Are you about to apply for a job? Simply having an employer's name and making immediate contact to request an interview often isn't enough to ensure the employer will grant you an interview.
Some employers don't schedule job interviews until they've received application forms. They use these to select the people they want to see first.
An application for employment is more than a formal means of applying for a job, it is really a test all by itself - particularly when the application is to be returned by mail and the employer will not have personal contact with you. You must present your strengths to get the interview you seek.
Also, an incomplete, soiled, misspelled, or torn application likely will make a poor first impression, particularly when compared to others submitted for the same job.
When you receive an application form, you may want to find out if you can fill it out at home. This way, you can use a typewriter, or take whatever time is needed to print, to provide the information clearly and neatly.
Some employers believe applicants who complete these forms in a hurry, don't pay attention to the instructions or other details of the forms, or whose handwriting can't be read, will carry these same traits into the job.
Of course, the longer you take to return the application form the the employer, the more risk the job will be filled before you get it back. (If you decide to take the time at home, you may want to ask the employer if you can leave behind a brief fact sheet in the interim.)
Read the application form carefully all the way through before you fill it out. Then you'll know what information goes where without having to guess, or erase. Write detailed answers to questions on a separate piece of paper, if you believe the details are important enough to justify the extra effort.
Following are some pointers on the types of questions you will likely be asked.
Believe it or not, this sometimes can cause a problem for an employer. For example, an applicant might have had a name change because of legal action, or through marriage. A woman who worked under her maiden name may find her married name unknown to a former employer she listed as a reference.
One or two addresses - perhaps permanent and temporary - usually are requested. If you are a student planning to work away from home during the summer, include an address where you can be reached at any time, or from which mail will be forwarded. Zip codes are a must.
Employers frequently contact applicants by telephone. It is very important to list a number where you can always be reached. The best hours for calling should be known if you are away from the number for extended periods.
Obtaining a Social Security number is easy, and you will need one, regardless of age. You cannot be required to provide your Social Security number on the job application. However, once hired you must provide the number to your employer in order to be paid and to have your Social Security, state and federal tax withholding applied to correct accounts.
How you answer this question is very important. Find out ahead of time what openings exist and apply for the vacancies for which you're qualified. Do not undersell your talents. Be specific and don't apply for "general work" or "anything." Analyze what you can do - drive a vehicle, be a trades helper, type, be a laboratory aide, or repair autos, for example. Other jobs may require the occupant to have skills of persuasion or an ability to take risks.
Set your goals high while being prepared to take a lower-paying or less desirable job for now, if necessary - at least you will have moved from the status of "outsider" to "insider."
The ability to drive can be a deciding factor in being chosen for some jobs. An applicant who can operate a vehicle with a manual gear shift may have a better advantage.
If you don't have a license but plan to get one, tell the employer you are applying for a license as soon as possible.
Any attempt to hide previous employment usually will be discovered when records are checked.
Try to find out in advance the salary structure of the firm. Newspaper advertisements and employment counselors can help in this respect.
Because most teenagers have had little work experience, they usually are paid the prevailing minimum wage. Be realistic. Remember that the employer will base the pay on your value to the company, not on what salary you say you need.
Job Service offices will be able to tell you the current state and federal minimum wage rates, or you may write to the Equal Rights Division, State Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations, 201 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53702, and ask for a copy of the "Wisconsin Minimum Wage Rates Poster" (Publication ERD-9247-P).
A new worker may not get a choice of hours and should not expect one. Many large multi-shift firms have a "shift preference" system, and most new employees must accept second or third shifts. Premium pay usually is provided for undesirable shifts.
This question may be asked because public transportation may not be available, and workers without cars will have to rely on others to drive them. If the driver of your car has a poor attendance record, so will you.
If you live a considerable distance from work or must work an odd shift, special travel arrangements may have to be made if you do not have a car and cannot depend on public transportation.
Be prepared to give the address and telephone number of a responsible person who can usually be reached, and quickly.
For a summer or seasonal job, you probably will need to be available immediately. If you already are employed, at least two-weeks notice should be given to your current employer, and more if your contract, or company policy, calls for it. Leaving a job without giving notice could hurt you in the future when your old employer is contacted for a reference. It also may jeopardize your chances to be rehired with the same organization.
If you are in normal health, write "excellent" or "very good." Applications also may ask for the number of days of work you missed because of health problems during the last two years.
Information about surgical operations and diseases may also be requested. Your answers will help employers decide whether you can physically do the job.
If you have any health problems or physical limitations, the employer cannot legally refuse to hire you for that reason, unless it would impair your ability to do the job.
Some firms require a physical examination before you are hired. It may range from a routine check to a comprehensive examination. If the employer requires the exam as a condition of employment, the employer must pay for it.
All education - formal or otherwise - from grade school to the present should be listed. Special courses, such as a summer typing course or a Red Cross safety course, also should be shown. You may be asked to report your class standing, or the subjects in which you received the best grades, if you were graduated in recent years.
Special interests, hobbies, and special skills can show responsibility or initiative, depending upon their complexity. Working with autos or clocks, for example, may help you get a job which requires mechanical aptitude. List any such skills or licenses, such as an ability to operate office machines - even pilot an airplane!
If you served in the military, you may be asked to identify your branch of service, your rank, and the dates you entered and were discharged. Also, you may be asked to indicate the type of discharge you received.
If the application form does not ask specifically about your military service, you may want to include it under "Previous Employment." Be sure to emphasize those duties you performed which are related to the job for which you are applying.
If you have completed any military service (active or reserve), you may want to volunteer that information if it is not otherwise requested.
Membership in the military reserves or National Guard usually involves regular meetings and summer camp at set time periods over which you and your employer have no control. This could require special arrangements with your employer.
During an interview these factors may count heavily if you lack much actual work experience and you are a recent student. Sports, music, and other activities should be mentioned. Special honors - class president, honor role, team captain, student committees - show a sense of responsibility and achievement. Activities such as chorus, forensics, or debate club should be listed also. An interviewer may have a personal interest in one of these areas, and it may serve as an "icebreaker" in the interview.
Although interviewers often contact past employers for references, they also may ask you to provide personal references (other than relatives). Ministers, teachers, counselors, or club leaders may be possibilities. Be sure to ask their permission ahead of time. Usually the address, occupation, and telephone number of the reference are required on application forms.
Some employment applications require a short, handwritten self-evaluation or biographical sketch. Also, you might be asked, "Why do you want this job?" or "Why do you want to work for us?" You may want to prepare a draft statement on another piece of paper before or at the time you complete the application. Organize your points carefully and accurately. Once you have it in shape, you may transfer it to the form. The employer will be looking for legible handwriting, good grammar, and your ability to express yourself.
Although chances are small that persons beginning their careers will have to travel, you may be asked about your willingness to do so, depending on the type of job or the need for travel if you are promoted.
Knowledge of a foreign language could be the deciding factor in getting some jobs, especially jobs that require communication with selected ethnic groups. You should indicate whether you read, write, or speak the language, and how well you do each.
Usually, you will be asked to list your current or most recent job first, then your next-most-recent, and so on. It is important that you know the names and titles of previous supervisors. Account for the time gaps between employment, and include part-time and volunteer employment. Even painting, cooking, and baby-sitting can count for young adults who have had little other work experience.
In describing the kinds of work you've done, avoid over- or under-selling yourself. If you were a "clerk-typist," not just a "clerk," say so. The same is true for "electronic technician" or "X-ray technician." Specific duties should be emphasized, avoiding generalizations. An assembler who also did testing should list both duties.
The reason you quit your last job, or are seeking to leave your current one, generally is asked. This information may be one portion of the application most carefully considered by your potential employer. It could tell many things. For example, are you a "job-hopper" or a griper? Can you stick to one job? Do you avoid responsibility? Can you work with a group?
Be truthful in discussing the reason you left previous employers, since reference checks usually will reveal any difficulties experienced on earlier jobs. However, derogatory comments and general phrases such as "poor working conditions," "personality conflict," or "dissatisfaction" should be avoided. Instead, positive - if truthful - descriptions should be used - "chance for greater responsibility," or "chance to work with more skilled craftspeople."
Often you will be asked what your starting and ending wages were at your previous jobs. It is a good idea to know what your wages were by the hour, week, month and year since it may be asked any of those ways.
At the end of this document is a handy table for converting wages from hourly to weekly, monthly and yearly rates.
Most employment applications end with the statement that any false answers or misrepresentations can be cause for termination. Most misleading information is uncovered during reference checks.
Usually a further statement in this section gives the employer permission to contact past employers and sometimes the present employer. This portion should be read carefully since people sometimes do not want present employers to know that they are looking for work.
Do not forget to sign and date the application. Sounds simple, but experience shows that a significant number of applicants neglect to complete this final portion of the form.
There are a number of questions which, if found on application forms, could violate laws aimed at achieving equal opportunity, depending on how answers are used.
On the other hand, these same questions sometimes are asked by employers to help them carry out affirmative action programs.
Since you will see the following requests for information on many application forms, it is a good idea to become familiar with them and understand how they may be used legally and illegally.
You are not legally required to answer all the questions on an application form to be eligible for the job for which you are applying. You may respond to some questions with "Prefer to discuss." or you may leave them unanswered. However, it is generally not a good idea to do so. Some employers may think you are trying to hide something, and your chances of getting the job may diminish.
If you think an employer has discriminated against you, contact the Equal Rights Division, State Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations, 201 E. Washington Avenue, Madison WI 53707 or 819 N. 6th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53203.
Also, Job Service offices have a handy Personal Data Record form which you may wish to fill out and take with you whenever you complete job applications at an employer's business place. Ask for this form (JET-4937-P) by title at any Job Service office.
This pamphlet is based, in part, on an article which originally appeared in "Occupational Outlook Quarterly," published by the U.S. Labor Department. Much of that material was gathered by John E. Keefe for his book, "The Teenager and the Interview," Richard Rosen Press, New York, N.Y. 1971.
Job Service offices have other pamphlets with advice for job-seekers. Among them are:
Per Hour Per Week Per Month Per Year 4.00 160 693 8320 4.20 168 728 8736 4.40 176 762 9152 4.60 184 797 9568 4.80 192 832 9984 5.00 200 866 10400 5.20 208 901 10816 5.40 216 936 11232 5.60 224 970 11648 5.80 232 1005 12064 6.00 240 1040 12480 6.20 248 1074 12896 6.40 256 1109 13312 6.60 264 1144 13728 6.80 272 1178 14144 7.00 280 1213 14560 7.20 288 1248 14976 7.40 296 1282 15392 7.60 304 1317 15808 7.80 312 1352 16224 8.00 320 1386 16640 8.20 328 1421 17056 8.40 336 1456 17472 8.60 344 1490 17888 8.80 352 1525 18304 9.00 360 1560 18720 9.20 368 1594 19136 9.40 376 1629 19552 9.60 384 1664 19968 9.80 392 1698 20384 10.00 400 1733 20800 10.20 408 1768 21216 10.40 416 1802 21632 10.60 424 1837 22048 10.80 432 1872 22464 11.00 440 1906 22880 11.20 448 1941 23296 11.40 456 1976 23712 11.60 464 2010 24128 11.80 472 2045 24544 12.00 480 2080 24960 12.20 488 2114 25376 12.40 496 2149 25792 12.60 504 2184 26208 12.80 512 2218 26624 13.00 520 2253 27040 13.20 528 2288 27456 13.40 536 2322 27872 13.60 544 2357 28288 13.80 552 2392 28704 14.00 560 2426 29120 14.20 568 2461 29536 14.40 576 2496 29952 14.60 584 2530 30368 14.80 592 2565 30784 15.00 600 2600 31200 15.20 608 2634 31616 15.40 616 2669 32032 15.60 624 2704 32448 15.80 632 2738 32864 16.00 640 2773 33280 16.20 648 2808 33696 16.40 656 2842 34112 16.60 664 2877 34528 16.80 672 2912 34944 17.00 680 2946 35360 17.20 688 2981 35776 17.40 696 3016 36192 17.60 704 3050 36608 17.80 712 3085 37024 18.00 720 3120 37440
Note: These figures are based on a forty hour work week.