Application Forms

How to maximise your chance of an interview

It is vital to create high quality written applications, because more candidates are rejected at the application form stage than at any other point in the selection process. What you write must be accurate, relevant and create an impact. The purpose of filling in an application form is to provide enough relevant information to secure an interview.

Most application forms include difficult questions which you may find challenging to answer. The point of some questions may not be immediately obvious, so it is useful to think from the employer’s perspective. They have identified the skills and personal attributes needed for the job and they choose questions which encourage you to provide evidence of possessing them.

Before completing application forms, spend some time thinking about the things you have done, and the skills and abilities you have. Think about study, work, leisure or community activities and what they show about you as a person. Your work experience, for example, may have taught you to work under pressure and meet deadlines, and your final year project may have developed your problem-solving skills.

As well as thinking about what you have to offer, you need to be clear about the requirements of the job role. There are often clues in the questions on the forms. Try to gather as much information about the job you’re applying for as you can. You could use:

The Job advert (pay special attention to the job description and person specification)

Research the company (looking through their website/social media thoroughly)

Research the role - Prospect Occupations provides information on around 400 different jobs.

After researching the company and role, you are now ready to start filling in the form. Your answers should focus on demonstrating that you match the jobs requirements (i.e. person specification). Use the list of your skills and experiences to provide evidence and try to use a variety of examples.

How to make your form stand out

An employer may receive many applications. It is your task to make sure that your form is both interesting and easy to read.

Plan the structure of your answer before you start to type. Treat longer answers like mini-essays, with an introduction, main body and conclusion.

Try to keep sentences short and to the point. Long sentences with long words in them are hard to understand, but it is good to have variety in the length of your sentences because this increases readability.

Make sure you answer the question. Frequently check that your answer isreamaining relevant to what is being asked.

If the question is in several parts, asking you perhaps to describe three aspects of something you’ve done, then write about all three and give them roughly equal space.

Don't be afraid to use ‘I’. They are interested in the personal contributions you have made, rather than that of your team, for example. Use specific examples and explain what you did.

Try to use active words (for example, ‘organised’, ‘planned’, and ‘negotiated’) in your answers. Avoid non-specific words like ‘helped’. Check out the, Effective Vocabulary for CVs and Applications for inspiration.

Applying Online

Most employers now use online application forms. Here are some issues to be aware of:

You may not be able to see the full form before you start to complete it, making it difficult to know how much detail is needed and how best to use your examples.

Some companies require you to complete the form in one go, not allowing you to stop and save it partly finished.

You may be timed out of a page you’re working on, or the software may crash, so you lose what you’ve written.

The options in drop-down menus may not always offer the choice you want.

There may not be a spell checker.

It is very tempting to leave it until the last minute to start filling in the form. Writing application forms take longer than you think, and time pressure may lead to errors.

It is also important to treat each application you make separately. Even if questions seem similar, pasting answers from previous applications leads to mistakes.

Making online applications easier

Read the whole form before you start if you can. Print it or copy and paste the questions into a new document so you can start planning what to include where.

Always save a copy as you go. If the company’s set-up doesn’t allow this, you can still select all of the text, copy it and paste it into a separate document.

Spellcheck your draft or, even better, check it yourself and get a friend to look over it word by word.

Allow plenty of time to think about and enter your answers.

Double-check everything carefully before you submit.

Keep a note of when you submitted your application and any registration or contact details you are given.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid…

Special instructions: Many websites or forms include notes for guidance. Pay close attention to these and any additional instructions, which you should follow carefully. For example, these could include: ‘Write in BLOCK CAPITALS’; ‘stick to word limits’; ‘include the attachments requested and nothing more’; ‘sign and date the form’. Always be sure to meet the application deadline.

Presentation: Choose a font that is easy to read, like Arial, Verdana or Times New Roman. Keep your typing to a reasonable font size (11 or 12). Also consider using bullet points, as they are easy to read and help you to write more concisely. Correct spelling and grammar is essential.

Content: Always target what you write to the needs of that employer or job. If you only have limited information, use your imagination to work out what skills and abilities would make you successful in the role. It helps to be clear about your motivations for applying. Explain in detail your specific interest in the company – what are the unique selling points of the role, and why are you attracted to it? Employers will be impressed if you can articulate your motivations and demonstrate enthusiasm. Evidence your reasons, for example, was your interest in this area sparked by a particular module you studied, or an event you attended?

Competency questions

Firstly, state the facts about the situation and the task briefly, e.g. ‘At University, I joined a team of four students to set up a mentoring scheme for Freshers.’

Next, be as specific as you can about your actions, explaining how you approached things and how you made your decisions. Focus on the part you played, even when describing a group activity.

Finally, mention what happened in the end, as positively as you can and using figures if appropriate, to show clearly how successful you were. Even an example where the outcome was not as you hoped can be successful if you show what you learned from the experience.

Your answers will be scored against a set criteria to ensure each candidate’s application is assessed in the same way. If you follow the STAR method for competency questions you are more likely to score highly for these types of questions.

For further detail, please see leaflet Using the STAR technique to evidence your skills in the Preparing to Apply section on Surrey Pathfinder.

Many application forms will ask you to explain how you can demonstrate a required competency (e.g. communication, leadership) by giving an example. The STAR acronym provides a good structure for your example which you can use whatever the word limit:

Situation – what was the setting?

Task – what were you trying to achieve?

Action – how did you go about it?

Result – what was the outcome and what did you learn?

Motivational Questions

Motivational questions are designed to establish whether candidates have a clear understanding of the organisation and the job role, why they want it and if they are a good fit with the team. Typical questions include ‘Why do you wish to apply for this role?’ and ‘What is your motivation to work in this location?’

If you are not sure about why you want to work for the company, or why you are interested in that role, then you are not ready to start your application. To avoid general answers, reflect on your personal experience. How has your interest in this job role and/or sector developed? Through your course, work experience, events, and/or extra-curricular activities? Mention what specifically interests you about the role and company, and try to link it back to your own experiences to back up your points.

The Statement approach

This is when you are presented with a blank sheet/space on the application form. You may be asked to ‘give a statement in support of your application,’ or ‘tell us why you are suitable for this job.’ You will be expected to use the job description and person specification to identify and address the requirements of the role yourself.

Consider SAKE – Skills, Aptitude, Knowledge and Experience. It is important to present your best examples here that demonstrate the key aspects of the person specification. It is also an opportunity to include any useful evidence that hasn’t been addressed in your previous answers. By adopting this specific approach, you are more likely to receive a higher score for this section than writing clichéd statements. Try to convey your enthusiasm and personal motivation. Mirror the language/vocabulary used in the employer’s materials (only key words and short phrases). Decide on a clear structure to your answer and, of course, draft, re-draft and proofread!

Do I need a covering letter?

With postal applications, it is a good idea to include a covering letter, unless instructed otherwise. It should be formal and professional, laid out like a piece of business correspondence and using the same paper and style as any other documents you are submitting.

You will find guidelines in the covering letters section of this document.

If you are applying online, you should complete the sections the company’s system offers. Sometimes there is a part of an online application which includes a box for a cover letter or an opportunity to upload one. However, sometimes it may not be possible to include anything extra. If you need to mention a particular point, you should find space within the main application form. There is often an ‘additional information’ section and you could use part of this space to provide any special details or circumstances relating to your application.

For further information on writing application forms

Recommended video advice on Surrey Pathfinder under the Selection Process section
Prospects - Write a successful job application
Prospects - Example questions and answers

And remember . . .

Keep a copy of your application. Make sure you know what you have written and use it in preparation for the interview, as it may be used to form questions.

Managing job application rejections

Unfortunately, the recruitment process can take a long time and even after all your efforts, many employers do not keep you informed about the status of your application. You can phone or email a little while after the closing date to check progress or ask for feedback if you receive notification that you have been unsuccessful.

Due to the competitive nature of recruitment, it is highly likely that you will receive some job application rejections. This can be demotivating, particularly when you have put significant time and effort into your application, and it may be something you have not experienced before. Remember, rejection is a normal, routine part of any recruitment process with many more candidates applying for the role than there are roles available.

For most people, receiving a job offer is the exception and rejection is the norm so it can be difficult to maintain your motivation in a job/placement search. Make sure you get support from family and friends to help you manage any disappointing news, seek feedback from employers (where available) and review what you could do differently next time.

You could also book an appointment with a Careers Consultant via Surrey Pathfinder if you feel you are not making progress with your applications or job search strategy

Finally

Don’t forget we are always happy to help you with every aspect of your career planning and development, wherever you are in your journey. If you are unclear about where to start or what to focus on first, just make an appointment with a Careers Consultant via Surrey Pathfinder and we can help you develop a plan for moving forward.

Visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion careers resources to find out more about diversity initiatives, employer perspectives and support at Surrey.

If you would like more information, visit MySurrey Help to find answers to the most common questions and details on how to ask us a question if you require more support.