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How to write an online application form

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Writing online application forms can be a time consuming business. They are mainly used by public sector organisations in the belief that they offer a fairer way of assessing candidates than the CV. However, from the job seekers perspective they often look unnecessarily complicated and require a lot of thinking and time to do real justice. There is no standard format either as each organisation designs the application form to suit their own needs.

Plan before you write

Read carefully about how the employer wants you to answer the questions. Some organisations use competency based questions. For example in the UK civil service they have types of behaviours they look for and have defined what these look like at different levels of management. Other organisations may simply want a two page personal statement and for you to read the person specification and show how you meet these requirements.  Whether answering competency style questions or questions directly related to the job, the vast majority of application forms want you to answer by giving specific examples.

Many organisations will provide a word count limit. It is vital to ensure your answers fall within any word count limits as failing to do this might see your application rejected and all your hours of hard work dismissed out of hand. Always save your work regularly. If you use Word regularly you may find it easier to write your answers in Word and then copy and paste the answers online. Find a process that works for you and offers maximum security from losing any of your work.

Using examples
The proof is in the pudding. It is all very well providing a long and detailed answer that says ‘yes’ you can do this and have a long track record of doing so. Even if it sounds like you know what you are talking about, employers will only be convinced by providing evidence. And the evidence is provided by giving specific examples of how, where and when you have achieved something. Focus on the outcomes of your achievement and provide facts and figures to show how you made a measurable difference.
The STAR method
The STAR method is a good way of ensuring you focus on providing examples. Many organisations recommend using this. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. It is a linear progression in the story of an achievement that enables the reader to understand what the issue was, how you provided a solution and what the outcome was. This is a good way of thinking through and presenting achievements in a logical fasion. The STAR method is also a good way of presenting achievements at interview.
Check again and keep a record of your application
Before you press send, always check and re-check you have answered every question fully and to the best of your ability. It is good to keep a record of your application forms as you may well need to provide similar information for other applications you make. This is another good reason for writing it first in Word where you can save and file it along with other job applications.

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