Digital job applications

Most jobs, internships and college places are now applied for online. That is convenient, but it brings two new difficulties. A small mistake in a file or a form can lose you the chance before a person has read a word. And scammers know that job seekers are hopeful and short of time, so fake job offers are common. This lesson helps you apply well and stay safe, using made-up employers and examples only.

How an online application works

Most employers ask you to do the same few things: create an account on their website or a job site, fill in a form, upload a CV and often a cover letter, and answer a few questions. Larger employers may use software to sort applications first, sometimes called an applicant tracking system. It scans forms and documents for the skills the job asks for. A person then reads the ones that match.

Preparing your CV and cover letter files

Write the documents in your word processor, as you did in the CV lesson, then save or export them as PDF files. A PDF looks the same on every computer and phone, while a word processor file can shift when opened elsewhere. Unless the advert asks for another format, a PDF is the safest choice.

• Name files so the reader knows whose they are. Use amina-wanjiru_cv.pdf and amina-wanjiru_cover-letter.pdf, not CV final 2.pdf. Employers may receive hundreds of files called CV.pdf.
• Tailor, do not mass-produce. Change the first paragraph of the cover letter and the order of your skills to match each job. Keep each tailored version, named with the employer, for your own records.
• Check file size and type. Forms often accept only certain types, such as PDF or DOCX, and limit file size, commonly a few megabytes. If a file is too big, remove large images.
• Open the PDF before you upload it. Read it once on screen to check names, dates, spelling, phone number and email address.
• Use a sensible email address. An address such as amina.wanjiru@example.com looks more professional than a nickname. Use an address you check daily, and check the spam folder for replies.

Filling in the form

Take the form slowly. Use your full legal name as on your documents. Write dates in the format the form asks for. Answer every required question; fields marked with a star usually block submission if empty. Copy long answers from a text editor rather than typing them straight into the form, because a browser refresh or timeout can lose what you typed. Many forms save a draft, but do not count on it.

Share only what is needed at each stage. Your name, contact details, education and experience are normal. Passport or national ID numbers, bank details and a photograph of your ID are not needed to apply. A genuine employer asks for proofs of identity late in the process, often in person or through a secure system, after an offer.

Researching an employer

Before you apply, find out whether the employer is real and what it does. This also helps you write a better letter and answer interview questions. Check three things, and use sources that the employer does not control.

1. Find the official website yourself. Search the employer's name rather than clicking a link in the message, then look for a real address, a phone number and the advert on the careers page.
2. Look for independent evidence. Look for news items, a registration in an official business register for your country, and reviews from several former staff. One glowing review and no other trace is suspicious.
3. Contact them by a route you found yourself. Use the telephone number or email on the official website to confirm that the job exists, not the number in the message that contacted you.

Fake job offers

A fake job offer is a type of Scam. Criminals post attractive jobs or message you out of the blue, then use the "job" to steal money, identity documents or bank access. Some ask you to pay a fee. Others ask you to receive and forward money or parcels, which can make you part of a crime. Look at the educational simulation below.

Finally, look after your own online image. Many employers look at public social media profiles. Review your privacy settings, and check that anything visible would not embarrass you. Do not post details of interviews or offers that you want to keep private. Use a different, strong password for each job site, with a password manager, and switch on multifactor authentication where it is offered.