Text: Terhi Mäkinen / Translation: Ian Tuomi

 

 

Use of electronic recruitment is widespread, particularly in large companies. Through them companies receive the majority of their job applications and fill their vacant positions. If a job advert requests to fill an electronic form on the Internet, do as requested. In more and more companies, common procedure dictates that only applications sent through the official channels are to be taken into consideration. Even an applicant familiar with a representative of the company should always fill the online job application form. Working with contacts alone is a past endeavour.

 

 

Job application forms usually need to be filled with information already mentioned on the CV. As the recruiter goes through the job applications, he or she focuses on free text fields and the attached CV. Always attach your CV and cover letter. Work experience and education are requested to be added separately so that applications can easily be sorted by expertise or education. If unable to attach your CV or cover letter, fill the form with special care. The Internet job application form is just as official an application as your own CV with attached cover letter.

 

 

Free text fields give you a chance to highlight your core competence. State what you can offer to the company that other applicants cannot. If you can’t think of anything original to say in addition to your actual cover letter, rearrange the sentences used. It’s always better to fill a free text field than to leave it empty! If a hundred similarly educated people apply for the same job, a free text field is the best way to stand out.

 

 

Companies' websites often provide the opportunity to send an open application. When filling open applications, it is essential to mention why the company appeals to you, what kind of experience and skills you have and what kinds of positions you are particularly interested in. A sketchy “I want any job offered” does not convince the recruiter of your motivation. Companies go through open applications particularly when recruiting in haste, when there is no time for a long recruitment process including several interviews.

 

 

Paper job applications are used less these days. Risks include your mail ”disappearing” to the bottom of the heap before it’s converted to digital form. Even paper job applications are usually scanned and added to an electronic archive. This means paper job applications are extra work for people handling applications.

 

 

When recruitment is outsourced to a recruitment agency, send inquiries to the contact person specified on the job advert. Don’t call the company directly if the specified contact person is an recruitment agency consultant. Agencies are often used to ease the work load of the company. This means that the company does not have the capacity to answer your questions concerning recruitment. Just calling for the sake of calling does not pay off. A consultant will see through your motives. Consultants usually answer questions about the recruitment schedule and the general nature of the position. Exact details about tasks or organizations are rarely known. Detailed questions are best asked at the actual interview at the workplace.