HOW TO COMPLETE
APPLICATION
FORMS
Compiled by: University of Bolton Careers Service
For further help and advice contact us:
Tel: 01204 903080
Email: [email protected]
www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
(Updated August 2013)
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Completing Application Forms
Background
Your key task in writing applications is to stand out from the other candidates – do your best to be original
whilst maintaining professionalism. Employers do not want to see an application form that could have been
used to apply for every other position out there. Explain the fit between your skills and the employer’s
needs – this match will be at least slightly different for every job. It does not mean that you have to write a
completely new application each time – but there are key changes you should make. This may sound like
more work in the short term, but if done properly, it means you will be applying to much fewer jobs before
you get hired!
Application forms supply employers with a standardised and manageable quantity and variety of information
in the format they require. The prescribed format helps the reader to shortlist the candidates for interview in
a justifiable, fair and rational manner.
This approach tends to include a ‘job description’ a ‘person
specification’ and notes on how to complete the application form. It is important to take time to read these
documents carefully before completing the form.
It is crucial in your application form to show that you meet the criteria which is expressed in the Person
Specification.
If there is no Person Specification it is possible to construct one by extrapolating the
essential and desirable skills which would be needed to fulfil the job as described in the job description or
advert. The skill is then to apply your own education, experiences and skills and qualities to the criteria
giving real examples.
There may also be an equal opportunities monitoring form. This is removed from the application before
short listing, and enables the organisation to monitor their applications.
Application forms are usually available electronically either as a word document which can be returned by
email, or as an online document to be submitted online. Where the application form needs a signature, it
may be possible to complete electronically and then print out the hard copy to be signed and sent by post.
If completing by hand, it is usual to complete the form using black ink. When you have completed the form,
ask someone to check it for you. Always keep a copy of your application and job advertisement details, in
case you need them for further interview preparation.
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Covering Letter
It is good practice to send a covering letter to support the Application Form.
Ideally the covering letter will be 1 side of A4 plain paper, and will include the following:

Introduction: “I am enclosing my application form for the position of …. as advertised in …”

Specific reference to, or observation about, the organisation approached.

Reasons for the choice of work and employment sought.

Reference to appropriate aspects of your experience or qualifications.

Explanations of any anomalies in the Application Form such as breaks in career or education.
Application Form Content
Post Details
If asked for the post details make sure you get the position title exactly right and any appropriate reference
numbers.
Personal Details
This is the section where you will be asked for personal details: name, address, contact information.
It is important to check this section carefully.
International students may be asked questions about visa status and work permits. It is advisable to check
with the Home Office website for the most current advice about working in the UK at:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/
Education
List the most recent educational institutions that you have attended first, using the prescribed format. If
there is only a small space provided to list all your qualifications or modules, it may be possible to
summarise key results or module titles.
Sometimes the education section is split between ‘general academic education’ and ‘vocational or
professional qualifications’. There is often an additional section for short courses.
If you are a mature student and did not take traditional qualifications at school, it is important to remember
that any qualifications you have done are likely to have an equivalent value.
In the case of qualifications gained in other countries it may be helpful to visit Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service (UCAS) to check their section on the comparability of international qualifications. Most
Careers Advisers have access to ENIC-NARIC for further advice on this.
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Employment and Work Experience
List your occupations in reverse chronological order by job title. If you did not have an official job title, try to
think of one that describes your position. Full addresses are not usually required.
Describe your responsibilities or achievements in your roles, bearing in mind the skills the employer is
seeking. You can group together or prioritise some experiences if space is limited.
Interests and Hobbies
Use this space to describe any spare-time activities. Try and include activities which involved you
organising or leading events, or those requiring initiative, creativity or passing on intellectual development.
Examples could include:

Keen member of the University Canoe Society, president in my second year

Organised social and sporting events including an inter-university competition

Learning Japanese by attending an evening class

Designed website for Canoe Society
Additional Information
Include here any additional information, that you have not covered elsewhere, which will strengthen your
application further. Examples could include:

Full Clean Driving Licence

Head boy during Sixth Form

University Student Ambassador
Personal Statements (Relevant Skills, Knowledge and Experience)
Many application forms require you to complete a personal statement in support of your application.
Your personal statement should relate directly to the specifications of the job or course you are applying for.
It is important that you address the points in the job description and/or person specification in the order in
which they appear. This will be used as a checklist for short-listing by the employer.
Address each point on the job description/person specification in a clearly themed paragraph: In your first
sentence you might make a short statement summarising how you meet or relate to that specific
requirement. The next few sentences should provide a concrete example of the assertion(s) you have just
made. A final sentence that shows reflection will add depth to the point you are making.
Example - When asked about commitment to promoting equal opportunities:
‘I have always tried to ensure in my personal and work life that I am sensitive to and inclusive of the
cultures and circumstances of other people. In 2006, I worked as a mentor to a group of Aim Higher
students encouraging pupils from non-traditional backgrounds to consider university. I designed projects
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
that recognised the diverse experience within the group to ensure participation. The programme was
successful and the experience showed me that working together with mutual respect is productive and
rewarding.’
The first sentence is the statement, the second and third sentences describe the example, and the last
sentence conveys reflection.
You will often be asked to provide a personal statement, giving your ‘reasons for applying for this post’. You
may choose to introduce or conclude your statement with a summary of why you are applying for the job
and what attracted you to the organsation.
If you decide to type this section on a separate sheet of A4 paper, or use a continuation sheet, always
make sure that you include your name and any job reference number.
Disclosing information about a disability or health issue
Under the 2010 Equalities Act employers are not allowed to ask questions about health or disability on an
application form. You may find that there is a separate monitoring form attached which will ask a range of
personal questions including whether you have a disability. These are detached from your application form
upon receipt and are used for monitoring purpose only.
What the employer is allowed to do on an
application form is to ask whether you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to enable you to
participate fully in the recruitment process.
If you are unsure about whether to disclose any information about a personal health issue or disability then
speak to one of our Careers Adviser’s, or a member of the Disability Team for more specific advice.
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Sample Person Specification
Requirements
(on the basis of the job specification)
Essential (E)
Or
Desirable (D)
Experience
1. Demonstrate ability to analyse policy issues, and to
present advice and guidance in an easily
understood way.
2. Researching, analysing and appraising information
from a wide range of sources.
To be identified by:
Application Form
(AF), Other specify,
Interview (I),Test (T)
E
Scoring
Scheme
AF, I, T
E
AF, I
1. Thorough familiarity with Microsoft Office products,
especially ACCESS and Excel.
E
AF, I
2. Development experience with ACCESS and Excel,
e.g. use of macros, data analysis techniques.
D
AF, I
3. Knowledge of statistical methods and statistical
software.
D
AF, I
4. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and
presentational skills, both written and oral.
E
AF, I
5. Be able to demonstrate numeracy, good analytical
and organisational abilities.
E
AF, I, T
6. The ability to work under pressure and to meet tight
deadlines.
E
AF, I
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Sample answers to the items above:
Experience
1.
Within team X, I have demonstrated the ability to understand, analyse and compile reports on a
wide range of public health issues, consultations and policies. When producing guidance for Senior
Officers and Elected Members, my reports are concise and succinct in order to save other colleagues time
and effort. My written communication style has become more targeted and clear as a result of attendance
at positive language and emotional intelligence master classes. A key requirement of my role in
implementing SYTEC was the ability to translate knowledge of a complex system into easily
understandable advice and guidance for system users.
2. As a member of the Competency subgroup, I have been responsible for researching best practice to
inform the work of the group further. In undertaking research, I consulted with other Councils that were
rated as excellent, as a way of benchmarking our current framework against best practice. Internet sites,
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
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such as I&DeA, Employers Organisation, LGA and CIPD, along with management journals have also been
important sources of relevant information. In presenting the information to the group, I provided extracts of
relevant information and an evaluation of each framework. The findings were split into various sections in a
tabular form to make the results easy to interpret. A further exercise was undertaken to map competencies
against those of other Councils.
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities
1. Throughout the graduate scheme, I have developed my information technology skills. In achieving the
ECDL qualification, I am able to demonstrate my proficiency with all Microsoft Office packages. I have
restructured and managed large databases including the corporate mentoring database. All SYTEC
system records were maintained within Excel.
2. One of my weekly activities at West Pennine was to collate the number of press reports featuring the
local area. I was responsible for setting up and maintaining a common weekly spread sheet. Macros
were incorporated into the workbook to simplify the task of updating the information on a weekly basis.
Within my current role, I use Access queries to analyse and extract information from the mentoring
database.
3. Various university statistical courses have equipped me with a firm understanding of quantitative
techniques for management decision-making. I am familiar with a wide range of statistical methods
including forecasting techniques, decision analysis, linear programming, linear regression and
simulation. I am an experienced user of SPSS software. As part of my marketing analysis course, I
analysed company data using the software package.
4. All of my roles have required strong communication skills with internal and external parties at all levels
within the organisation. When delivering training, providing face to face support or solving telephone
enquiries, it has been essential to explain things in a simple and logical manner. As a mentor to a
modern apprentice, I can demonstrate the ability to motivate through the use of positive language and
questioning skills. As a champion of the SYTEC system, I was involved in a variety of presentations to
raise the profile of the system both internally and externally. I presented SYTEC at external events with
other local authorities that were considering purchasing the system. Increased confidence in presenting
was a key outcome during my time on this project. Effective written communication skills have been
essential in communicating with a wide spectrum of colleagues from different professional disciplines as
well as third parties. Various roles have involved servicing high-level meetings and producing accurate
and concise minutes. Written reports, minutes and electronic communication all demonstrate my ability
to communicate effectively.
5. I manage the budget which has a maximum outgoing of £633,000 per annum. This involves monitoring
actual expenditure against projected expenditure to ensure committed expenditure remains within the
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
set limits. While working at The One Account, I was responsible for dealing with complex offset
mortgage enquiries which provided me with an opportunity to enhance my numerical abilities. Financial
modules at university have involved practical experience of assessing a company’s financial stability
using financial ratios. During my placement with team X, I analysed complex performance data. I
worked closely with ICT to build tolerances to ensure all directorate performance data was completed by
set deadlines.
6. As team X is a small team and has a lot of on-going projects, I have been able to develop my time
management skills by working on a number of projects all at the same time. Time pressures have been
tested further as I am currently working in team X and team Y simultaneously. When working under
pressure and to tight deadlines, I have used time management and prioritisation to ensure all tasks
have been completed in an accurate and timely manner. Studying part-time in addition to working fulltime has meant that I have needed to prioritise my workload in order to complete numerous
assignments to set deadlines. In doing this, I prioritised in accordance with the set timescales and
degree of work involved.
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Competency-Based Application Forms
Some recruiters use an application form which is made up of competency-based questions. These ask the
applicant to provide detailed answers, based on personal experience, to demonstrate a skill required in the
job. The following shows an example of this approach:
Planning, implementation and achieving results:
Describe a challenging project, activity or event which you have planned and taken through to a conclusion.
Include your objective, what you did, any changes you made to your plan and state how you measured your
success.
My work with Lingo Scope in Paris involved teaching English to businessmen. I designed a
completely new range of teaching materials using UK newspapers, television programmes, videos
and film extracts to replace the existing text books.
As a result my class received a more positive evaluation and better marks than the other classes.
Influencing, communication and teamwork:
Describe how you achieved a goal through influencing the actions or opinions of others (perhaps in a team
context). What were the circumstances? What did you do to make a difference? How do you know the
result was satisfactory?
As President of the Canoe Society during my second year, my priority was to increase the
membership by 50%. I did this by persuading the committee that we should organise a series of
events aimed mainly, but not exclusively, at new students.
During fresher’s week we ran mini canoe races in the swimming pool, had a family water fun day
and a social event one evening. We continued to run events aimed at non club members throughout
the year and also took regular adverts in publications students read, such as SU Newspaper, Sports
Society newspaper etc.
By bringing canoeing to the attention of more people and widening its appeal with non-serious
events, we achieved our target by the end of the year.
Analysis, problem solving and creative thinking:
Describe a difficult problem that you have solved. State how you identified the critical issues, and explain
what you did and what your solution was. What other approaches could you have taken?
My final year project studied the key differences between the UK and French market for luxury
chocolate goods. This involved working closely with the major confectionery manufacturers in both
countries.
It soon became apparent that the national attitudes to chocolate are very different. The information
requested by the manufacturers in each country was quite different. To compile a questionnaire
that would answer all questions would have been far too long and cumbersome, so I decided on a
combination of personal interview and questionnaire, the questionnaire covering matters common
to both countries. I interviewed a total of 60 people from France and the UK. With the results I gave
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
several presentations to companies in both countries.
On reflection, an alternative approach would have been to mail out a large number of questionnaires
to similar groups of people, say first year students, in UK and France and analyse the returns. I felt
the interview method preferable, as people were more willing to answer questions face to face and
many added points and comments which were relevant and helpful.
References
Here you may need to state referees’ full contact details. Remember to ensure referees are agreeable and
let them know that they may be contacted.
Disability
Many application forms ask direct questions about disability. If they are to comply with the Equality Act
(October 2010) employers are only allowed to ask this question in order to support disabled applicants and
to provide any reasonable adjustment to assist disabled applicants.
It is important to answer these
questions as clearly as possible and to give the details you think are important.
Health
By law employers are not allowed to ask about your health until an offer of employment is made. At that
point they will usually say ‘the offer is dependent upon references and medical clearance.’
Criminal Convictions
If you have a criminal conviction that is not spent you have an obligation to disclose it. Once a conviction is
spent there is no obligation unless applying for positions with young people and vulnerable adults.
Additional Material
You may find the video, ‘Your Job’s Online’ helpful. It shows how to maximise success when completing
electronic applications by featuring two major employers selecting graduates using their electronic
applications.
This video can be watched on Moodle and can be accessed via the interactive resources section of the
careers website (www.bolton.ac.uk/careers/)
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Common Mistakes
Completing an application form does require time and effort. It is easy to make a mistake so please check
your form, and also ask someone else to check it as well, such as a Careers Adviser. Please note below
some of the more common mistakes that are often made with application forms:
Poor spelling and grammar: this is one of the most common mistakes that people make. You should
ALWAYS re-read your form and ask someone else to do it for you too. Sometimes we don’t always notice
spelling mistakes and grammatical errors when we have been studying a piece of text for a long time. Pay
close attention to commas and full stops, and NEVER use ‘text language’ and abbreviations. Use the spell
check if sending online, but ensure that you use the UK version so for example: ‘organised’ not ‘organized’.
Not enough detail: the most important section is where you provide additional information about your
skills, knowledge and experience. Most application forms will allow quite a lot of space for this section, and
often encourage you to attach further sheets if necessary. Having more space should indicate that the
employer is looking for a lot of detail. Do not just write one short paragraph. In this section you should be
addressing each key point from the job specification.
Being negative about yourself: you should never be negative or ‘undersell’ yourself in an application
form. If you do not feel you meet a particular job requirement then do not write about your perceived flaws.
It will only create a negative impression.
Back up your points with evidence: when providing evidence of your skills, experience and knowledge
you should always provide a relevant example. If you are responding to a point about ‘the need to have
good interpersonal skills’ don’t just say that you have good interpersonal skills, give an example of when
and where you have developed them.
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers
Top Tips
1. Most employers will provide guidelines of how they want their applications to be completed. You
should ALWAYS read the instructions and follow them carefully. This will prove to the employer that
you can follow instructions and you are taking the whole process seriously.
2. Do not exceed the specified word count. If a word count is not provided then the general rule is do
not submit more than two pages of text.
3. Always plan your application and prepare a draft before you complete the main form. Think about
the topics you want to cover. Do not spend over 70% of your application writing about one particular
skill or experience. Think about which skills are most important for that role and distribute your text
accordingly.
4. Always remain positive, do not take a negative stance in any of your responses.
5. Do not randomly jump from one section to the next. Try and group your information under headings
such as ‘qualifications’, ‘skills’ and ‘experience’. Always try to complete every section. If a section is
not relevant write ‘not applicable’
6. Always write clearly, so that others can read your form. In most situations you may be able to word
process your form.
7. Always check your spelling, paying particular attention to the name of the company and the
personnel involved.
8. Never lie on your application. It is in nobody’s interest to do so and you may be found out.
9. Always keep a photocopy of your form so that if you are selected for an interview, you can refer
back to what you said, and prepare some of your answers accordingly.
10. Finally it may be a good idea to get someone to read over your application before you send off to
the employer.
Further Resources

For more information and 1-1 guidance on application forms call into the Careers Service in
Chancellor’s Mall and speak to one of our Careers Adviser’s.

Visit Prospects at http://www.prospects.ac.uk/job_applications_your_application.htm for further
information on completing application forms.

Visit Select Simulator at www.selectsimulator.com to practice online applications.
Careers Service, Student Centre, Chancellors Mall, University Way, Bolton, BL3 5AB
[email protected] | http://www.bolton.ac.uk/careers