Top 3-Tips for HR Reps to Create Online Job Application Forms

With the advent of digital hiring processes, employers and employees alike have become fond of online job application forms. If you are searching for new talent to fill your job openings, application forms can come in handy.

However, the decision to build your own form or choose an existing template can be tricky depending on the industry you work in. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how you can create an online job application form for your hiring needs in a few quick and easy steps.

Pros of Using Online Job Application Forms

• Immediate access to application data without reliance on email or other delivery systems
• Streamlined screening and selection
• Faster & more accessible candidate application processes
• Secure job application environment for candidates to input their personal data
• Ability to store application forms on platforms such as Google Drive and Dropbox
• Ability to create multiple templates and use them for different job openings

Start from Templates

The best part of online HR management and employee onboarding is that you can use a plethora of existing templates. Job application templates are freely available on the web and the best ones will have plenty of lessons for you to learn.

Some of the functionality available through a professional job application form creation platform such as 123formbuilder.com include but are not limited to:

• CV and application letter fields (for multiple files to be attached)
• Terms & Conditions fields with mandatory acceptance for potential candidates before applying
• Setting up deliverable addresses for multiple HR managers for filled job application forms

Mathew Green, HR specialist at Onlinewritersrating spoke on the topic recently: “I encourage millennial employers and people with digital skills to rely on online application forms. It streamlines the selection process and makes it easier to manage multiple job openings, allowing for quick candidate processing and subsequent hiring.”

For example, standardized fields such as the current employment status or providing a list of references are a must. Specialized questions can be added to enrich the application form for different niche positions should you require to do so. Not all fields should be mandatory for your potential employee, so find a balance of personal and professional information gathering.

Adapt to your Target Candidates

Each industry and field has certain criteria in terms of character traits or professional background it requires. This makes it easier for employers to narrow their selection process into a manageable pipeline of potential candidates. As such, you can use job application forms to integrate basic fields or specialized elements to your liking, e.g. multiple choice questions, Likert scales, file uploads, dropdowns, or repeatable containers.

Elements such as specific form themes or file upload requests can be integral parts of your application process. Coupled with platforms such as Essaysupply.com, WriteLoad, and Evernote, you can craft creative and memorable application forms for your candidate profiles. Remember that candidates screen companies just as companies screen their candidates. Meet your future employees halfway and your candidate pool will be that much better for it.

Mistakes to Avoid

Even though online job application forms make the hiring process more straightforward, they can also make things more complicated for you. You can always refer to existing job application forms for additional pointers on what to add, remove or otherwise modify. Mistakes can happen on both sides of the employment process. And when it comes to online applications, employers are often the ones to blame. In order to avoid that, let’s take a look at some mistakes to avoid while creating your own job application form.

• Generalized, copy/paste questions — Everyone is well-aware of questions such as “What is your greatest strength or weakness?” by now. Change things up by adding company-specific or short crisis management questions to make your application form memorable.
• Unclear instructions or requirements — Make sure to clearly inform your candidates of what type of information is required in each field. You will know something went wrong with the application form if you receive different results than what you hoped for en masse.
• Too many personal questions — There is no need to ask your candidates about their lifestyle choices or long-term career plans just yet. Focus on essential information and save the small talk for the interview process.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes — There is nothing worse than presenting your company through an official application form riddled with inconsistent writing. Refer to platforms such as Grammarly, or Get Good Grade before publishing your job application form.
• Lack of dates and deadlines — Job candidates are eager to find out whether or not they will be accepted as potential employees. Make sure to add small addendums about application deadlines, follow-up and further screening timeline for your candidates’ convenience.

Update your Forms over Time

The HR landscape is constantly evolving and with it, candidate expectations are bound to shift over time. It’s important to stay ahead of the curve and offer top-of-the-line engagement opportunities for your candidates from the moment they reach out to you.

Sylvia Giltner, HR manager of Resume Proofreading spoke highly of the matter: “I make it a habit to update our current application forms every few months. It allows us to stay competitive and offer the expected level of professionalism to our potential employees.”

This process involves updating your job application forms with new trends, different requirements and specialized fields which may not be popular at the moment. Keep an eye out for different possibilities available to you and to make sure that you find the best candidates for your openings.

In Conclusion

Online job application forms can effectively transform the way you hire new talent and expand your business in the future. Start small and create application forms which reflect your company’s goals and standards rather than follow a clichéd set of questions. Before you know it, you will have a respectable repository of HR form templates to choose from and publish for different company needs. For instance, a job requirement form or a job offer form might also be of help. And the examples don’t end here!

Originally published at https://www.123formbuilder.com on May 6, 2019.