Job Application Forms

From LoveToKnow Business

There is much more to job application forms than simply typing up some questions and handing the form to prospective employees. Hiring laws exist which limit the information that can be asked on job applications, and applicants' personal information must be protected.

Generic Forms

Many businesses do not necessarily require specific information from their job applicants. General information from the applicant such as contact information and job history may suffice in these situations. It is simple to find generic job application forms:

Download: Many websites feature downloadable job application forms. Some websites charge for access to these forms, but many websites offer these forms for free. Try the Office Depot website and check out the various downloadable job application forms and related forms offered free of charge.
Purchase: Most office supply stores offer packets of generic job application forms for purchase. These forms can be a quick solution for businesses which need simple application forms for prospective employees.

Customized Forms

Whether business owners want to create their own job application forms, or if they want to customize existing forms, there are several options for either scenario.

Create: Using a word processing program, it is simple to create job application forms from scratch. The business owner merely needs to figure out what pertinent information should go on the application form and then type it up.
Customize: Many of the websites which feature free downloadable job applications also allow people to customize forms to suit the needs of the business. Using this technology, business owners can use job applications as an outline and then customize it to fit the needs of their business. This will make a more efficient application that does not waste time with questions which have no bearing on the hiring process.

Legal Considerations

Business owners cannot ask certain questions, regardless of the fact that they personally believe the answers will have bearing on the final decision of who is hired. For example, even if a business owner personally feels as though having small children makes an employee more likely to miss work, this does not mean the job application can inquire as to the ages of any children the applicant has. If the business employs legal help, it is a good idea to have the legal department scan the application before putting it to use. This way the business owner can be sure that he or she is not breaking any laws with the questions being asked on the application.

Job Application Forms Maintenance

The business owner must decide what to do with employment applications after the interview. Some business owners prefer to keep all applications on file for future use, even if the applicants are not hired. Other business owners prefer to keep only the applications of the applicants who were hired while disposing of all the other applications. The important thing, however, is to make sure that applicant's privacy is always respected. This means that applications should not be left scattered around where everyone can read them, and they certainly should not be tossed in the trash without first being shredded or otherwise destroyed. If an identity thief gets his or her hands on discarded job application forms and then causes mischief, the business owner may be liable for not having protected the applicant's sensitive information.

For many businesses, a generic employment application will suffice. Any special qualifications can be discussed during an interview or the employer can review the applicant's résumé. If a business owner runs a very specialized business and has very specific needs, a customized employment application may be preferable to a generic one. Luckily, obtaining application forms – generic and customized – is not difficult.