Medical Social Network News: Application Cogitation

By Rick Fromme

Bread and butter. Cold weather and hot chocolate. Taxes and headaches. Linus and Lucy. There are some things in life that just pair up naturally, whether for better or worse. Submitting your résumé is oftentimes akin to this; for invariably, when doing so, most applicants find they must also: Fill Out a Job Application.

Lucy Barton (Photo credit: jpellgen)

There are numerous websites where you can post your résumé and complete an online job application, some of the most commonplace being Monster.com, SnagaJob.com, and CareerBuilder.com. Even better are industry specific job boards, such MedMasters.com, which helps eliminate the “spray and pray” approach that is inherent when posting a resume on a generic online job board. Too, most large employers no longer accept paper applications and require applications to apply via their company website or the site where they have posted job openings (using a third party application such as Taleo).

Frequently, job seekers are required to register and to build an employment profile. This is true with generic job boards, industry specific sites, and with many individual employers (particularly large institutions such as hospitals, colleges, universities, etc.) Having done so, you can apply for jobs online and set up search protocols to email you when new — ideally pertinent — jobs are added to the system. Applicants can then apply online for specific positions at any time that is convenient for them, with just a few clicks. At larger employers, and on many career search sites, job seekers can keep track of the jobs to which they’ve applied and their status.

“Before you complete a job application, either online or in-person,

it's important to have all your requisite information on hand.”

Most employers require applicants to complete a job application, even when a job seeker submits a résumé and cover letter. Whether in print or online, these can be tedious to fill out, but employers require job applications to have consistent information about all the candidates applying for jobs. Furthermore, by physically signing or providing an electronic signature, the job applicant is attesting the information on the application is accurate and legally states their job and educational history is correct. You can be denied employment or fired once you’ve been hired, if you aren’t truthful about your employment history or educational degree.

Hence, before you complete a job application, either online or in-person, it's important to have all your requisite information on hand, including:

Full contact information including your address, ZIP code and a phone number(s) where you can be reached
Educational information including dates of graduation and degree titles. It’s advisable to have your school(s) contact information available.
Names and addresses of previous employers
Résumé
Dates of employment
Professional and personal references

Spherical multipole directions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Just as important as learning how to operate a potentially dangerous or complicated piece of machinery, when filling out a job application, the rule to remember is to follow the directions. If the employer tells you to apply in person, don't call. If the job posting says to mail your résumé, don’t send it via email. When the job listing says apply via a form on the company’s Web Site, don't email your application directly to a hiring manager in the HR department. Candidates who try to circumvent the rules usually don’t get asked to interview.

As in many things in life, practice makes perfect. Various online sites provide simulated job applications you can practice filling out. Doing so can be helpful in ensuring you have all the requisite information in advance. Visit: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobapplicationforms/a/employmentapplication.htm.

The application form is a key part of the vetting procedure; it’s the first impression the prospective employer gets of the applicant. Successfully completing the best possible application form requires time, attention to detail and skill. While your responses must accurately (and usually succinctly) fulfill the mandatory information required, you also want your application to stand out enough to secure a phone or in-person interview.

Blue Editors' shirt (Photo credit: Smeerch)

Thoroughly reread the instructions for applying for employment and double check all your entries before you click the submit button. If an online system has a built-in spell check service, ensure it’s engaged. If you have the luxury of saving a draft and returning it to it later, when your brain is refreshed, so much the better as it’s much easier to locate errors after you’ve stepped away from “the document” for several hours. Hiring managers regard applications that are submitted correctly and accurately in a much better light than those from candidates who don't follow the instructions. In fact, some companies don't accept incomplete applications; submitting an incomplete application is one way to guarantee yours won’t even be seen. Luckily, many online application programs recognize when you haven’t filled in a blank or filled a field out incorrectly and will prompt you to make the necessary corrections before continuing. This, however, doesn’t relieve you from carefully reviewing the information before proceeding.

Don’t Be Applicably Despicable

July 17 (Photo credit: gtmcknight)

While becoming increasingly less common, if you’re applying in person for a position, it’s important you dress appropriately. Aside from making a strong first impression, you may just end up speaking to the hiring manager so it's important to look professional. Also, there’s always that chance you may be asked to sit down for an on-the-spot interview. An applicant who appears slovenly and disheveled, even when asking for a job application to take home and submit later, won’t make a good impression.

Sometimes, it’s not always feasible to take an application home; circumstances dictate the applicant fills it out upon retrieving it. When going to obtain an application in person, make sure you have all the above-mentioned paperwork with you, so you can refer to it when necessary. Don’t be caught off-guard by not having the potential requisite information a would-be employer will request from you.

Also, tucked away in your briefcase or professional-looking binder should be correctional fluid or tape, in case you make mistakes when filling out the application. Should you make a mistake, you can correct it neatly. It’s good advice to have that on-hand during the interview as well, in case there’s subsequent paperwork you need to fill out.

The Testabilities Are Endless

personality (Photo credit: hang_in_there)

Depending on the company or the position, before you finish your online (or in-person) application, you may need to take — and pass — a test or several tests to be considered for employment. Pre-employment tests, also known talent assessments, employment tests, or career tests, are used to help employers identify candidates who’ll be a good match within their company. The same holds true for personality assessments, which strive to gain an insight of your work ethic, character, trustworthiness, and other soft skills. In many instances, the results of these ancillary forms determine whether you’ll be invited to interview. Many, particularly the personality assessment tests, ask the same type of question with different wording several times, to ensure you’re being consistent in your answers. So ensure you’re being consistent with your answers. ;^D

Quandary Questions

Celeb MugShots (Photo credit: Project M·A·R·C)

These are usually posed in one of two ways: “Have you ever been arrested of a misdemeanor or felony?” Or “Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony?” The latter of the two is obviously more serious. Some businesses want to know if you’ve ever plead no lo contendere or no contest to a charge. In some instances, an employer wants to know this information no matter when it happened, even if it was several decades ago. Others may put a temporal qualifier to the question, asking if the incident(s) occurred within the past seven or ten years (this is usually more common with misdemeanors versus convictions). Career advisors are virtually unanimous in stating you should be honest and upfront about whatever happened. Again, if you’re caught being dishonest, you probably won’t be interviewed. Even worse, if you were hired, you could be subsequently fired if that employer ever finds out the truth about your not-so-pristine record, even if it was just a minor misdemeanor in the distant past. Being untruthful is a serious stain against your character.

Based in New York City, The Fortune Society is a program that provides comprehensive services to ex-offenders; including counseling, education, employment, substance abuse treatment, and alternatives to incarceration. While the organization makes several recommendations to those who’ve actually served time, its advice can be heeded by any applicant who has a misdemeanor or felony on record.

Start with the year of the conviction (or charge): It’s important to show the employer you’ve nothing to hide. Although you may feel the need to soften the blow by saying "I made a little mistake," this statement is dubious at best, and suggests you’re trying to minimize the significance of being incarcerated.
Tell the employer what you were convicted of (or charged with): Explaining your conviction (or charge) in a candid, matter-of-fact way will help the employer see what you’ve done has already been handled by a court of law. Don’t use jargon. If asked to describe the nature of the conviction (or charge), don’t simply say, "sale." State, "sale of a controlled substance." Otherwise, the employer will not necessarily know what this means and will likely begin asking unnecessary and uncomfortable questions. There’s no reason to be on trial again.
If applicable, tell the employer how much time you served and discuss the constructive activities you did while incarcerated. This is your turn to educate the employer about situation. Describe how you’ve changed and matured since your conviction. Emphasize your accomplishments and what you’ve learned.
Describe your current situation and goals, and your reason you feels you’re now qualified for the position. This may be done in a number of ways depending on you’re comfortable level. Some people are comfortable with saying, "I’m currently on parole and I can give you the number of my parole officer to verify my information." Others make a sales pitch and describe recent accomplishments. Whatever you decide, make sure you’re comfortable with what you’re going to say and have practiced a concise and honest answer in advance. This holds true if required to provide a written or an oral explanation.

Rick Fromme combines entrepreneurial enthusiasm with an insider's knowledge of the medical industry to co-found MedMasters.com. Both his drive and perspective helps provide health care professionals with a superior mechanism with which to communicate, network and market their strengths. Prior to founding MedMasters.com, Rick operated a highly successful medical device distributorship. Other milestones in his 12-year career in the medical industry include a key position at a medical device start-up company that was later sold to the Ethicon Endo division of Johnson & Johnson. You may also reach Rick by connecting with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube.