Gradults 0-1 The Online Application

I never lose my cool

Imagine the world without the internet. It’s got to the point where you really can’t. Actually having to talk to your friends to stay in touch? Leaving the house to do your shopping? Having to settle for not knowing the definitive answer to every pub debate? Not for me. However if there is one part of the internet that gradults around the country have surely come to resent, it’s the online application form.

It seems that companies all over England are trying to confuse and intimidate potential applicants with a myriad of questions, potential scenarios and tests. The start of the application is pleasant enough, I’ll often sit back and let auto-fill take the lead on questions such as name and date of birth, and I’ll approach the first few questions with enough of a positive mental attitude to think I might have a shot at an interview. However, as the process drags on and the questions become more and more obscure it gets to the point where you resent the company so much you don’t want the job anyway.

What do the companies really deduce from these application forms though? Surely everything they need can be garnered from a CV and a covering letter. Is a well worded answer to ‘my biggest strengths’ actually going to stand me apart or is the poor soul in charge of sifting through these going to end up with hundreds of different answers all essentially saying that the applicant can work ‘equally well individually and in a team.’

Without doubt though the worst question must be ‘describe your biggest weakness.’ What do you want me to say? I push myself too hard. I’m too goal oriented. People say I’m a perfectionist! I’ve never been called a perfectionist in my life, although I was quite particular about my no work after 5 rule at Topshop to be fair. Next time you find yourself on page 8 of 20 on one of these things and your confronted with this question just be honest. Work Ethic. Time Keeping. Stealing company supplies. What’s the worst that can happen, you weren’t going to hear back anyway.