Job Application Checklist: Last Minute Look at 14 Important Things

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One of the first things that can turn recruiters off is careless mistakes in an application. It gives the impression that you haven't put effort into it and you don't care enough about the job. Make sure you go through our application checklist to double-check that your job application is flawless. 

Why check your Social Media before applying

Since the rise of Social Media, there is a common myth that the only reason recruiters check these channels is to make sure you never have any fun. Whilst it’s true that any incriminating photos are likely to turn a recruiter off, Social Media is largely used as a way to get an idea of who you are and see how you’d fit in the company. Better to be safe than sorry though, so keep your shenanigans as private as possible. 

If your private life is a bit on the wild side and you enjoy posting your escapades but don't want the recruiter to know, then setting up two accounts might be a good idea. Employers can get suspicious when they can't find you on any Social Media channel out there, so make sure your official account has an easily-traceable username - one based on your real name and surname.

On the other account, the one meant for friends, you have free reign. You can set up a creative nickname so that only those you wish to find you can do it. Still - remember to keep the settings on that one private. Even when you feel invincible, you still don't want to risk the recruiter somehow stumbling upon the profile and getting a full selection of your pictures at parties. 

You can find out more about how recruiters use Social Media during the recruitment process and how to prepare for this here. 

The benefits of researching a company prior to application

It's all well and good to apply to as many companies as possible, but if you get to the actual interview process - or even the offer stage - and decide that this isn’t the company for you, that’s a lot of time and energy wasted.

Even worse - imagine finding out that many of the employees are very dissatisfied with working there only after joining a company. Using tools such as Indeed or Glassdoor can ensure the company environment and values will align well with you. 

Of course, when doing research and collecting other people's feedback about the company, you might soon start working for, remember to keep a clear head. We are all more likely to post a negative review than a positive one.

Honest to God, how many times have you typed out a passive-aggressive comment regarding a product or a service when it didn't meet your expectations? Compared to the number of times when you cracked your knuckles with a content smile thinking: "all right, time to provide honest, positive feedback to everyone I have ever been satisfied with", the previous case is probably much more common. 

The case with job forums is similar: they will be more often frequented by frustrated employees who just got mad about their boss over nonsense than those who are extremely happy about their position and company.

We humans find it easier to express anger than contentment, and you have to keep that in mind while looking at reviews. If they are all positive - great, you have nothing to worry about. If not, don't worry - Grouchy Smurfs are everywhere. 

It's only when the number of negative reviews majorly exceeds the positive ones that you should start to worry. If you have to struggle to find anyone who is satisfied with working at a company, you probably don't want to apply there.

Additionally, without doing the research, it is doubtful you will even get past the interview stage. The "What do you know about our company?" question is one that comes up pretty often and when you don't know how to answer it, it usually doesn't bode well for you.

The recruiters want to make sure they will choose someone who is motivated and genuinely interested in the company - and that the person will feel comfortable joining the team. 

How important are your CV and cover letter in the application process?

Whilst not all companies require cover letters, CVs are pretty much a must. These two documents are a tool to help employers filter through applications and narrow down the options. This will be your first opportunity to wow recruiters and catch their eye, so they need to be done right.

Remember that first impressions are everything, so if your CV is not top-notch, even if you bend over backwards, you won't be able to present your other qualities to your recruiter because you will never get invited to the interview in the first place.

Cover letters are a great accessory to your CV - so if you are given the opportunity to include one in your job application, do it. They should add to your application, rather than be a summary of your CV.

It’s a chance to add your voice to the application and explain why you want to work for the company. They are also a great opportunity to present your more personal side - your personality can be reflected through your writing style.

The technical rules regarding writing a cover letter are less strict than those concerning a CV, so how you structure it will demonstrate your priorities and the values you consider important. Much more can be conveyed through a cover letter than you think, so don't disregard it as non-essential.

What you include in it and how might just be the factor deciding whether you are chosen for an interview or not!

Keeping track of applications

When a recruiter calls about a prospective interview, it looks really bad when you’re not sure which position they’re calling about. Keeping track of your job search - where and when you’ve applied - is a great idea if you’re thinking of following up with companies.

We know you will be applying to more than a few jobs at the same time - a few dozen is more like it. That's completely normal - the more companies you reach out to, the bigger your chances of hearing back from at least one of them. 

Still, that doesn't mean you should rub that fact in the recruiters' faces. Being aware of something and accepting it as a common fact in the back of your head is slightly different than being blandly reminded of it by contacting a candidate who's not sure who you are or why you're even calling them.

Maximizing your chances at securing a job doesn't give you the right to be unorganised - this only works to lower said chances you've worked so hard to increase. Simply get a journal or a plain notebook where you will write down the date you applied to a particular position and its details.

That way, when somebody calls, you will be able to quickly check the number or, if it hasn't been provided in the job description, then at least you can effectively find the necessary details in a manner of seconds rather than the long minutes it would take you to Google the caller. It will also spare you the embarrassment of starting the call by asking the recruiter to repeat themselves or responding to their greeting with a confused: "Huh?".

Writing down the dates of all the job applications you send out, you will stay in control of the situation and be aware of when to follow-up if you don't hear a response and want to know if you should keep on hoping or move on. You will also find it helpful to set goals for the number of job applications you send per week.

This will help you stay organised and effectively measure your progress. Not to mention, it will also save you the time you'd waste trying to find all that information once it's too late. Additionally, it will prevent you from applying for the same position twice. That would be awkward!

Once you've checked and rechecked, you're all set to send out your applications! You're one step closer to your dream job... now it's time to seal the deal! In the last week of the event, we prepare you for the interview stage! 

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