11 Ways on How to Apply for a Job

11 Ways on How to Apply for a Job

Tips to Improve Your Chances of Being Hired


Financial and Retirement Planning Information - 
for Beginners

If you have been in the same job for years, and suddenly find yourself laid off, or due to today's economic market you have to come out of retirement, you will soon find that you can't get a job the same way you did 20, 30, or 40 years ago. Even if you could, you may have forgotten some basics, so this article should help you brush up on applying for employment in today's market.  It can also be of benefit to anyone applying for a job.

So much of what is written and what is said on TV by people like Suze Orman and Gerri Willis about financial information, while good, is not usually geared to the everyday common person, in my opinion.

One of the first things they always mention when talking about job seeking is to "dust off your resume." Do you have a resume? Many of us don't, but we are still looking for jobs. Jobs that if we gave a resume to a prospective employer, they would throw it in the trash. I know, I've seen it happen.

The employer usually wants to know some or all of the information that would be in a resume, but they put that on their application and that is all they want to see.

What does a potential employer want?

1. Promptness – If you are applying for a job and the deadline is 3:00 pm on Friday, get your application in by 3:00 pm on Friday. If you can't even be depended on to get an application in on time, how can the employer expect you to get to work and perform your duties on time? You won't even be called in for an interview.

If you do get your application in on time, and are called in for an interview, be on time. Leave your house extra early. If it usually takes you 15 minutes to get to where you are going, leave 30 minutes early. You never know what might happen to make you late.

If you are on your way to an interview and something big really delays you (there is a wreck on the interstate and no way to detour), call and tell them why you are going to be late, and ask if you can reschedule. Note: be sure you have the phone number with you before you leave your house.

2. Neatness – Be neat on your application and in person. If there is one job opening and 50 applicants, you can be sure that the applications that are filled out neatly will be given more weight. If it is too messy, it may even be thrown out without being read.  Studies show that many employers spend only 30 seconds looking at an application when they are weeding out the ones they are interested in.

If you get called in for an interview, show up clean, neat, and dressed appropriately. Don't wear a three piece suit if you are applying for a job as a mechanic, but don't wear your work clothes, either. A clean pair of jeans with a button up shirt, or perhaps a polo shirt would be appropriate. Don't wear greasy jeans, a t-shirt, or coveralls. While these might be what you will be wearing to work in, they are not appropriate for an interview. Being clean and neat is doubly important if you will be performing a job that involves meeting the public.

3. Be prepared – Be sure you have a pen with you and all of your background information, even if you are just stopping by to pick up an application. Many places won't let you take it home and will have you fill it out right then and there.  Why won't they let you take it home?  They want to make sure you fill it out on your own and that you don't need help.

I have even had an interview at the time I just stopped by to pick up an application, so try to be dressed as though you had an interview scheduled. If that is not possible (you are stopping by on your way home from work), make sure you are as close to being ready for an interview as possible. Make sure your hands are clean – you don't want to leave grease all over your application or the interviewer. Make sure that the secretary or receptionist knows you are coming from work by making a comment about it.

4. Read before writing – Read the instructions. If they say to write “N/A” if something doesn't apply, make sure you write “N/A”. If you can't follow instructions when filling out an application, how can you be expected to follow instructions about your job duties?

This sounds like a no -brainer, but read each box before filling it in. It says, “Name” and you start writing, “John Doe”, THEN you notice that it says, “Last Name First”. Now you have to make a correction. That is sloppy. It also shows you did not read before writing, but just rushed right in without trying to understand what was wanted. Does an employer want someone who will do that on the job?

It is all right, and even a good idea, to have a paper with you to copy all of your background information from. This would be past addresses, employers, dates, and anything else that might be asked on the application.

If you have had any special training, make sure you have that on your paper. Be specific with the correct name of the class and the dates taken. If you had CPR, for instance, don't just put “CPR”. Put “Child and Adult CPR and Basic Life Support, 4 hours, Red Cross, June 2008”. It is also a good idea to have copies of any certificates you may have been given for classes or training, as well as any awards (employee of the month, etc.).  Ask if you may turn these in along with the application.

5. Fill in your application completely and correctly– If there is a question you don't understand what is wanted, ask. Don't leave blank spaces (unless instructed to). Draw a line, or put "N/A" in the space. That way the employer knows you did not just skip over that question, or maybe didn't even notice it. It shows that you are thorough. Sometimes you may be tempted to leave a section blank because you don't really want to answer that question. Don't do it. In most cases, it will be found out anyway, and can be grounds for dismissal. Not telling about something is almost the same as lying about it.

When I say to fill it in correctly, I mean without any mistakes.  Supose you fil in an aplication with alot of speling misstakes. Do you think that would make a good impression?  Also watch your punctuation. If your were to write: im taking a class in automobile mechanics finishing valves and pistons in june.  What exactly does that mean?  Are you taking a class in how to finish valves and pistons, only during the month of June?  That is what it sounds like. A better way would be: I'm taking a class in automobile mechanics.  I will finish in June with the last lesson, valves and pistons.

So, before your turn that application in, go back over it one more time and proofread it thoroughly for any mistakes.

6. Be honest – But don't give more information than necessary. One of the big ones is previous employment. Going back to the previous tip, if you leave a blank spot of six months in your employment history because you had a fight with your previous boss and got fired, don't leave it off. Just put it down without making any comment. If asked on the application why you left, put “Let go”. If you get to the interview stage, then you can explain. You can't put a proper explanation in that tiny box, and if you leave it off entirely, the employer might think you didn't work for six months because you were in jail.

What if you really were in jail? Put it down in the section where it is asked. Don't try to hide it. The prospective employer may not hire you, but you won't get caught in a lie. If the employer likes everything else and decides to give you a chance, he will appreciate your having been honest.

7. Be nice to the secretary, receptionist, or other office staff you meet – This is usually the first person you will see when you go in to ask for an application or for an interview. Sometimes Secretaries are really Office Managers and will be part of the interview process – either directly or indirectly. Some employers ask that person what was their impression of you when you came in.

Even if it doesn't have anything to do with getting a job, it is just good manners to be polite and friendly to the “underlings”. You don't want to be treated like a nobody and neither do they. If you do get hired, a good office staff person can help you in many little ways. If they don't like you, they can make your life much harder.

8. Ask questions – A good time to ask questions is before you even apply for a job. If you know someone who works there, talk to them. If you don't, try to find out a little about the company. Look it up on the internet, or call and ask that nice office person a few questions.

What do you need to know? Well, it depends on what the job is for, but knowing a little about a company during an interview can really pay off. If you are applying for a job as a muffler installer at a big muffler chain, you already know what they do so you don't have to research that, but if, during the interview, you say something like, “I know your company is #1 nationally, but how do you compare locally? Has that new shop that just opened adversely affected your business?” This should impress the interviewer because 1) you cared enough to find out something about the company, 2) you are interested in where they are positioned today and where they are going tomorrow, and 3) you show you may have potential to move up to a better position, perhaps as manager, later on.

9. Be observant – Try to discover something that isn't general knowledge or that the average person might not pay attention to. A person I once knew had a flower shop and all of his delivery vehicles had license plates that read, “Flowers 1”, “Flowers 2”, and so on. Obviously he was proud of his business and wanted to show it. The licenses were also a form of advertisement. Now don't you think he would appreciate it if you mentioned them during the interview?

10. Network – Here's one from the “Big Boys” handbook. All that high falutin word means is that you talk with other people and keep in touch with what is going on in regard to your job interest. Many jobs are never advertised, but are found through current employees and word of mouth. Take advantage of it.

11. If you do have a resume, ask if you may attach it to your application.