Beat App Form Fears

There are lots of things that are frustrating when applying for jobs, but the one that always gets me is the Application Form. I’ve got applying for jobs down to a quick and easy process with a solid CV, a number of differently targeted covering emails/letters which can be quickly filled with information targeted for that particular job.

But the sight of “Apply by Application Form” makes my heart sink. They are always long and tedious, require me to think back to my dim and distant schooldays, to answer questions about my experience that seem so vague, or infuriatingly precise. I find it difficult to “demonstrate an understanding of” without either finding myself being led down just describing how I did something, or beating myself up about being unable to find the right words.

Unfortunately application forms are the primary way of applying for the majority of public sector jobs and with the marketplace the way it is at the moment those jobs are going to grow in importance to the job-seeker.

So how best to handle these Application Form fears?

1. Calm down, it’s not all that scary. It is just a skill that needs mastering.
2. Practise before you need to do an application form. If none of the jobs you are applying for at the moment require application forms then take the opportunity to fill one or two out. http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobappsamples/Sample_Job_Applications.htm has some example forms that you can try.
3. Save the results from point 2, or your last actual application form, so you don’t need to repeat the thinking part of the application form when it comes to history, education, etc.
4. Fully read the Job Description. What public sector employers usually look for in applications is for candidates to have understood the Job Description and be able to demonstrate both that and experience. Read the JD, then read it again. Try not to give it your own spin.
5. Give yourself enough time to answer – these aren’t quick things to do, though most people do tend to rush them off. Give yourself a better chance by spending the time.
6. Keep copies of all your Application Forms – if you feel you have nailed down a certain answer, why not have the opportunity to use it another time? Create a App Forms section of your Job Apps folder (of course you have one already don’t you?) so you can re-use your masterpieces.

Good luck!