CRAFTING EFFECTIVE JOB APPLICATIONS
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Start each answer afresh
Don’t copy over an answer you used on another form, no matter how similar the questions may seem. And even if you were to do so, you would have to tweak your answers strategically to fit the role you’re applying for, anyway. The biggest mistake you can make is to leave any traces or mention of the previous companies you’ve applied to when you’re merely pasting the same answers for many different potential employers. And, whatever you do, don’t copy and paste information directly from the employer’s – or their competitors’ – websites! Company websites and social media pages may be useful research resources for your job hunt, but you should still digest and process the information at your own pace so that you develop you own understanding of the industry and prospective employers from your own unique perspective.
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Check, check, check
Many otherwise impressive applications are often let down by tiny errors, and unfortunately, not all forms allow you to save your responses to refer back and for checks. To save yourself the heartache of lost answers in the event of browser issues or when Murphy’s Law comes into play, you can choose to draft your answers on a word-processing programme before keying them into the form. You can also let your career advisor check your answers before the official submission. For questions that you’re not providing answers for, leave an “NA” for “not applicable”. Check for spelling and grammatical errors, and ensure you have indicated your contact information correctly, especially your email address and mobile number. Lastly, keep a copy of each online application sent out for your own reference. You can even print out the completed forms to check before submission. You’ll also need to refer to your answers so that you know what to talk about if you’re called for an interview.
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