Get That Job!
Filling Out an Application

HE-769, New Nov 1998. Adapted for use in Alabama by Carol Centrallo, Extension Apparel and Textile Management Specialist, Assistant Professor, Consumer Affairs, Auburn University

You may be asked to fill out the application in the office, or you may be able to take it home and return it later. If possible, take it home so you can take your time and have someone else check it over. You should return an application to the employer within 24 hours.

One quick way to help fill out an application is to make your own personal data sheet. This is like a job resume with all the important information that most applications require.

Things to include in your personal data sheet:

• Your name as it is spelled on your birth certificate
• Social Security number
• Permanent address
• Phone number where you can be reached during the day and evening
• Three references from people who know you and how well you work
• Jobs you have had, your supervisors' names, and the companies' addresses
• Driver's license number

This sheet also can be taken with you when you are looking for a job. It will help you fill out applications with ease. A personal data sheet should always be made before you begin your job hunt so you can find correct spellings, addresses of your references, your Social Security number, and other vital information you may not have memorized.

Most employers look closely at your job application. It is their first introduction to you. This is why the application process is very important. In most cases, the way you fill out your application will help you get an interview or a job.

Sample Personal Data Sheet

Name	Social Security Number
Address	Zip Code
Phone Day	Night
Schools Attended
Name of School	Dates Attended	Dates Graduated
Job Experience
Name of Company	Address	Job You Held
Dates Job Held
References
Name	Complete Address	Job Title
Name	Complete Address	Job Title
Name	Complete Address	Job Title

Suggestions for filling out an application

• Always use a pen, not a pencil.
• Print clearly or type.
• Use correct spelling.
• Write sentences the employer can understand.
• Make sure the application is not messy with smudges.
• Be truthful.
• Avoid using the word "no" when you need to leave something blank. For example, answer the question "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" with "N/A" meaning "Not Applicable" or "Does Not Apply."
• Avoid using "no phone." Put a close relative's or friend's phone number where you can be reached. Remember to tell that person you are using his or her telephone number.
• Give a phone number where you can be reached during the day or night.
• Avoid using the word "fired."
• When questions about salary are asked, write "Wish to discuss in person."

Filling out a job application can be confusing, especially when symbols are used. The following are abbreviations often used:

• BD or DOB Birth Date or Date of Birth (including month, day, and year)
• SS, SS#, or Soc. Social Security Number
• Wt. Weight
• Ht. Height
• Tel. Telephone number
• M or F Male or Female
• M, S, or Div Married, Single, or Divorced
• Yr. Year
• Mo. Month
• Exp. Experience
• Edu. Education
• No. or # Number

Below is a list of words and their definitions that you may see on applications:

• Applicant This means YOU, the person who is applying for the job.
• Marital Status Are you married or single?
• Spouse Your wife's or husband's name
• Dependents The number of people you support financially (children or others)
• Relationship How that particular person is related to you (cousin, son, friend, former employer)
• Maiden name A woman's last name before her first marriage
• Occupation What type of work you do
• For office use only Leave blank; company will fill out
• Permanent address A place you consider home: where you may be contacted at all times
• Present address Where you are currently living
• References People who know you well and will speak favorably of you to a possible employer
• Full-time Works at least 36-40 hours a week
• Part-time Works at least 16-20 hours a week
• EEO Employer Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. This means a business cannot discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, sex, religion, handicap, disabled veteran, or Vietnam-era veteran.

Evaluation Form

Now check to be sure that you did not make these common mistakes when filling out an application.

Yes	No
____	____	Neat, clean, and readable
____	____	Correct spelling
____	____	No blank lines
____	____	Correct phone numbers (day and night)
____	____	Correct Social Security number
____	____	Did not use the word "no"

Remember, you should have answered "yes" to all of the above. The application stage is very important because it allows the employer to see how much experience you have had and how you handle paperwork. Neatness, knowledge, and experience pay off.

References

Dawson, Kenneth and Dawson, Sheryl N. Job Search--The Total System. John Wiley and Sons, 1998.

Armstrong, Fiona; Baum, Myra; and Joan Block Miller. Getting Ready for the World of Work, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1980.

Kimeldorf, Martin. Job Search Education, Education Design, Inc. 1985.

These materials were developed by Dorothy Taylor and Jeffrey J. Guidry of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service with a grant provided by Mississippi State University--Southern Rural Development Center.

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.