Applications
What are applications?
There are so many types of applications out there. We apply for a place at university, we apply for a job, we apply for a loan, we apply for …. Anything.
There are many things that are ‘easy’: applying at university is a rather mechanical process. We fill in the form (online), attach the supporting documents and that is it. If we match the criteria, we are in luck. A machine can do it. And by and large: there are no appeals processes.
The best part of university applications are online. There are no walk-in options anymore. If we look at the format (I tried a few), there are plenty of things to fill in. It is not complicated, but be aware: if it is not done correctly, it will be rejected.
If you should apply for a job in any state institution, there are also forms to fill in. I quote from the website here:
“As a rule vacancies are advertised in a Public Service Vacancy Circular compiled and issued weekly by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA).
The Public Service Vacancy Circular informs public servants about vacancies within the Public Service. Persons who are not Public Service
employees but interested in the positions advertised should first establish from the advertising department if they can apply. The contact details of the advertising departments are provided in the Circular” And then the form Z83 to complete.
All in all, complex, but not difficult!
Let us turn to applying for a job. This might be more complex as there may or may not be a form to complete.
Big companies (bank, insurance) do operate with a form, and they (typically) look at applicants after high-school.
There would be a section where you can express yourself. Who are you after all? And why apply with this company?
This is where creativity comes in. But this is much more involved, because now you have to talk about YOU. The key word here is honesty!
That leads into what we are going to discuss as well: the unsolicited application.
The success rate can be higher, but it requires a lot of ground work. You have to research what the company is all about.
Read on – there is an article on that as well!
