Your job application documents are the first impression a prospective employer has of you, long before you're even invited to a job interview. That's why you should pay close attention to the structure, layout, and design of your job application portfolio.
You might be uncertain which pieces of information even belong in your job application, especially if there is no required application form that asks for everything individually. So, what do you include in your application, and how do you craft a cover letter to make the best possible impression on a potential employer? You'll find answers to all of these questions here, and we'll go through the essential steps towards a successful job application.
When you're asked to submit an application, this generally means you'll need the following documents:
The structure of your application portfolio should always follow this order, but you're free to choose whether you want to include a cover page.
Your cover letter is the first document of your application, even though many recruiters will look at your resume first. Since you have limited space, many job seekers struggle to come up with succinct yet persuasive points to put into the cover letter.
Let's have a look at some common mistakes to avoid in your job application.
“To whom it may concern” isn't the best approach when trying to land a job. Instead, make an effort to find out the name of the person in the HR department who will read your application. Many companies include the name of the recruiter in the job ad. You could also take a look at the staff section on the company's website. Or consider calling the company and asking for a name. It's worth going the extra mile, as addressing the recruiter in charge of your application by name can leave a very positive first impression. It shows you're genuinely interested in working for that company specifically.
You should make sure to find out the recruiter’s name even if your prospective employer wants you to submit your application digitally.
Avoid using empty phrases such as "I'd like to apply for the job opening". Recruiters read hundreds of applications that often start with the exact same words. Empty phrases won't help your application stand out. Instead, start your cover letter by offering your strongest case for why you should get the job, and explain your motivation for applying with the company. Our guide on writing cover letter introductions offers examples for more inspiration.
Your cover letter should be all about describing yourself in your own words, in a way that'll show you're the right person for the job. Briefly explain your current professional situation. Have you just finished college or are you considering a change after several years in the workforce?
Make your personal motivation for the job clear and emphasize why you're interested in working for this employer in particular. This also drives home the point that you've thoroughly researched the company and that you're convinced that this is the place where you'd like to work.
After this brief introduction, highlight some of the skills and soft skills that make you uniquely qualified for the job. Review the job advert to check which skills and soft skills are explicitly required for the position. Instead of relying on empty phrases such as "I work well in a team", use specific examples from your past work experience to illustrate that you possess the relevant skills instead.
“I have had the pleasure of being a project lead at The Company LLC for over five wonderful years. One of my favorite responsibilities has been coordinating and inspiring my team to reach our goals together.”
If the job listing explicitly asks you to mention your next possible starting date or your salary expectations, you can mention these details at the end of the cover letter. It is important that you make it clear that you're looking forward to an in-person job interview.
Confidence isn't just important for a job interview; it should also be evident in your writing. Use active sentences instead of passive ones to make your application seem more dynamic while showcasing your enthusiasm and initiative.
"I was given various responsibilities during my job training." "I took on various responsibilities while volunteering." "I would be pleased and honored to receive an invitation to a personal interview." "I'm looking forward to convincing you of my qualifications in a personal interview."
If you need further help when writing your application, consider reviewing our cover letter examples and templates.
While there are no hard rules on how to structure your cover letter, it should follow generally accepted standards to ensure recruiters can easily read your letter. Otherwise, they may simply move on to the next job application. For instance, your cover letter should always include the following:
If you've never written a cover letter for a job application, consider using a template. Additionally, you can also use our job application editor to create your cover letter and resume online.
Write your cover letterUse our job application editor to create your cover letter and CV
Start now!Adding a cover page to your application is entirely optional. If you want to use a cover page, you should put it before your resume. You can use the cover letter to highlight the important skills and qualifications that you possess.
Keep in mind that many recruiters consider cover pages to be entirely superfluous. So if you choose to include one, ensure it adds value to your job application in some way.
Your resume is the centrepiece of your job application. It's a structured overview of your personal information, the various stages of your professional career and the skills you've acquired. Much like your cover letter, the content of your resume should always be tailored to the requirements of the position you're pursuing. Emphasize specific jobs you've had while not going into too much detail on skills that aren't required by the job for which you're applying.
Begin your resume with your personal information. This includes your full name, as well as your home address, phone number and e-mail address. Alternatively, you can put all of that information into a page header so that recruiters can easily find it on every page of your resume.
Make sure your e-mail address looks professional. Using a combination of your first name and last name is best. Avoid funny pseudonyms, pop culture references and so on.
Nowadays, it’s common to provide links to your social media accounts in your resume. If you have profiles on professional networks like LinkedIn or XING, feel free to mention them. You can also provide the URL of your personal website. If you're applying for a job managing your employer's social media presence, consider adding links to your personal social media accounts to show off your ability to create an engaging online presence.
Disclosing too much personal information such as your race, gender, sexual orientation etc. is usually not appreciated in a job application in the US, as this information may lead to discrimination (or the appearance of discrimination). It's up to you whether you want to disclose information such as your birth date or marital status, but it’s strongly discouraged unless you’re sure this information will help you in some way.
In the US and many other English-speaking countries, it's not advisable to add a photograph of yourself to your resume. Most employers do not anticipate seeing a photo in your portfolio, and doing so may actually leave a negative impression. Only include a job application photo if your prospective employer specifically asks for one.
That said, there are many countries around the world where including a photo with your portfolio is mandatory. In such cases, it’s advisable to hire a professional photographer to shoot the pictures for you and place them on either the cover page or your resume. Keep in mind that other cultures may have different norms regarding job application photos, so try to find a photographer who is familiar with the social norms of the country where you're applying for a job.
A short and concise resume profile allows recruiters to get a good idea of your motivation for the job, or where your professional focus lies, without reading the entire resume. This can be particularly helpful if your resume is particularly long because of your extensive work experience. Your resume profile summarizes your work history in a few short sentences.
Highly trained and motivated senior programmer with 10+ years of experience using Python, C++ and JavaScript. Extensive background in support and leadership roles within three major software companies.
After your resume profile comes the focus of your resume: a list of your previous work experience. Your history of past employment is the main thing that interests recruiters, so try to mention everything you've accomplished without leaving any large gaps in your resume. You'll need to list the time frame during which you worked at your past jobs, your job title, the name of your employer and a bullet point list of your duties while working there.
The same applies to the list of your educational history. This is supposed to reflect your time at school along with any further academic training you've received.
Most resumes today follow an anti-chronological structure. That means that the first stage of your professional career mentioned in the resume will be the most recent one. This allows recruiters to see the most relevant information at a glance. It's also acceptable to structure your resume not anti-chronologically, but according to the skills you have acquired so far. However, this may cause some confusion among recruiters. Unless you have no previous work experience, it's safest to stick with listing the stages of your working life anti-chronologically.
Your IT skills, your driver’s license, your fluent command of a foreign language – sometimes it can be difficult to determine which of the many skills that you have learned in life are actually relevant for the knowledge and skills section of your resume.
Work samples, references, certificates and similar official documents demonstrating your qualifications should be put into the attachments section following your CV. Again, only enclose documents that are relevant to the job. If you already have a college degree in a relevant subject, you don't need your school reports to show that this is the right job for you.
Your attachments should also be included in reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent work sample or degree. When copying these documents, ensure that the image quality is high. Some recruiters might view blurred copies as a hint that a worker may not be as detail-oriented as they could be.
Aside from content and layout, the most important thing about your job application portfolio is its visual design. A well-designed job application attracts the attention of recruiters while ensuring readability. Consider the following when designing the look of your application:
There are many methods to submit your job application, job ads often specify how your prospective employer would like to receive your documents. If the job listing tells you how you should submit your application, it's advisable to follow these instructions precisely.
Unless your prospective employer uses online forms for applications, e-mail is usually the best way to submit your application. Compile all your documents into a single PDF file and attach it to your e-mail. You can either add the cover letter as the first page of that file or write everything from the cover letter down in the actual e-mail.
Keep in mind that if you add your cover letter to the PDF file, it'll always be part of your application portfolio, even if the file is shared among multiple people in the HR department. In this case, your e-mail should make it clear that the PDF file includes the cover letter.
Many companies in the US no longer expect you to submit your own job application portfolio; instead, they use online forms to collect your information. Some may give you the opportunity to upload your application or parts of your application as files, though. In such cases, simply create a PDF file for your resume, for example, following the rules outlined above. Uploading your files gives you an opportunity to really show your qualifications on your own terms instead of relying on a standardized form.
Even in the digital age, there are some companies that prefer to receive printed-out job applications. In the US, this is sometimes the case with family-owned small businesses. When submitting your application in print, make sure your portfolio isn't creased or stained. Most importantly, your print-out should be high-quality, both in terms of the print and the paper.
The order of documents in your job application portfolio always stays the same. Your cover letter is either the first document in your portfolio or the one on the left, followed by your resume.
What you've learned so far applies to most types of job applications, whether you're applying for a full-time job or a part-time job. But there are other types of job applications which require you to shift your focus a bit.
Whenever you apply for a job opening that isn't advertised, that's called an unsolicited job application. In this case, you're writing to a prospective employer to offer your services as an employee without knowing whether they actually have an opening to fill. This means that you'll need to find out which skills and abilities are typically required of employees at the company or in the same sector of industry. You can then focus on these skills in your unsolicited job application.
Always keep in mind that your application is unsolicited, so recruiters will need a good reason to even read it. Keep your application short and concise, as they may just ignore it if there's too much to read through. Show recruiters that you respect their time by focusing on your most important qualifications. Your resume profile becomes even more important here, as recruiters will often read this short summary first to determine if the rest of your application is worth reading.
A short-form application only includes a cover letter and a resume. This type of job application can be beneficial if you're not applying for a specific job opening. For example, you may want to hand out your information at a job fair.
The goal of a short-form job application is to catch the attention of prospective employers by describing the qualifications you bring to the table in a short and concise manner. You may also create an even shorter job application leaflet for this purpose.
When you're applying internally, it means you're applying for a different position with your current employer. This isn't unusual, as large corporations, in particular, often advertise job openings internally before making them public. You may even want to submit an unsolicited application internally if you think a position may open up in the near future.
Applying internally with your current employer is relatively easy, as you'll already know what your employer expects from their employees and which skills they value. Make sure you list your relevant qualifications, even if your employer already knows you very well.
Sometimes, you'll want to apply for a new job while you're still working at your old one. Both you and your prospective employer need to be discreet about this, as you may not want your current employer to find out about it until you have secured a new job. Plan your transition well to ensure a smooth process, avoiding any legal consequences.
When applying for a job in another country, there are many complex cultural or even legal norms to consider. These may be very different from one country to the next. So, in addition to organizational matters such as obtaining a visa or work permit and learning the local language, you should also research the norms for job applications outside the US.
For example, recruiters in some countries may expect you to enclose a photograph of yourself with your resume, which isn't the norm in the US. Recruiters in such countries might overlook your application if it doesn't include a photograph.
When you're applying for your very first full-time job, you won't have a lot of work experience to show for. So, you should focus on your educational background and your personal motivation instead. You can also mention your hobbies and personal interests; and if you have any relevant work experience from internships or part-time jobs, be sure to mention this. All of this helps prospective employers or vocational trainers understand you better.
When you’re applying for a job that has little to do with your previous work experience or education, you’re moving into a field that’s entirely new to you. This may sound like a disadvantage, but that’s not always the case. Many employers value employees who can bring an entirely new perspective to the team. Just make sure you emphasise your personal motivation for switching careers in your application, in addition to describing those skills and abilities you possess which may be relevant to your new career path.
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