This is a basic guide to completing job applications.

First and foremost, don’t waste your time and a potential employer’s time by applying for a job that you are not suitable for, e.g. you don’t have the minimum qualifications and/or experience required. It is not good for your morale if you spend hours completing application forms for roles you are not suited to – it just means getting rejected and making you feel worse than you already do if you’re already out of work or hating your current position so much you feel it’s time for a change!

THE 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.

COVER LETTER

Your cover letter should sell YOU. It should be clearly addressed to the person who needs to see it. It's not a good idea to address it to "To Whom It May Concern" as you should know where it's going. If there is no contact name given (some companies don't give out the HR or Personnel Manager's name as they don't want to be inundated with calls from recruitment agencies asking for them by name), you should address it to the relevant department, which should have been supplied with the application form. It could even be a room number which is given (even if the room does not exist) just to alert reception or the mail room that the envelope contains an application form.

If you have no name to address it to, the letter should be addressed to "Dear Sir/Madam" and always end with "Yours faithfully". If you have the person's name you address it directly to them, e.g. "Dear Ms Jenkins" and end with "Yours sincerely".

Do not write your life history or include everything that's already on your application form. Keep it brief and to the point. The opening sentence should read something like "I am writing in response to your advertised position of (insert job title) in (insert where you saw the position advertised) and enclose a completed application form for your perusal." Don't use words that you don't know the meaning of (worst thing to do, especially if you use them in the wrong context)!

A bulleted list of your key strengths is always useful to summarise to the employer your main skills so they can immediately see why you'd be worth interviewing. Don't make a list of 101 things you can do like "make tea", "answer phone", "take messages", etc, but emphasize things like "5 years supervisory experience", "2 years experience of leading project teams", "18 months experience in a call centre", etc.

Oh and it's best to type your covering letter, unless they've specifically asked for a hand-written one!

TO CONCLUDE

I personally feel it’s a good idea to write a cover letter to send along with your fully completed and checked over application form, reiterating your main skills and brief reasons as to why you're the best person for the job.

Remember this is your main chance to sell yourself to the employer. If you don't get selected for interview by filling out the application form to your best ability; you'll have lost the chance to show them that you're the RIGHT person for the job.

Good luck!