. Is it better to try and tick off all 14 points 1 by one in my statement, or try and amalgamate some in a less obvious manner and just hope they are smart enough to understand 'hey in that one line he actually ticked off quite a few of our points without expressly stating this.

6.) Last One - Statements - How long? The box they provide is quite small, but even though they say you can use more paper, do they like you to try and keep the box provided?

Killgrimage

3. No, you should check that box if you want to be consulted before they call your references. Don't sweat that they will think you are lying, they won't. Lots of people look for a job while they have one and want to keep it on the DL. This is standard.

LewieP's Mummy

1. Text size should be no less than 14pt and sans serif - RNIB recommendation as it is easier to read (check the Bobby website for more info if you want).

2. Put 1 entry per educational establishment, then list the qualifications you obtained there, together with grade and date obtained.

3. Definitely tick the ask me first box - some places take up references very early on in the recruitment process, but its your choice. They won't think you are lying.

Most potential employers will ask for at least 2 references - there's nothing stopping you putting down whoever you want to - a friend, another colleague, not just the recruitment agency. They will choose whether they want to take up the third reference, it will depend on how useful the first 2 are.

4. Its not kissing ass, its being honest. There's nothing wrong with saying one of your reasons for applying for the job is that you loved being there as a student. As for your reason for leaving, career progression never hurts. You can expand on that much more if you get an interview, and talk more about wanting to work for the university because of how you felt about attending.

5. This is where people often screw up an applicationIts so frustrating as an interviewer when people miss out bits on the person spec - it means I can't interview them, even if i think they probably could do the job. Answer every section on the person spec, even if it feels like you're repeating yourself a little. Don't just say "I can do this", give real examples of when you have done what they're asking, and don't just think about when you've done it as a job, but from all areas of your life. In my second job interview after returning to work when Lewie was little, I was asked about budget management. I talked about handling my household budget, that it was the same skills, just with bigger numbers and different headings. I got the job, and had a £500K budget to spend. I'd never managed a budget in a paid job before.

6. If you can fit it into the box, you've not demonstrated the skills they need to see sufficiently. If there are 14 items on the person spec, you should be writing a paragraph on each, thats at least 2 sheets of A4 extra.

If you'd like me to look it over, PM me, and I'll give you my email address to send your application, and I'll look at it over the weekend.