What is a job application?

A job application is a formal document that sums up your factual education and experience for
your potential employer. It contains confidential candidate information for both recruiters and
hiring personnel to review.

You may find that when you go online to submit your resume to a company that you're asked
to fill out a digital application. Other times, companies will ask you to come in and fill out an
application by hand, often during the interview or onboarding process. Unlike your resume,
your job application is a legally-defendable document. It's important that the information
included is thorough and accurate.

Often, recruiters will include a digital job application as part of a job application package where
you are asked to submit additional items like your resume, references and cover letter.

Related: What Happens to My Resume After I Click Apply? Plus Tips for Success

How to apply for a job

Here's how you can apply for a job that helps you achieve your career goals:

1. Search for jobs in your field

2. Research hiring companies
3. Ready your resume for submission
4. Decide if a cover letter is right for you
5. Submit your resume and online application
6. Application follow-up
1. Search for jobs in your field
Research by the Pew Research Center suggests that almost 80% of applicants in 2015 used
the internet as a primary means of locating jobs. That number has likely grown in the five years
since that study was published. Either way, it's clear that the most common way to search for
jobs in your field is to do an internet search. Websites like Indeed make it easier to connect
with employers who are looking for your skills and experience.

2. Research hiring companies

If you started with a job search rather than a company search, make sure to research every
company that you are considering applying to. A strong starting point is to go online to the
company's "about" page. You should also perform a search query on the company name to
look for any news, current events or reviews about the company.

Once you've exhausted your internet search, move on to connecting with people who work at
the companies you are applying to. By networking with people who work at companies you are
considering working for, you get a better feel for overall company culture.

3. Ready your resume for submission

Readying your resume for the application process means making sure it's up-to-date and
optimized for the job you are applying to. First, keeping it up-to-date means adding your most
recent education, experience and skills. In a chronological resume, most recent education and
experience should be listed first in each section.

You can optimize your resume for the job you are applying to by reviewing the job description
and using relevant keywords that apply to your skillset through your resume.

4. Decide if a cover letter is right for you

In modern job applications, a cover letter is not always expected. Decide if you need to submit
a cover letter. Sometimes you can tell because it will say so on the application. However, if you
do opt to include a cover letter, make sure that it accents your resume and tells an interesting
story about you.

5. Submit resume and online application

After preparing your resume and cover letter, you may need to go online and fill out an
application where you can attach your external documents. Avoid copying and pasting directly
from your resume into the online application because that can lead to formatting issues.
Instead, answer each question thoughtfully and shape your answer to the needs of the
company.

6. Application follow-up

Hiring managers may need time to sort through resumes and applications. While you may be
tempted to follow up soon after applying, wait about two weeks before reaching out to check
the status of your application. This gives hiring managers adequate time to sort through
candidates and makes you look more professional. You can submit an application follow-up
letter in the form of an email to the hiring manager if you have that information. If not, you can
call the company and ask to speak to the hiring manager for the position.

Related: How to Follow Up on a Job Application

Tips for applicants

Before you apply for a job, follow these tips to better prepare yourself for the application:

● Review social media. First, review your social media. Make sure your privacy settings
are set how you want them and that anything visible to the public is appropriately
professional.
● Locate hiring managers online. Using business social media sites and professional
networks, you can connect with hiring managers at the companies you are interested in.
This will allow you to connect with managers, personalize your communications and
stand out as a candidate.
● Connect with employees. Connect with other employees at the company to learn what
it's like to work there, what kinds of things they look for in an employee and the overall
culture of the business.

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