Your completed job application is the start of a paper trail that documents your employment relationship from the point at which you first expressed an interest in the company to the day you retire from the company. As explained by employment website Indeed, an application provides the recruiter with a snapshot of you, and your signature on the application attests to the truthfulness of information you provided to the employer.
Basic Information
The objectives of a job application are to obtain information that will shape the selection process, provide recruiters with the information they need to develop interview questions and confirm that you're able to do the job and that you understand the nature of the working relationship.
Employers use formal job applications to obtain basic information about who you are, your preferred name and contact information, where you live and whether you're of legal age to work for the company. Employers use the information you provide about your legal name and residence to conduct a background check if you reach that point in the selection process.
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Job Eligibility
Introductory questions on employment applications often ask that you indicate whether you're over 16 or 18 years old; however, some applications contain a statement about the minimum age for certain occupations, which is 21 years old in many jurisdictions. For example, in some states, the required minimum age is 21 for jobs selling tobacco products, dispensing or serving alcohol, or dealing casino games.
Job Functions
One of the key questions on an employment application is whether you can perform the essential job functions, with or without accommodation. Employers require that applicants ask this question -- which many employers ask using this precise wording -- so they have proof that you attested to your ability to do the job. The reason the question contains the phrase "with or without accommodation" is to protect the employer's interests regarding employment decisions should you later claim that you cannot do the work.
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If you initially claim that you can perform the job functions, the company fulfills your request for a desk that accommodates your limited mobility and you later claim you can't perform the job because of your limited physical mobility, the employer has on record that you affirmed your ability to do the job with or without an accommodation.
Work History
Many jobs have required qualifications that are based on the applicant's work history. Standard job applications generally require that you provide the names of your previous employers, job duties and employment dates. Employers use this information to determine whether you meet the job's requisite skills and qualifications.
Merely listing your employment history doesn't give prospective employers enough information to make a decision to hire you. However, it gives them the information necessary to conduct an interview that will help them determine if you are a good fit for the job.
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Memberships and Volunteer Experience
Employment applications might require that you provide information about volunteer work you have done or associations to which you belong. Your answers to questions about your activities beyond work don't necessarily make you a better-qualified candidate. However, they shed light on what you do outside of work, and they give the employer a way to determine if you're well-rounded.
Employers like candidates who demonstrate they have the qualifications and drive to work for the company, yet they want people who are well-rounded and involved in activities that aren't connected to work. For example, if you were the team captain on your college football team, it shows that you have leadership skills. Or, if you volunteer to be a companion at a nursing facility or long-term care facility, it's likely that you have patience, compassion and respect for seniors.
At-Will Employment
Job applications contain the disclaimer that, if hired, the candidate becomes an at-will employee. One side of the employment-at-will doctrine means employers can sever the working relationship, for any reason or no reason, with or without advance notice. The other side is that the employee also has the right to end the working relationship at-will. Employers include this disclaimer so that applicants understand that the employer has the right to end the working relationship and that providing a signature on employment documents doesn't constitute an employment contract.
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Following Instructions
Seattle Central College emphasizes the importance of filling out the application completely and according to instructions. Rather than leave a section blank, include the initials N/A (not applicable). If you were fired from a job, you do not need to list the reason for leaving on the application form but can write "will discuss at interview." Inability to follow instructions or refusal to provide required information might disqualify you from the selection process.
