Presenting your information

How to complete the form

When completing an application form it is important to follow the instructions carefully. This includes adhering to word/character limits and filling the form as fully and accurately as possible. If a section is not applicable to you, write ‘N/A’ (Not applicable) to acknowledge it.

Take your time and write positively about yourself. Provide information that shows you’ve thought about why you’d be good at the job, why you want it and why you’d like to work there.

Presenting your basic information

This section is normally designed to get key basic information about you. See below for further information on how you can approach these sections.

Education and qualifications

List all the information asked for (like dates, education institutions, qualifications and grades) in the order and format specified in the instructions. If the format to use isn't stated, use reverse chronological order, putting the most recent first.

Where appropriate, emphasise subjects, modules, projects and dissertations that are relevant to the employer and the job.

Employment and work experience

Give brief details of each period of employment and work experience, including voluntary and unpaid work if you wish.

If you have lots of experience, focus on the significant jobs and summarise others. For example, you could list them under two headings, such as "Related jobs" and "Other jobs".

Make good use of the "responsibilities" section to get across your achievements, as well as the skills and qualities you developed and demonstrated in each role. Focus on those the recruiter is looking for.

Don't leave out what you may perceive to be "low-grade" jobs. For example, shop and restaurant work gives you experience of dealing with the public, working under pressure, handling money and more.

Personal interests and achievements

Employers are looking for clues to your personality as well as your academic and work-related achievements.

Give details of leisure interests, explaining your motivation for doing them and what skills you've developed as a result. Activities that demonstrate skills such as leadership, team work, organisation and initiative are particularly relevant and likely to be of interest to the employer.

If you have a lot of interests and achievements, select the ones that demonstrate skills the employer is seeking.

Geographical location

If this is asked for, be as flexible as you can but do not include locations that you would not be prepared to move to. If you have a preferred location, give details.

Additional information or a personal statement

Some applications include a section where you are asked to describe your relevant skills and experience and your reasons for applying, usually in the form of a personal statement. For advice on completing such a section, see our page on Writing a personal statement.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Many forms have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion or Equal Opportunities monitoring section, which asks for details related to protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010, which are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Under the Equality Act, it is unlawful to treat someone less favourably because they possess one of these characteristics.

This helps employers measure how successful they are at attracting applicants who are representative of the population as a whole. Your responses are not used for recruitment decisions, and answering such questions is normally optional.

Sharing information about a neurodivergence or disability

If you have a disability (diagnosed, self-diagnosed or pre-diagnosis)*, neurodivergence or health condition, it is your decision whether to disclose this when writing your supporting statement, cover letter or CV - see our further advice on this topic. Sharing information can enable you to ask for 'reasonable adjustments' within a job recruitment process, or within the workplace itself, in order to enable you to thrive at work. It can also help you highlight any coping strategies, strengths and attributes you can bring to a job. You may find it helpful to discuss this further with an Employability Adviser.

* The University supports the social model of disability, which acknowledges that impairments may not be disabling in themselves, but can become so in certain contexts.

Key tasks

• Before writing any responses to questions, make sure you have done your research into the opportunity and reflected on how you meet the requirements. For further information on how to do this, see Preparing to write an application form.
• Try the ‘Question Identifier Tool’ in the Graduates First aptitude test portal. Here, you can explore different example competency-based questions along with their corresponding response, which uses the STARR structure.
• Draft your responses in a separate document. This enables you to keep a copy of your responses, which will be important to reflect on should you be invited to an interview. It also enables you to proofread your work to check for spelling and grammar. It is also a good idea to get someone else to check your application for you.