FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION FORM

Some jobs may ask for an application form. This is not always the case, however, our guide will prepare you for the chance that you may have to fill one out. 

A good application form should demonstrate to the employer your capabilities and professionalism, reiterating your qualifications and skills clearly and directly. 

You can expect to be asked questions about different skills the job requires, usually with a strict word count given. The questions may seem vague, but they are really testing for underlying skills (commonly teamwork, problem solving, interpersonal skills etc).

This can be intimidating so we have written our guide below to help you fill out job application forms as effectively as possible. 

Use specific examples to show your skills to an employer - You need to demonstrate you are competent, not just say it. 

Stick within the provided word limit.

Keep your answer structured - Using the STAR method we have detailed below. 

Be honest - Making up a situation is never a good idea. Similarly, it's ok and can even be beneficial to be honest and tell the employer about a challenge you may have faced and what it taught you. Showing how you overcame something can show your adaptability. 

Always double check grammar - Proof reading can make or break your application, mistakes look sloppy. 

Tailor your examples to the job - where possible, you want to include examples that are as relevant to the job field as possible. However, if you do not have experience in that field, this is ok too!

MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION - check you are not going off on a tangent. 

1. CHECK THE WORD COUNT - Always stick within the limit given, it's not a good first impression if you don't follow the instructions given. 

2. ANALYSE THE QUESTION - What is the employer looking for? What skills do you need to demonstrate?

E.g. You may be asked to "Give an example of a time you worked well in a team. " 

You need to consider what skills they are looking for here. In this case, they're looking for good teamwork and good communication. Keep this in mind when writing an answer. 

3. USE THE STAR METHOD - 

Situation - where and when did this happen? This should be brief, there's no need to give extreme detail. The situation you choose to describe can be from work, uni, volunteering - any experience could be relevant. 

Task - What was your role or responsibility? This should also be brief, but clear.

Action - What actions did you take? Be specific, using active verbs to show the employer exactly what you did.

Result - What was the outcome and what did you learn? Giving the outcome can be brief, but just make sure you show the employer the example is of a success. 

• "Describe a time you solved a problem" 

• "Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer" 

• "Give an example of working in a team" 

• "When did you show initiative?"

• Describe a mistake you made, and what you learned"