Supporting Participants with Online Applications

A popular Skill Pod that our Development and Skills Officers offer our participants covers top tips when completing online job applications.

Sometimes one click applications through websites like Indeed or CV Library are not always the best approach for job searching and applying. Although they’re quick and easy and you may be able to apply for 20 jobs in one sitting, it’s worth thinking about quality vs quantity. If there’s the option to go to the company website then do, this way you can go through their direct application process.

How do you make a quality online application?
– Take the time to complete it, it may take you over an hour but the more information and effort you make in your application the more likely you are to hear back from them
– Edit and tailor your CV before uploading it, make it relevant to the role you are applying for
– Do some company research so that you can include this within relevant sections on the application
– If it requires a personal statement (which sometimes have word limits) go through the person specification and make bullet points on how you meet their requirement

After you have your bullet points, group your points together to form paragraphs (you may have a paragraph on your organisation skills which may include; time management, meeting deadlines and other examples) Once you have grouped your points you can turn them into fully formed sentences. This way you know you have covered everything.

Top Tip:

Make sure before you apply you check that all of your spelling, grammar and punctuation is correct! You could type out answers on Microsoft Work / Google Docs (or similar) which will assist with spelling and then copy and paste answers into the appropriate boxes within your application.

Hopefully some of these pointers will assist you in your applications – Good Luck!