"PREPARATION IS THE VITAL FIRST STAGE OF ANY APPLICATION. BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK OF PUTTING PEN TO PAPER YOU MUST KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY AND WHY."
Application Forms
Preparation
Preparation is the vital first stage of any application. Before you even think of putting pen to paper you must know exactly what you want to say and why. A form only has limited space to write in and it has specific questions to be answered. The essential points you want to make must be tailored to fit the form and balanced to make maximum impact.
The Employer and the Job
First of all, read the vacancy details very carefully. Does the employer ask for certain qualities or qualifications? Even if nothing is specified the employer will have some in mind. You can make an intelligent guess as to what they are by:
- Finding out as much as possible about the job you are applying for; its training arrangements and career prospects.
- Finding out about the employing organisation; its products, successes, ethos.
Use recruitment literature, careers library files (on jobs and employers), public library reference books, advertisements - any accessible source of information.