Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Developing and Using Application Forms

Application blank or form is one of the most common methods used to collect information on various aspects of the applicants’ academic, social, demographic, work-related background and references. It is a brief history sheet of an employee’s background, usually containing the following things:

i. Personal data (address, sex, identification marks)

ii. Marital data (single or married, children, dependents)
 
iii. Physical data (height, weight, health condition)
 
iv. Educational data (levels of formal education, marks, distinctions)
 
v. Employment data (past experience, promotions, nature of duties, reasons for leaving previous jobs, salary drawn, etc.)
 
vi. Extra-curricular activities data (sports/games, NSS, NCC, prizes won, leisure-time activities)

vii. References (names of two or more people who certify the suitability of an applicant to the advertised position)

Even when applicants come armed with elaborate resumes, it is important to ask the applicants to translate specific resume material into a standardised application form. Job seekers tend to exaggerate, or overstate their qualifications on a resume. 

So it's always better to ask the applicant to sign a statement that the information contained on the resume or application blank is true and that he or she accepts the employer's right to terminate the candidate's employment if any of the information is found to be false at a later date.