Need a new career? Sometimes you just need to apply yourself…
While you should never underestimate the value of your CV, many companies still rely on their own application forms to filter applicants and level the playing field before the interview stage. But with everyone answering the same set of questions, how do you make sure yours doesn’t just blend into the digital background?
To help you navigate the text boxes and drop-down menus, here’s our essential guide on how to master the job application form:
Key takeaways from this article
- Tailoring is non-negotiable: Just like with your CV and cover letter, you should adapt your responses to the specific job description and company values.
- ATS is watching: Many online forms are screened by AI before a human sees them, so include relevant keywords from the job ad.
- ‘See CV’ is a trap: Never leave a field blank or write ‘refer to attached CV’ – it often results in an automatic rejection.
- Draft offline first: Write your long-form answers in a separate document to check spelling and avoid losing work if the webpage crashes.
What is a job application form?
Job application forms are official documents – usually digital – that a company asks you to complete when you apply for jobs.
Unlike your CV, where you control the layout and narrative, these forms allow employers to ask a specific set of questions in a standardised format. This helps them gather the exact data they need to compare applicants like-for-like.
These days, online job application forms are usually processed through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Advantages of job application forms
While they might feel like a hurdle, there are actually a few benefits to these forms – both for the employer and for you.
Firstly, because all the questions are clearly set out, filling out a hiring application form can often help you stay more focussed than when writing a personal statement from scratch. Employers will clearly ask about the specific skills they want you to highlight, allowing you to tailor what you write to exactly what they’re looking for.
Secondly, it promotes fairness. By stripping away fancy CV formatting or photos, companies can focus purely on your skills and experience, reducing unconscious bias.
And finally, because you don’t have to worry about layout design or font choices, the actual writing process can sometimes take less mental energy.
Disadvantages of job application forms
If you rely on strong presentation skills or a creative portfolio to sell yourself, you might struggle to get your personality across in a standard text box.
Additionally, because everyone completes the same sections, you have to work harder to make your answers memorable. Plus, you can’t always effectively explain a gap in your employment history or a lack of specific experience as easily as you might on a functional CV or cover letter.
And, if you find yourself filling in multiple forms for different jobs, the process can become repetitive and time consuming.
What to include in a job application form
This form is often your one and only chance to sell yourself to your prospective boss – so you need to ensure you include everything relevant to your application.
Here are the standard sections you’ll usually find in an employee job application form:
- Personal details: Name, address, contact info, and often a link to your LinkedIn profile.
- Employment history: Usually in reverse chronological order. Be prepared to explain gaps.
- Qualifications: Education and relevant certifications.
- Competency questions: Answers to specific competency-based questions (e.g., ‘Tell us about a time you worked as a team’).
- Personal statement: A section to explain why you want the role (can be similar to a cover letter).
- References: Usually two contacts who can vouch for your work history.
- Equality and Diversity monitoring: These questions are usually separated from your main application and used anonymously for internal stats.
Job application form example
If you haven’t seen a job application form in a while, it helps to know what you might be up against. They can feel a bit like filling out your life story, minus the fun parts. While every form will look slightly different depending on the company, you can generally expect a flow that looks a lot like this.
Section 1: Personal Details
This is the easy bit. It’s all about you.
- Full Name: (First Name, Last Name)
- Contact Number:
- Email Address:
- Home Address:
- LinkedIn Profile URL (Optional):
Section 2: The Basics (Eligibility)
This section is all about logistics. The company needs to know if you can legally work for them and when you could potentially start. You may be asked questions like:
- Do you have the legal right to work in the UK? (Yes/No)
- If you require a visa, please provide details: (Text box)
- What is your notice period? (e.g., 4 weeks)
- What are your salary expectations? (Often optional, but be prepared)
- Where did you hear about this vacancy? (Dropdown menu)
Section 3: Employment History
You can pretty much take the employment information from your CV, and paste it here. Remember to start with your most recent job first. Required information may vary, but will usually include:
- Job Title:
- Company Name:
- Dates of Employment: (From MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY)
- Key Responsibilities and Achievements: (This is your chance to shine. Use bullet points to highlight your biggest wins and link them to the role you’re applying for).
(You’ll likely need to repeat this for your last two or three roles).
Section 4: Education and Qualifications
This section will ask about your academic background and any professional qualifications, requiring you to input information like:
- Institution: (e.g., University of X)
- Qualification/Course: (e.g., BSc in X)
- Grade Achieved: (e.g. 2:1)
- Dates Attended: (From MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY)
Section 5: Supporting Statement (The ‘Why Us’ Question)
This is where you need to sell yourself, similar to a cover letter. Expect an open-ended question designed to see if you’ve done your homework.
- Prompt: Please describe why you are applying for this role and what skills you can bring to our team (usually has a word limit).
- Your Strategy: Instead of just listing your skills, connect your past successes to the company’s future goals. Show them you understand what they do and how you can help them do it even better, and let your personality come through.
Section 6: Competency/Scenario-Based Questions
Here, they want proof you can handle the job. These questions test specific skills using real-world examples.
- Prompt: Describe a time you dealt with a difficult stakeholder. What was the situation and what was the outcome?
- Your Strategy: The STAR method is your best friend here. It keeps your answer structured and impactful.
- Situation: Set the scene briefly.
- Task: What was your goal?
- Action: What specific steps did you take?
- Result: What was the positive outcome? Quantify it if you can.
Section 7: References
Usually, they’ll ask for two references, and they won’t contact them without your permission.
- Name:
- Job Title:
- Company:
- Relationship to you: (e.g., Former Manager)
- Email Address:
- Contact Number:
Section 8: Declarations and Equal Opportunities
This section is mostly legal and administrative details, such as:
- Criminal Convictions: A declaration about any unspent criminal convictions.
- Declaration Statement: You’ll need to tick a box to confirm that all the information you’ve provided is true and accurate.
- Equal Opportunities Monitoring: This part is almost always optional and is used for monitoring purposes only. It will ask for details about your gender, ethnicity, age, and disability status. This information is kept separate from your application and doesn’t influence the hiring decision.
Job application form advice
Each application form will vary depending on the sector and the role you’re applying for. However, there are some key things you should always do when writing them to ensure you don’t get filtered out by the bots (or the humans).
Here are our top job application tips:
- Do your homework. Prior to filling out the form, read up on the company. Demonstrate that knowledge in your answers and you’ll show the recruiter that you’ve used your initiative and that you really want the job.
- Showcase your skills. Mention any qualifications, achievements, and work experience you’ve attained up to this point, tailoring each one to the requirements of the new job. How will these things stand you in good stead? Why do they make you the right person for the role? And, how do they help differentiate you from the competition?
- Make it personal. The questions are intentionally generic so that everyone can answer them. Make your answers personal by providing relevant, concrete examples of when you showed certain abilities or skills.
- Never say ‘See CV’. Even if it feels redundant, fill in all of the boxes. Writing ‘see attached’ makes you look lazy, can cause parsing errors in the ATS, and will mean elements of your application probably won’t actually make it to the recruiter.
- Remember your references. Most application forms will ask for at least two references. Make sure you include trustworthy and authoritative people who will be willing to speak up for you. It’s also a good idea to advise them beforehand, so they’re not caught off guard if the company does get in touch.
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What to do after submitting your job application
You’ve hit ‘Submit’. You’ve closed the seventeen tabs you had open. Now what?
First, check your email for a confirmation – as automated forms almost always send a receipt. If you don’t get one, check your spam folder.
Next, log the application. Keep a note of the job title, the date you applied, and a copy of your answers (especially those long-form ones). If they call you for an interview in three weeks, you’ll want to remember exactly what you told them about that time you ‘saved the company money’.
And now you wait. Recruitment processes can still be slow, but if you haven’t heard anything within a week or two – sending a polite follow-up enquiry is a good idea.
How to follow up on a job application
Why haven’t they called? The importance of asking for feedback
Frequently asked questions
Can I use AI to write my answers?
You can use AI tools to help structure your thoughts or check your grammar, but don’t let it write the whole thing for you. Recruiters (and their own AI detection tools) can spot a generic, robotic answer a mile off. It lacks your unique voice and specific real-life examples. Use tech as an assistant, not a replacement.
What happens if I make a mistake on an online form?
If you realise you’ve made a typo after hitting submit, don’t panic. If the portal allows you to log back in and edit, do that immediately. If not, finding a contact email for the recruitment team and sending a polite correction shows honesty and attention to detail.
Is it okay to leave optional sections blank?
Ideally, no. If there is a box for ‘Additional Information’, use it. This is a great opportunity to tell them something about yourself that didn’t fit into the rigid boxes elsewhere – showing you’re enthusiastic and thorough.
What kinds of vacancies will require me to fill out an application form?
You’ll often find them for roles in the public sector (like the NHS or civil service), education, and big corporations. They use forms to keep the hiring process fair and consistent, making sure everyone is judged on the same questions. It’s all about creating a level playing field.
What’s the difference between a job application form and a CV and cover letter?
A CV and cover letter are your chance to tell your story, your way. You control the format and what you highlight. An application form standardises things. The employer decides what they want to know and asks specific questions to get that information, making it easier for them to compare people side-by-side.
Need more CV advice?
It takes an employer just seven seconds to save or reject a CV. This means creating a succinct CV is absolutely vital if you want to land that all-important interview.
To find out how to make your CV stand out from the crowd, buy James Reed’s new book: The 7 Second CV: How to Land the Interview.
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