Hiring proficient, motivated employees should be a primary goal of any hiring manager or employer. You need a better-than-average-quality Employment Application Form to do this efficiently and effectively. Fortunately, with our professionally designed Employment Application Form Template, you don’t have to DIY from scratch or play guessing games over what to include. With one click, you can access multiple formats like PDF, Word, and Docs to save time and produce an outstanding, customized application to hire the best applicants for your business.
What Is an Employment Application Form?
An employment application form is a document that people seeking employment complete and submit to potential employers. It provides essential information, including personal details, employment history, education, references, and other relevant data you need to know in order to make an informed choice. This form is typically used in conjunction with references, employment history verifications, background checks, and interviews as part of the initial screening and selection process for job candidates.
Why Is an Employment Application Form Important?
An Employment Application Form is important because businesses need basic information about their applicants and employees. You must collect the data on this document for tax and recordkeeping purposes to know who works there (or wants to) in order to pay them for their time. Here are the other reasons why you always need a high-quality Employment Application Form on hand:
- Consistency: Using this form ensures that all applicants provide the same basic information, making comparing and evaluating candidates objectively easier.
- Comprehensive Information: An Employment Application Form captures key details about applicants’ qualifications, work experience, and educational background so you can assess their suitability for the job.
- Legal Compliance: An employment application form helps ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations. In some areas, all businesses are legally required to provide applications upon request.
- Reference Checking: This document includes sections for references. It lets employers contact people who can provide insights into an applicant’s work ethic, skills, and character.
- Documentation: Completed application forms are records of applicants’ submitted information. They can be referred to during the selection process and retained for future reference.
Essential Elements of Employment Application Form
The essential elements of an employment application form are primarily concerned with the collection of identifying and verifiable data about applicants. This includes personal info like their name and age, professional facts like where they have worked, and educational history. It serves as a basis for evaluating whether the applicant is worth pursuing as a potential addition to your business. Here is what you should expect to see on a professionally created employment application form:
- Personal Information: This section includes names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for identification purposes and to verify eligibility for employment.
- Employment Details Table: This section helps clarify the job they are applying for and establishes their expectations and availability.
- Position Applied For: The specific job position the applicant is seeking.Desired Salary: The salary expectations or desired compensation from the applicant.Date Available to Start: The date when the applicant is available to begin work. Are you legally authorized to work in [Country/Region]?: A yes/no question to determine the applicant’s work authorization.
- If No, please explain: A space for applicants to provide an explanation if they are not legally authorized to work.
- Education: This is fairly self-explanatory. It asks where they went to school and what degrees or certifications they possess.
- School/Institution: The name of the educational institution attended by the applicant.
- Degree/Certification: The degree or certification obtained by the applicant.
- Year Completed: The year in which the applicant completed their education.
- Work Experience: Most employers require their applicants to have a relevant work history. This section shows that history.
- Employer: The name of the applicant’s previous or current employer.
- Position: The job title or position held by the applicant.Start and End Dates: The dates of employment, indicating when the applicant started and finished working for each employer.
- Responsibilities: A description of the applicant’s key responsibilities or duties in each position.
- References: The references section asks for personal or professional references so the employer can get insights about the applicants that aren’t necessarily based on the application data.
- Name: The name of individuals who can provide references for the applicant.Relationship: The nature of the relationship between the applicant and the reference (e.g., supervisor, colleague, professor).Phone Number: Contact number of the reference.
- Email Address: Email address of the reference.
- Certification Statement: This statement shows the applicant certifies the accuracy and truthfulness of the information provided on the form.
- Signature and Date Lines: Spaces for the applicant to sign and date the application form belong at the bottom of the page.
FAQs
Employers or their representatives typically use employment application forms during the hiring process. This includes various types of organizations, like businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational institutions.
Including a section for “optional” talents and interests in the Employment Application Form can help provide insight into the candidate’s skills, abilities, and personality that would not have otherwise been apparent.
So long as it is within the laws and standards for your business, you can request additional documents or references along with the employment application form to gather more comprehensive information about applicants. This usually includes things like resumes, cover letters, portfolios, transcripts, or letters of recommendation.
The retention period for completed employment application forms varies based on local laws, industry regulations, and organizational policies. Generally, you should keep them in appropriately secure storage for one to three years
Typically you can only share the information provided on an Employment Application Form with third parties if the applicant has given their specific, informed consent in writing.
If an applicant provides false or misleading information on the employment application form, here’s what you can do:
Conduct Verification: Verify the accuracy of the provided information to be sure. Do reference checks and background checks, or contact previous employers and educational institutions.
Document Findings: Maintain records of any discrepancies or false information discovered during the verification process, including communications.
Address the Issue: If false or misleading information is confirmed, employers may choose to disqualify the applicant from further consideration. If they have already been hired, you may take appropriate disciplinary actions, depending on the severity of the misrepresentation.
Compliance with Legal Obligations: Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations when handling the situation. This means adhering to fair employment practices and privacy laws.
The simple answer is yes, and it should do so. You need to know if your wages are comparable and if you can afford the employee.
You can include a section for applicants to explain any gaps in employment history if this information is important to you or required by your organization. Not all businesses request this data, and employees are not required to give it even if you do ask.
Whether you should do this depends on your business, organizational policies, and local laws and regulations. Always confirm the appropriate language with a legal professional before asking for sensitive information.
Although social media can provide additional insights into an applicant’s character and behavior, it is generally not the best practice to request or consider social media information during the initial application stage.
Key Points
An employment application form is an integral part of the hiring process. It collects important information about applicants, promotes consistency, provides comprehensive data for evaluation, and ensures compliance with employment laws and regulations. Employers should use application forms responsibly, safeguard applicant information, and follow legal requirements to create a fair and efficient selection process.
