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Online Job Applications…Getting Ready

Developed by Boston’s One Stop Career Centers and the Boston Private Industry Council

Copyright © Boston Private Industry Council, Inc. 2007

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Online Job Applications

What you’ll learn What you need before you start to

complete an application Typical setup for an online application Specific challenges posed by online

applications Some common mistakes people make What to do about personality

assessments How your information gets to the

person making the hiring decision

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Online Job Applications

A few questions to start

What’s your name? Have you tried to complete an

online job application? What did you find most

challenging?

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Online Job Applications

Getting started

What do you need to have with you when you sit down to complete an online job application?

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Online Job Applications

Getting started Time Resume/Cover letter on

disk/CD/flashdrive Previous work experience References with all contact

information Education history Addresses of where you’ve lived for

the past 10 years Email account

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Online Job Applications

Do you know what all these things have in

common?

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Online Job Applications

They’re pretty much EXACTLY the things you need to have with you when you complete ANY job application – even the ones on paper

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Online Job Applications

Example of a Set of Behavioral Characteristics

TrustTact

EmpathyConscientiousness

FlexibilityFocus

CourtesyConformity

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Online Job Applications

Trust

Flexibility

Conformity

Unquestioning

Uncritical

Optimistic

Wary

Vigilant

Skeptical

Inventive

Free-spirited

Independent

Traditional

Compliant

Conventional

Uncompromisi

ng

Inflexible

Cautious

Adaptable

Accepting

Enjoys new approaches

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Online Job Applications

Trust 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Flexibility 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Conformity1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unquestioning

Uncritical

Optimistic

Wary

Vigilant

Skeptical

Inventive

Free-spirited

Independent

Traditional

Compliant

Conventional

Uncompromisi

ng

Inflexible

Cautious

Adaptable

Accepting

Enjoys new approaches

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Online Job Applications

Conformity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Summary While Ms. B rarely if ever appears to demonstrate an inclination

to resist procedures, her level of Conformity is higher than the job match pattern for this position. This implies that she may be overly challenged by appropriate opportunities to make an exception to the rules. Questions could focus on how open to change she may be and if she is overly rule bound.

Suggested Questions• Describe for me a time when you deviated from the exact

interpretation of a procedure to achieve success for the benefit of your customer, team or organization.

• How do you feel about those who bend the rules or take a casual attitude about procedures?

Inventive

Free-spirited

Independent

Traditional

Compliant

Conventional

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Online Job Applications

How do online applications get to the person who makes the hiring decision?

Varies widely from company to companyRanges from something simple to a full

reportAt some companies the whole process can

be bypassedThis work is often outsourced to a third

partyArtificial intelligence does the sorting and

only “forwards” information about people who appear to “fit”

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Online Job Applications

Key Points Summary

Be prepared - have the materials and information you’ll need

Give yourself time Be relaxed – do something relaxing before

starting (deep breathing, take a walk, etc.)

Try not to be intimidated – it’s just another job application

Be honest – the applications and programs that analyze them often have mechanisms built in to determine if you’re being honest

For personality assessments, don’t try to psyche out the psyche assessment

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Online Job Applications

We’d like to thank the following for permission to use their materials in this workshop

• Profiles International

• Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Career Development & Employment

• Wall Street Journal

• Tory Johnson, Women for Hire (womenforhire.com)

• ABC News (abcnews.com)

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Online Job Applications

Questions?