Application Blanks

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What is an Application Blank?

An Application Blank is a form that an individual seeking employment, called an applicant, must fill out as part of the process of informing an employer of the applicant's
availability desire to be employed, and persuading the employer to offer the applicant employment
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Use of Application Blanks

The application form is used as a selection tool by the employers serving two basic purposes: To provide information useful in making selection decisions and To provide information which may be needed during the course of the individuals employment Application blanks are the second most common hiring instrument next to personal interviews

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 An application usually requires to:

Composition of Application Blanks

provide information sufficient to demonstrate that he or she is legally permitted to be employed it also requires the applicant to provide information regarding relevant skills, education, and previous employment the application itself is a minor test of the applicant's literacy, penmanship, and communication skills disclose any criminal record to provide information sufficient to enable the employer to conduct an appropriate background check
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Composition of Application Blanks

Applications usually ask the applicant at the minimum for your name, phone number, and address In addition to this applications also ask for
previous employment information educational background emergency contacts references any special skills the applicant might have
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Application Sections
The three categories application fields are very useful for discovering are:
Physical characteristics Experience Socio-environmental factors

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Physical Characteristics
If the company has a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) to ask regarding a physical condition, they may ask questions about it

Such as: The job requires a lot of physical labour

Do you have any physical problems that may interfere with this job?

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Experience
Experience requirements can be separated into two groups on an application
Work experience: Companies are usually interested when applicants were unemployed and when/why the applicant left their previous job. Educational background: evaluating applicants performance in school tells them what their personality is like as well as their intelligence
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Socio-environmental Factors
Companies are interested in the applicants socio-environment because it can inform them of their:
Personality Interest Qualities If they are extremely active within an organization, that may demonstrate their ability to communicate well with others Being in management may demonstrate their leadership ability
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Weighted Application Blanks

WAB "provides a systematic method for determining which personal factors are important in specific occupations and how to use them in selection It attempts to identify what personal factors reliably differentiate groups of potentially desirable and undesirable employees

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Developing WAB
The procedure for developing a WAB is as follows:
Choose an appropriate criterion Identify criterion groups Select application blank items to be analyzed Specify item response categories Determine item weights Analyze independent samples for crossvalidation Set WAB scores for selection
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Developing WAB
The systematic method for developing WABS begins with determination of a particular criterion that differentiates between potentially desirable and undesirable employees It is critical to identify the most appropriate criterion that makes this differentiation

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Selecting application blank items

The type and number of items included in a WAB depend upon two considerations:
the application blank itself and the legal ramifications of various items included

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Selecting application blank items

Number of items in initial stages of the weighting process should be as large as possible Many items may not differentiate between desirable and undesirable employees Items that do not differentiate are not included in the final

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Selecting application blank items

Marital status influences job tenure because it might restrict an individual from moving from place to place

Thus, marital status might differentiate between desirable and undesirable employees

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Case Situation
I'm filling out a job application and it says I need to answer every question carefully and completely. There are certain questions on the form that do not apply to me. Am I supposed to leave these blank or put n/a? I've asked several people I know and they've given different answers. Some said I should leave these blank and let the employer fill them in when I'm interviewed. Others said I should simply put n/a so that the employer knows that I've read every question.

I may have a lot of n/a on my application. It asks me to list three (non related) references, but I don't have any. Do I leave that blank or put n/a on the first line?
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 Write n/a to indicate you understand each question n/a might also prompt the employer to ask 'why is xyz not applicable to you?' which will hopefully lead to more questions, etc. (assuming you're an open book and not trying to hide anything, the more questions you're asked, the better)

But, when it comes to references: do not write n/a because references are applicable to everyone
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 Why not just find 3 non related references? I mean where you live is everyone related to you? You have no one that you know other than family members? What about people that you went to school with, church with, live on your street? What about the person that cuts or styles your hair? I am assuming that you have never worked before? If you had you could use other co-workers. Make sure to ask them if you can use them as references.

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 Lack of references will mean the end of your chances Whether it's a former co-worker, next door neighbour, you have to find some people to use as references Employers really do call them. I think that talking to my references made all the difference when I was hired by my current employer. Both of them told me after that the HR person had spent a good 1/2 hour on the phone with them, and both were previous co-workers from previous jobs in other states.
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