Application forms

1. Make sure your email address is correct

Your email address is the primary method of contact for online applications, so make sure that it is correct, current and professional. When you are applying for jobs, make sure you check your emails at least a couple of times each day.

2. Research the company

Most organisations include a lot of the information that you should know about the organisation on their website before applying. Make sure that you read it out and tailor your application accordingly.

3. Find out the closing time and date

Aim to start and submit your application early. Don’t start the application on the last day as the site is generally slower then because of increased traffic. The application may also be longer and more detailed than expected, requiring more time and research. Also, if you do encounter any technical difficulties, you may not be able to complete your application by the deadline and you will therefore miss out.

4. Read instructions thoroughly

Does the application have to be completed in one sitting or can it be done over time? Most will allow you to work on the application over time and save it as you go before you have to submit it, but you do need to check this.

If you are going to have to complete the application in one go, make sure that you have drafted answers in advance AND that you have allowed sufficient time to answer all questions comprehensively.

Read through the form before you start answering the questions. Some situations will provide better examples for some questions than others.

5. Treat it like a formal document

Just because the application is online, doesn’t mean it can be written like an email to a friend. Make sure your grammar, spelling and punctuation are correct. Don’t use text talk or slang.

6. Attach all documents as requested

Failure to do so can delay or harm your application. Particularly watch the format that attached documents must be in (e.g. Word, text or included in the body of the email) and clearly label any attachments, e.g. ‘Resume – Tom Smith’, 'Qu 6: Career Goals'. If requested to provide a transcript of results, a typed list of subjects and results is usually sufficient at this stage. If you aren’t sure whether or not an official transcript is required, contact the organisation and ask.

7. Make a copy of your application

when you have finished. Print it out or save it electronically, as you will need to be able to check your answers before the next stage of the process. You may not be able to access your completed application from after submitting it, so make a copy prior to submitting it.

As well as basic biographical information and questions about your academic background, work experience and other activities, application forms usually contain a number of behavioural questions related to the skills that are being sought by the employer.

Behavioural questions can be identified by phrases like “describe a time when you….”, “or provide an example when you…”. These are based on the belief that your past behaviours are good indicators of how you will behave in particular situations in the future.

You need to put time and effort into your answers as they can determine whether you will be offered an interview. Once you get to the interview you can also expect to be probed in more detail about these skills.

To answer behavioural questions, use the ‘STAR’ approach. This allows you to frame your responses logically and to cover the key information required. The ‘STAR’ acronym stands for:

Situation: Brief outline of the situation or setting. Who was involved? What was your role?

Task: What did you have to do? What happened next?

Action: What action/s did you take? How did you do it?

Result: What was the outcome? What feedback did you receive?

Examples of behavioural questions

• Give an example when you have demonstrated leadership or team membership skills.
• Please provide an example of a time when you had to work as part of a team to accomplish an objective. Describe the task, what your role in the team was, and what outcomes the team accomplished.
• Reflecting on your past work, university and extra-curricular activities, outline a situation that best demonstrates your flexibility in accommodating tight or changing deadlines.
• Tell us about a time when you have met and exceeded the customer's expectations through the service you have provided.
• Tell us a time when you were able to encourage others within your workplace to work collaboratively or to support an idea.
• Describe how you have applied something significant that you have learnt to make a practical difference. What impact did you make?
• Please provide a recent example of when you have shown initiative by stepping out of your comfort zone to personally ‘make a difference’? Why did you take this opportunity? What did you learn from this experience? What did it tell you about yourself?

Tips for responding to behavioural questions

• Draw upon a range of experiences in your responses. These may be from uni, part-time work, volunteering, sports, or other extra-curricular activities.
• Use ‘I’ rather than ‘we’ to ensure you focus on your own involvement in various situations.
• Try to provide recent examples (preferably within the last two years) that have a clear beginning, middle and end.