1. Online Applications: The Entire Process
from Start to Finish
Written by Michelle Caffe
CT Department of Labor

2. The reality of applying for a job today
 Several places of business require job
seekers to apply online versus filling out
paper applications.

3. Submitting your resume
 Employers may ask job candidates to
submit their resume by:
 E-mail
 Fax
 Attachment to an online application
 Utilizing LinkedIn

4. The Importance of Computer Skills
It may be beneficial to take a computer
class to improve keyboarding and mouse
skills.

5. Where to take classes
 Department of Labor (DOL), the Silas
Bronson Library and the Palladino Center
offer free classes.
 The DOL CT Works Career Center has a
keyboarding program.

6. Practice, Practice, Practice!
 The computer may seem intimidating at
first, but with practice job seekers will gain
a higher comfort level and be more
confident in filling out online applications.

7. By the end of this workshop
 Job seekers will be able to maneuver
through areas of the job application in
order to complete it successfully.
 This is ideal for those who have difficulty
with online job applications and/or are not
getting interviews. This is the first step in
the job search process.

8. How to get started
 Setting up a username, password for the
application, as well as understanding how
to answer the online assessment
questionnaire on job applications.

9. How Employers use it
 At this time, employers are using the
personality assessment tool to screen out
job applicants.
 The questionnaire will ask the same type
of question in various ways.

10. What you need before filling out an
online application
 Do your search according to how your skills and abilities
match the job qualifications. You want to find the
position that you are most qualified for.
 Create a username and password to log back in to your
application if you get timed out. Many applications will
allow you to create one. This saves time and lets you
continue where you left off if you navigate away or off
the website. Remember to write down the username and
password for future reference.

11. Resume: Hard Copy
 Have your resume on hand to fill out the
online application. Accuracy is very
important and you need to have exact
dates of employment for both paper and
online applications.

12. Past Employment History
 Have a list of current and past employers’
contact information:
*Name and Address of Business
*Name of Supervisor
*Business phone number
*Dates of Employment (e.g. 12/1/10-6/1/2011)

13. References: Professional and Personal
 References are extremely important
because employers contact them when
you get to the interviewing stage. Have
all references (3-6) available with updated
contact information on a separate page.
Make sure you ask your references if it is
okay to use them as a reference.

14. And last but not least
 Remember to allow yourself 2-3 hours per
application.
 Check your e-mail account regularly. Some
employers will be in contact with you regarding
interview dates/times as well as the status of
your application via email.

15. Where to apply
 Personal Computer
 Department of Labor Career Center-
Representatives are available to assist
you in our computer lab.

16. If the store has a kiosk to apply
 When a store has a kiosk, it is best to fill it out at
the store. However, when completing an online
application elsewhere (e.g. at home or at the DOL
Career Center), your application can take more
time to get to the hiring manager.
 If you are unable to access the store’s kiosk, it is
recommended that you contact customer service
desk to find out if the kiosk is available and
working.

17. You are ready to apply for a job
 Go to the main website
 Some examples are:
www.walmart.com
www.sears.com
www.macysjobs.com

18. Once you are at the site
 You will need to find the careers link.
Each site has a different way to access
their employment/careers website.
 A sheet of business sites and directions on
how to access the career site from the
main page is available in the career
center. Please review and practice after
the workshop.

19. Examples for how to get from the main
site to the career site
 Borders Bookstore –
 Step 1: www.borders.com
 Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom left of the website to “Careers”
 Step 3: Click on “Store opportunities” and follow the prompts.
 Burger King –
 Step 1: go to www.burgerking.com
 Step 2: click on “Company Information”
 Step 3: Click on “In restaurant”
 Step 4: Click on “Job search”
 Step 5: Under “select a category” click on “in restaurant” then submit
 Step 6: Click “Team Member” or the supervisory positions next to it.
 Step 7: Click “Apply Now” and follow the steps for completing your application.
 You can also try www.tacobell.com, www.wendys.com, www.mcdonalds.com, and www.kfc.com
 CVS
 Step 1: go to www.CVS.com
 Step 2: Click on “Careers” on the bottom right of the site.
 Step 3: Click on “search opportunities”
 Step 4: Follow the directions for the next steps
 Other similar sites: www.walgreens.com, www.sears.com and www.riteaid.com
 Stop and Shop
 Step 1: go to www.stopandshop.com
 Step 2: Click on “Employment”
 Step 3: Click on “Learn More”
 Step 4: Click on “Opportunities”
 Step 5: Follow the prompts to search for an open position of interest.

20. Why should I set up a username and
password
 Most websites will give job candidates the option of setting
up a username and password.
 The reason for this is that it will allow the applicant to start
where he or she left off on the application. Write down the
username and password.

21. Now refer to the packet
 We will start on Page 1 and go through the
packet as we move on.

22. Setting up a username and password
 I will be using an online application
example.
 On here you would click the “Create Login
Link” on page 1 of the packet.

23.  This application is a good example because once
you get used to answering the assessment
questions, it gets easier each time.
 It’s important to identify what the employer is
looking for from the questions asked.

24. Examples of the username/password
combinations
 On page 2, how many characters are needed to
successfully create a username and password?
In this case, it is asking for 7-11 characters that
should have capital letters, numbers and non-
capital letters.
 If your username and password is something that
does not match this, it will ask you to try again.
Some examples could be “Summer1234,
Jackson8097, etc.”

25. If you see the message, “Username and
Password are already in use”
 It is wise to change both items to
something less common. This means that
someone has already used this
name/password and you will need to
create a different one.

26. Login Creation Questions and Answers
 On the third and fourth page of your
packet you will see a sample. You need to
have all these written down on a sheet of
paper: Username, password, and answers
to the questions.

27. Have a job search notebook
 This will make it easier to recall
usernames and passwords. This
information should be noted every time
you apply for a new job.

28. Username and Password Completion
 On page 3-4 there are question and
answer examples.
 When completed, click Submit and it will
go into the regular login screen.
 At this point, the applicant will enter the
created username and password to fill out
the online application.

29. Entering Information
 On page 5, enter your Social Security
Number. You will be prompted to make-up
a PIN number.
 It will be helpful to read the note above
for combinations you cannot use.
 Remember to write down your PIN
number for future reference.

30. Personal Information (page 6)
 You will most likely be asked to fill out personal
information. It is important to note that the
phone number should be one that you use to
receive calls at any time. Employers will often
call once and move on.
 Also, include the e-mail address that you check
on a regular basis.

31. Schedule Availability (Page 7)
 When completing this section, it is important to
keep in mind your true availability.
 If you are available at a certain time, put it down.
Employers look for candidates with the most
availability according to their business needs.
Remember it is not about your preference
but how you can meet the needs of the
employer.

32. References:
 On page 8, regarding references, it is
important to have your list of references
on hand.
 These references should have updated
contact information and must be credible.
Make sure you ask permission to use them
as a reference and supply them with a
copy of your resume.

33.  The most credible Professional References
are mentors, managers, supervisors or
directors who have observed your work
ethic and performance.

34.  Personal References - Examples:
*Professors
*Advisors
*Volunteer/Internship Supervisors

35. Employment History (Page 9)
 Always have a resume that contains actual dates
of employment. Employers will often verify this
information. The Social Security Administration
can provide you with missing employment
information, but there is a fee.

36. Education, Certification and License
 Page 10.
 Be specific on dates of graduation or completion
of graduation by adding “expected date of
completion.”
 Putting in false information can cost you the job.
The job application is considered a legal
document.

37. Questionnaire and Assessment
 This is often the most difficult part of the
application.
 The questionnaire is designed to help
employers screen out applicants based on
their answers and is used as a tool.
 There is a color coding system based on
green, yellow and red.

38. Green
 Green means the applicant is the ideal
candidate for the job.
 Employers will often refer to these
candidates first, since they scored higher
in this area.

39. Yellow
 Yellow indicates that the job candidate has
some skills that match the job description.

40. Red
 The applicants that score red are often
screened out and employers may never
see the application.

41. Getting the “Green” score
 Remember it is important to be honest.
Also, keep in mind what the question is
asking in terms of the job and what the
employer is looking for.

42.  With the economy today, job seekers are
in a very competitive market. Employers
are most likely selecting only “green”
candidates because it is an employer’s
market.

43. Questionnaire
 The first section of the questionnaire are general
questions about your experience and availability.
 The second questionnaire consists of federal tax
credit questions which are used to determine the
company’s eligibility for these programs and will
in no way negatively impact hiring, retention, or
promotional decisions.

44. Retail Pre-Employment Assessment
 Lets review the directions that the application has
allowed applicants to review.
 Note the underlined key points that applicants
should carefully read and understand.
 You should not have someone answer the
questions for you, but use the skills you will gain
from this workshop in completing this portion of
the application.

45. Page 11-16
 The job seeker would click the link to take
the questionnaire.
 These questions include age criteria, work
availability, educational background,
related work experience, etc.

46. Please note (pages 11-16)
 The availability questions are designed to
screen out applicants who are not
available for work during peak business
hours.

47. Labor Market Information
 When asked the “minimum hourly wage”
you would accept, its important to do your
research on what is fair based on your
experience, skills and cost of living needs.
 Department of Labor’s website:
www.ct.gov/dol has a link “Labor
Market Information” where you can assess
what would be a fair salary range.

48. Tax Credit Questions (pages 17-21)
 Answer these questions to the best of your
ability.
 If your unsure, select “No.”
 These answers are important to the
employer because it can save the business
money through tax credits.

49. Scenario Based Questions-Section 1
(page 23)
 Let’s go over the 8 questions that are
scenario based.

50. Work related situation questions and the
ways to respond to them
 We will go over these questions and
discuss the ideal answers and the logic
behind those answers.

51. Agree or Disagree? Section 2
 The next section has a rating scale from
1-5.
 We will go over these examples and fill
them out together.

52. Section 3
 The next section continues with rating
scale questions from 1-5.
 These questions will address your work
ethic, performance, leadership, “soft
skills,” and how you would approach
difficult work situations and deadlines.

53. Section 4
 The personality assessment section is used to
most accurately represent your:
*Work Standards
*Problem solving
*Time Management
*Teamwork
*Work History
*Dependability
*Conflict Resolution
*Professionalism

54. Your done!
 Some applications will indicate whether
you have passed or failed the assessment.

55. Follow up
 Employers can pull up your application if
you passed the assessment. Most will
even share how you did. It’s important to
follow up once your application is
completed.

56. At the end of the application
 Check E-mail and Voicemail daily.
 Network with Employers.
 Remember to continue to follow through with the
process of applying, networking and interviewing.

57. Additional Online Job Search Tools
 LinkedIn
 CT Job Central
 Indeed