Many jobs are advertised online — so it’s important to have the skills to slay the application! 

You can check out places like Seek, Indeed, Adzuna, Career One or on a company’s website. So as well as having a good resume and cover letter you need to fill in an online application. This usually means responding to a few questions about what you would do in a situation related to the job or how your experience best fits the job. 

Here are some tips on how to ace an online job application!

Search for jobs that will suit you 

Use the tailoring function on job search websites to find the job that’s right for you. That could mean full-time, part-time, or casual, or location-based searches to find something near you. There are even searches for jobs that need ‘no experience’, if this is your first job. 

This can also mean going on company websites and applying for jobs this way. Companies like Coles, Woolies, Macca’s and Grill’d all have specific websites that you can apply through.

Read the job description carefully

This is to ensure that you have all the necessary experience or qualifications for the listing. It is also important to take note of the language or keywords they use — especially in the Key Selection Criteria. Some online job search platforms scan your application for keyword matches. 

Therefore, it is a good idea to use the phrases and shape your application responses to cater for what they are looking for. 

Tailor your CV and cover letter to the job 

You want to make sure that your cover letter integrates the specific features of the job you are applying for. This means paying attention to the keywords in the job description and highlighting how they suit your experience. 

This also might mean reorganising your resume to emphasise your relevant experience for the job that you are applying for.  

You can use AI to make applying easier 

Job hunts can be time-consuming and tedious — ChatGPT can help take a little bit of that load off. If you need to construct a cover letter for a job, you can copy the job description and your experience into ChatGPT. It will produce a cover letter for you. 

However, think of this more as a starting point, because AI is not great at creating a personalised touch. It can be obvious when you use artificial intelligence because it sounds artificial (like a robot has written it for you). And if everyone is using the same platform to write their cover letters, all the applications are going to sound the same. 

You will need to edit the cover letter to make it sound like you, so your application reflects who you are! 

Think of it as an assistant helping you out rather than doing the job for you. 

Follow up 

Companies receive MANY applications for the jobs they post — so you need to distinguish yourself from the flood of other applicants. A good way to do this is to call or email to follow up about your application and make a personal connection with your potential employer. This way they know who you are and are more likely to give you an interview. 

There are tips for how to have these conversations in our article on cold contacting. 

Good luck on your job hunt!