28 JUN 2018

Follow our top tips to successfully complete your next Further Education Application form

Application forms are, well, no one’s favourite pass time. Although often lengthy and time-consuming to complete, they are a necessary evil if you want to secure your next Further Education role.

Our first rule? Don’t be intimidated by the form! They’re not designed to trip you up or as an endurance test to see if you have the determination to make it to the end of the form! They are just a simple tool the HR team can use to make their job easier.

By standardising the initial application process, the shortlisting panel can ensure that every candidate provides answers to their most important questions, making it easier for them to not only quickly gauge a candidate’s suitability for a role but compare candidates against each other.

And this can work to everyone’s advantage. Application forms will be reviewed by a panel and to ensure all candidates are considered fairly, personal details such as age, marital status etc are removed from the applications.

When only using CVs, it is easy to be influenced by the presentation of the document rather than its actual content. It’s also more time consuming to extract the pertinent bits of information when 20 candidates are all supplying them in a different layout.

Here are our top tips for making sure your application hits the mark.

Tip 1: Be Prepared

Before you start the form, make sure you have all the necessary bits of information you need on hand to be able to provide the answers. Most Colleges will supply Guidance Notes with the application form and these are a great place to start to get to grips with the form. Also have the Job Description, Person Specification, the initial job advert you responded to and your CV to hand.

Tip 2: Complete All the Sections

It goes without saying that you need to answer every question on the form. Although some questions may feel a little obvious or unnecessary, the forms will have been carefully designed so that the College can gather all the information about you they need. If a question isn’t relevant to you, make sure you write ‘not applicable’ or ‘N/A’ in the space provided so the person reviewing your form doesn’t think you missed it out in error.

Tip 3: Maximise the Opportunity of your Supporting Statement

The application form will include a section usually referred to as a Supporting Statement and this is your chance to really sell yourself and stand out from the crowd. Use this opportunity to explain why you think you are the best person for the job, what your unique experience can bring to the college, its students and fellow staff.

Make sure you research the institute you are applying to, check out their website to see what they pride themselves on and how this would reflect in the qualities they look for in their staff. Refer to the Job Description, Person Specification and job advert to pinpoint their keywords and exact requirements. Make sure you highlight how you meet these requirements in this section. And remember to add a bit of your personality. Bringing your application to life will make it more memorable – hopefully for the right reasons!

Tip 4: Pay Attention to the Details

Once you’ve reached the end of your application form, make sure you carefully review it and correct any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. If the application form is online, make sure you haven’t gone over the word limit as the end of your answer may simply be cut off. Try to use a variety of examples to demonstrate your experiences and avoid using the same scenarios repeatedly. Make sure you have plenty of time to complete the form before the closing date and come back to it with fresh eyes to see if any aspects can be improved.

Although they may seem initially daunting, applications forms are widely used throughout the FE sector. By following our top tips, we hope we’ve boosted your confidence and encouraged you to assertively tackle your next application form! Good luck