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U.S. Work World’s Job Hunt Tips
How to Fill Out Computer Applications
1) Prepare!  Make a list of information about you:  a) Your address and phone number.  b) Dates of 
high school and college attended, c) Date, company name, and address of
 your paid and volunteer 
work experience d) Names of supervisors who would say you were a good w
orker, e) Date and name 
of skill or job training certificates you have earned, f) Skills you have such as computer programs.
2)   Three References.  References are names and addresses of 3 people who are not related to yo
u; who 
are over 21 years of age; who have a job; and who would say you are a go
od worker.
3)  Read & Follow.  Read the instructions carefully and follow them completely.  An employer can tell 
if you are an accurate worker by how well you read and follow the instru
ctions on the computer.  
Read the page you have completed before clicking to the next page.  If a
 question is marked with an 
asterisk (*), the computer will not go to the next page until that que
stion is answered.
4)   Save or Send?  Some computer applications allow you to click "Save" so that you may return to the 
application to fill in missing information or update your application in the future.  Other applications 
require you to click "Send" with no opportunity to correct or update your application. 
5)  Personality Test.   Computer applications may ask questions to find out if your personality matches 
the job opening.  For example, people who enjoy talking to many people a
t a party would make 
good sales clerks.  People who enjoy working alone would prefer warehous
e jobs.  If you answer 
that you enjoy working alone rather than in a group, the computer will m
atch you with a job such as            
accounting clerk, janitor, or stock clerk rather than sales clerk.  
6)   Honesty Test.  Computer applications may ask questions that test your honesty.  Do you ever tell a 
small lie?  (Best answer is "no")  Do you turn in lost items, or return borrowed items?  (Best answer 
is "yes)  Answer carefully and with your best effort (and as if you are a perfect person).
6)  Fired?  If you were fired from a job,write "Will discuss in interview" in the space the application 
requests a reason for leaving.  During the interview, do not criticize your former supervisor or 
  company.  (This will make the interviewer think that you will criticize your n
ew supervisor and 
  company, too.)  You may say, "Things just didn’t work out at my former job. I learned work skills, 
but I decided I wanted to work at a job with a better team spirit (or promotion opportunities)."
7)  Left a job?  Good reasons for leaving a job include: 1) Returned to school, 2) Le
ft for a better job, 
3) Company layoff, 4) Family obligations, 5) Moved, 6) Want a career change, 7) No chance for 
promotion.  Do not say "Did not like the job."  Good reasons for time gaps include:  1) Job hunting, 
2) Returned to school to update skills, 3) Attended college, 4) Traveled, 5) Cared for a sick family 
member.
8)  If you know a former employer  might say bad things about you, try not to put his or her name on 
the application. Can you list another supervisor in the company who knew
 you?  If not, call your 
former employer and ask for a fresh start and ask that he not say anythi
ng bad about you so that you 
can have a chance to get another job.  (It’s worth a try!)
8)  Do not lie on an application.  If 
you lie on the application, and it is 
discovered; the employer has the 
right to fire you even years later.