After all the time you spent building a cool-looking resume, it can be annoying to have
to fill out a different online form for every company you’re applying to.
Unfortunately, this is often a necessary evil. Even when
you’ve made a connection in person, you’ll sometimes be asked to fill out the
application online to get you into the official system.
Since there’s no way to avoid them during the job
application process, there are some things you consider when filling in online
application forms:
Avoid Applying via the Big Job Sites If Possible
If you’ve come across a posting on a big jobs site like
LinkedIn, Indeed, AngelList, etc. and are being asked to fill out an
application there, it’s worth taking some time to see if the job is posted
elsewhere first.
Often, you’ll find that on the company’s website there’s a
more direct way to apply for the job, one that will allow you to submit a PDF
resume directly rather than having to type it all into an online form.
Even if you encounter another online form on the company’s
website, filling out the application that’s directly referenced on the
company’s site is almost certainly a better idea than using “Easy Apply” on
LinkedIn or any of the “easy” application features on big job sites.
These features do make it easy for you to submit the same
application materials quickly to dozens of different jobs, but getting a
response from an application you haven’t tailored specifically for the job in
question is quite unlikely.
Additionally, some hiring managers and recruiters spend less
time on applications that come in via big sites, because for skilled technical
positions these sites often produce a lower-quality average applicant than
other hiring channels.
So even if you find a job on LinkedIn, it’s probably best to
apply via the company’s site if there’s a job listing there with a different
application form or process.
Tailor Your Answers to the Job, and Include Keywords
On typical application forms, you’ll have to fill in most or
all of the information that’s included on your resume.
Instead of treating this like a tiresome copy-paste task,
use it as an excuse to revisit your resume and tailor each section to the
specific job you’re applying for as you enter it (while remaining honest about
your qualifications and avoiding typos, of course).
Particularly for entry-level positions that will attract a
horde of applicants, there’s a good chance your form will be reviewed
by a machine before a human ever sees it.
That’s part of the reason so many companies require this
kind of form-entry job application: it’s much easier for machines to scan these
responses than to scan hundreds of different PDFs in various sizes and formats.
Your resume and application form responses should still be
written with human readers in mind, but consider the robots, too. Identify
important keywords from the job description and be sure those are included as
you fill in the form.
If employers are looking for a specific technical skill, they may simply be auto-rejecting out any applications that don’t mention that keyword.
Including these keywords shouldn’t be a stretch, though.
What you’re including on any application form should be a genuine
representation of your skills.
If you’re having a hard time getting keywords from the job
description into your application materials, that may be a sign you’re not a
good fit for the job and your time could be better spent on other applications.
Sharing and Preparing Social Media Accounts
Many job application forms will ask you to share social media links if you have them. Generally, whether you share is up to you, but there are two networks you’ll be expected to share for many positions, and you may need to do some work to get them ready.
Should You Include a Cover Letter?
Many online application forms will ask whether you want to include a cover letter with your application. You should consider this optional unless a cover letter is specifically requested in the job posting.
Reaching Out Directly Instead of a Cover Letter
Another approach, and one that’s recommended is reaching out directly via email to the lead data scientist,
hiring manager, or recruiter in lieu of sending a cover letter.
However, this is a high-risk, high-reward strategy, and what you send has to be very carefully tailored for your recipient and the company in question or it’s likely to hurt your chances rather than help them.
What Day and Time to Apply for Jobs
You won’t be surprised
to learn that the data suggest when you apply for a job
matters.
The same job application sent at 11 pm on a Saturday or 9 am
on a Monday could produce completely different results.
Different data sets produce slightly different results, but
the general message of most analyses are the same:
You should apply between Monday and Thursday, ideally on
Monday. And you should apply in the window between 6 am and 10 am.
If you’re applying to jobs in other time zones, think about
the recruiter’s time zone and when they’ll be seeing the
application, not when you’re sending it.
Even the time of year may matter, although
time of year isn’t something you can always control. There’s no easy rule to
follow, either — seasonal hiring patterns will vary by industry and by things
like local holidays.
For practical purposes, these differences may not matter
much. If you see a job that interests you, you should apply regardless of the
season. But it can still be helpful to learn about seasonal hiring patterns in
your area so that if you see a dearth of jobs you know whether it’s just a
seasonal slowdown or whether there just aren’t many jobs in your area.
Am I Ready to Apply?
This is the final section of this guide that addresses what
to do before clicking that “Apply” button, so let’s address a
big question many applicants struggle with: am I really ready
for this job?
It’s certainly possible that you’re
under-qualified. If a job requires a couple of skills and you have neither,
it’s probably a good idea to put some
more time into studying before you spend any time writing a resume or
filling out an application.
Not every job application ends with an offer, of course. Statistically, even great candidates are likely to get more rejections than they are interviews.
It’s important not to take these rejections to heart, and to
remember that you don’t have an awful lot to lose by applying. The worst that
happens is you don’t get a job that you already don’t have.
Plus, even if you don’t get the job, you’ll often get
valuable feedback that’ll help you improve your next job application, or figure
out what skill you need to add to your toolkit to make yourself a more
competitive applicant.
Every application you send out, regardless of the response
it gets, gives you another data point that helps you more accurately assess
your own position in the job market.
That’s why we say: when in doubt, apply. You don’t have much to lose, and you might be surprised by what you’re ready to do!