A person's hands writing with a pencil.

The Application

While not all companies have specific application questions for you to fill out, most will ask you for a resume, a cover letter, and a list of references. These are the documents that will get you to the interview, and they’re how an employer judges you right away. It’s important that these look professional and are well-done.

However, professional doesn’t necessarily mean complicated, and you don’t have to be a great writer or graphic designer to have great application materials.

Application Questions

Some employers will have specific questions on their application form aimed at determining your skills and qualifications for the job before they decide to interview you. Make sure you read these questions carefully and take your time answering them.

  • Describe the experience they’re asking about. Don’t ever just answer “yes” or “no—” explain adjacent experiences you have had or the specific times you’ve done something similar. Examples are important to show what you can do.

  • Make sure you reference skills and experiences that are on your resume or in your cover letter.

  • Focus on what you did. Use I rather than we unless the question asks about teamwork.

  • Be honest if the application asks about your personality. Sometimes employers ask questions designed to test for consistency; they want to know you’re not just trying to make a favorable impression. Use the STAR method covered in the interview section of this webpage.

  • Type responses if you can. If not, make sure your handwriting is neat, legible, and error-free.



Note: Gaps in your work history

Questions about your work history can come up on an application or in an interview, and usually do get asked. The best way to set the interviewer’s mind at ease about a long period of unemployment is to make it seem as though, overall, you are more productive as a result of it. Did you….

  • Take some time off of work to spend time with your family or take care of a family member?

  • Focus on your professional development (i.e. education, job shadow, improving technological skills)?

  • Spend time researching work that better suited your skills?

  • Simply have a hard time finding work in a highly competitive field? (This answer is best for a gap less than five months.)

Answers like these will make a positive impression. Remember to emphasize that you are really excited to get back to work.

If incarceration caused an employment gap for you, focus on explaining briefly what happened, how the changes impacted your life, and how you are taking steps to building a new career and future. Talk about work you were assigned while incarcerated and the teamwork and technical skills it built. (See our Google docs worksheet on how to answer the felony question and our list of resources for the formerly incarcerated.)

Cover Letters

Cover letters are where you really sell yourself to the employer. They’re the first thing that’s read and are able to explain, in as many words, exactly how you are valuable to the organization and fit the job description.

These documents are no more than a page long—usually three paragraphs—and need to be individually written and tailored to each company. Highlight the really important parts of your resume, and directly address your strengths on the application.

In the first paragraph, explain your interest in the position and how you heard about it. Say how well you would fit into the role.

In the second paragraph, tell the employer some reasons you should be hired instead of anyone else. Talk about any past experience, personal qualities, key skills, training, and qualifications. Address anything that would make your employer nervous (such as an employment gap) and put a positive spin on them.

In the third paragraph, respectfully request an interview to discuss the position. Thank the reviewer for their time and consideration, and direct them to your resume for further information.

Proofread this diligently. You want to be putting your best foot forward. It’s best to have someone else look it over for grammar or spelling mistakes as well.   

Below are some Google doc examples and a template you can use to help you make yours. Don’t get too attached to the wording, though—your cover letter is a place for you to express your best self to the employer.

Template cover letter | Example cover letter | Example cover letter (with comments)

Tailoring your Resume

Now that you’ve written an excellent cover letter, it’s time to look at your resume. You’ve already created something that sells yourself, but there are a few tweaks still to do to make sure it looks its best to each employer.

  • Order: while most of the resume is chronological, any especially relevant information can be put up front. For example, if you’re applying for a position as a bartender and your most recent job was in construction, it makes sense to put your serving experience from three years ago up front.

  • Skills: in the skills section of your resume, you want to include things that the employer listed as preferred or required skills for the position. Be honest—pick the ones you have! —but it’s important to get key words onto your resume.

With luck, at the end of this process, you’ll be contacted with an offer of an interview. Read on for some tips and tricks to help you with it!