Employment Application Form: Free Template, What to Ask & What to Avoid

A job application form, also known as an employment application form, is a document that enables individuals to apply for jobs. It collects data about the applicant, such as their name and job history.

A proper job application form may even assist job searchers in determining whether or not they are qualified to work for your business.

Template for a Free Job Application

You may use this free one-page employment application form template to screen prospective candidates. You may print it off and give it to walk-in job searchers.

This example job application is an excellent place to start, and you can customize it for your company by adding more sections and questions.

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What to Ask and What Not to Ask on Your Job Application Form

The aim of the job application form is to collect basic information about each applicant and to assist you in deciding which individuals to advance forward in the hiring process.

What we suggest putting in your job application form is shown in the table below. We also provide facts that you should not ask on your job application or during the interview process, as well as the reasons why.

Some questions, for example, risk violating federal labor laws, anti-discrimination laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, age discrimination laws such as the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), or HIPAA laws, which protect a person’s confidential health-related information.

20 good questions to ask

When designing an employment application form, the most important thing to remember is to ask specific questions that will help you understand the value a job applicant may offer to your business. Questions regarding job performance, employment experience, and conduct should be avoided.

The following job application questions can assist you in identifying interpersonal characteristics such as communication skills, thinking, motivations, and the candidate’s capacity to collaborate. Beyond skills, answers to two or three of these types of questions may offer you a decent idea of who the job applicant is. They assist you in determining if a job candidate is a suitable match for the position and your business culture.

Here are 20 questions to ask on your job application form that you may choose from.

1. What about our business excites you the most?
2. What makes you want to work with us?
3. What are your available shifts and how many hours per week can you work?
4. Is it possible for you to get to our office in a fair period of time?
5. What were your greatest achievements in your previous position?
6. Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision. What did you have to select from, and why did you make that decision?
7. Give an example of a moment when you collaborated with a group.
8. Give a specific example of a moment when you showed leadership.
9. Describe your working relationship with your most recent direct boss.
10. What do you think your most recent boss would say about you?
11. Why did you leave your most recent job, or why are you seeking to leave?
12. Describe the kind of boss you’d want to work with.
13. In five words, describe yourself.
14. In your personal or professional life, what achievement are you most proud of?
15. Make a brief inventory of your own assets (they do not have to be job-related).
16. Explain how you are able to overcome your top three flaws.
17. Give a one- or two-sentence summary of your main professional objective.
18. What would you do as a profession if money were no object?
19. Describe a moment when you “went for broke” for the sake of the team.
20. What was your favorite job in the past, and why did you like it?

It’s a good rule of thumb to ask no more than five questions.

While you don’t want to frighten away potential candidates by making your application form too lengthy, you should include up to five of the questions from the list. You’re not incorrect if you believe some of these questions should be kept for the interview. However, if you ask a couple of these questions on the job application form, you may not need to interview the candidate at all.

Consider it “pre-screening.” It simply saves time by allowing you to reach out to more qualified applicants more quickly since bad candidates will expose themselves to responses like “I don’t know.” Do you believe an applicant would make a good employee if they are unwilling to give five brief responses on an application? Most likely not.

5 Questions You Shouldn’t Ask & Why They Might Be Illegal

You want to avoid five kinds of inquiries on a job application form that may lead to legal issues and waste time. According to federal law, some of these are dangerous.

1. Questions regarding color, age, gender, and religion, are all protected qualities. These inquiries should be avoided since they pertain to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which applies to all businesses with more than 15 workers. Questions regarding ethnicity, gender, or marital status may indicate whether or not someone belongs to a protected class, resulting in unintended prejudice on your side. The ADEA forbids questions regarding age.
2. Medical problems, Social Security numbers, I-9 forms, and tax status are all examples of private information. Some inquiries about personal information, such as Social Security numbers and tax status, maybe asked after hiring or as a condition of the offer, if required (like passing a background screen or credit check). Due to HIPAA regulations, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and the ADA — which prohibit discrimination against handicapped people – medical, pregnancy, and disability information stays private. On a job application form, they should never be asked about.
3. You may unconsciously give a female or minority employee less compensation than other workers in the same position if you ask about wage history. It’s OK to inquire about the applicant’s desired income or pay range, but asking about the applicant’s previous wage history may be hazardous owing to recent legal developments in several jurisdictions. Furthermore, your unconscious prejudice may lead you to exclude excellent applicants because you believe they earned too much at their previous job or have only held lower-paying positions – even if they possess the necessary abilities for your position. In a nutshell, you should compensate a candidate based on the job needs rather than his or her previous income.
4. Questions regarding criminal history. Employers that ask inquiries like “have you ever been arrested?” are being fined in certain jurisdictions. Others have outlawed the question of whether or not an applicant has ever been convicted of a crime.
5. Questions like “Whether you were an animal, what type of animal would you be, and why?” don’t assist you to figure out if a candidate is a suitable match for the position and waste both the applicant’s and your time. Allow a team member, your human resources representative, or the team manager to read the application form to avoid needless inquiries. Is everything important in the role? Is there anything that isn’t necessary? Do you have any nonsensical queries that you should get rid of?

Is it necessary for all businesses to have a job application form?

Although a job application form may be a useful tool for pre-screening candidates, it is not appropriate for all small companies. In reality, many internet job postings don’t need a paper application. The following are the two most common scenarios in which a job application form is appropriate:

1. Your ideal candidate is an hourly worker or a walk-in candidate.

If you have walk-in customers, a simple one-page employment application form is a fantastic idea since you’ll almost certainly have walk-in job searchers. People frequently pound on the doors of restaurants, retail shops, cafés, daycares, and other brick-and-mortar companies to check whether they are hiring. You’ll need something for them to complete and return to you.

You may not require an application form if you work mainly online or in a sector where customers do not come into your office. Candidates will most likely send their resumes and cover letters to you through email, your website, or an online job posting site in that instance.

If you need to advertise a position online, Indeed, our preferred employment site for small companies, is a good place to start.

2. You want to keep job seeker information on file

If you get a blind solicitation from a job seeker, such as through email, and wish to provide them with an employment application form to fill out, a job application form comes in useful. This is useful if you don’t have a job opening right now but want to collect their information in case one becomes available later. You may email them a link to your form in PDF format.

Depending on your industry, a job application may help you not only discover excellent talent who fits your needs, but also establish an on-demand pipeline in case someone resigns, leaves, or gets fired. You’ll have a list of names, emails, and phone numbers to contact, so there’ll be no last-minute stress.

When and for how long should job applications be saved?

In a straightforward manner, save your completed job applications. You just need three folders: rejected, employed, and presently in the process. Organize the apps in each folder by date, starting with the most recent.

Conclusion

Start utilizing your job application form after it has been generated and authorized. Print copies and place them on your service counter, or add them to your website’s “we’re hiring” page. You’ll probably discover that not only will you receive better application information from applicants who match your company requirements, but you’ll also have a tool to utilize when you’re out and about and a chance to run across someone you’d want to employ. Simply give them a job application or get their email address so that you may send one to them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions can you ask on a job application form?

This is a difficult question as many job application forms vary from company to company. In general, the questions should be about your education and experience with relevant skills that would best suit the needs of this particular job position.

What should be included in a job application form?

A job application should include a cover letter explaining why you want the position, how your skills match what they are looking for in this particular role. You should also have a résumé or CV that includes education, work history, and interests.