[thechat] How to fill out UK job application forms - Round II

Tony Crockford tonyc at boldfish.co.uk
Mon Sep 16 11:53:00 CDT 2002


> So my question is, should this be a point form response to each
> specification or should it be more like a cover letter, in
> paragraphs? Is
> point form acceptable or not? Some of the points on their "Person
> Specification" are very vague or difficult to respond to
> directly or give
> "evidence of". So I'm not sure if I should respond to each of
> the points
> that they've listed, or if I should do a paragraph-type
> response and address
> some things in a more round-about way. BTW, there are 24
> separate points on
> the person specification to respond to.
>
> You have all been so helpful about this, I'm flummoxed
> because I haven't
> come across this style of application before, and I want to
> do it right,
> 'cause I *so* want the job.

Wow!

The whole interview right there in the form!

This sounds like a nightmare.

it sound very much like the application form is going to be used to tick
suitability boxes to see if you get an interview.

I'd say you should respond positively point by point to every item in
the spec.

if they're vague, be just as vague, but in a really positive way:

requirement:

team player:

response

work well with others, as can be seen from my CV, where at company XYZ I
was a member of the strategy team responsible for increasing sales by
50%


etc.

The form reviewer will be scoring you against a sheet of musts, coulds,
should, must nots etc.

if you make their job easy you might just make it to interview.....

A quick question:  is the form being returned to the company?  or to
their recruitment agency?

If it's the agency I'd be very much inclined to call them up and build a
relationship with them by asking questions about the form (but try and
talk to the person dealing with the vacancy) - might get you in for an
interview without completing the form....

a lot of the time we brits like to standardise everything by putting
things in neat and tidy boxes, but we do recognise talent and enthusiasm
and applaud innovation, which is often hard to detect on an application
form

Good luck!






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