Attention Human Resources!
Need a form to collect data from job applicants? Look no further! Cognito Forms has already done the hard work for you. Our dedicated team of developers constantly research to find the best features and solutions for your business and personal needs—Employment Applications being one of them.
Let’s take a look at an example:
XYZ Company is hiring! Suzanne, the Human Resources manager, would like to place the company’s application on their website for prospects to access. She needs a form that captures not only resumes, but also references, education history, and personal information. Suzanne would also like to create a form she can easily manage—a form that will save her time in the employment process. Where should she even begin? Let’s take a look at Cognito Forms’ unique features that make Suzanne’s process a breeze.
Templates
To initiate the process, Suzanne can select Choose a template from the New Form badge.
To access the Employment Application template, one of many pre-made templates offered by Cognito Forms, Suzanne will simply select it from the Featured category on the left-hand navigation pane.
The Employment Application template features researched questions on commonly asked employment questions. If a question doesn’t fit your company’s criteria, no problem! Select the field you wish to change and edit it as needed using the left-hand Field Settings pane. Suzanne can even create questions from scratch!
Repeating Sections
A unique feature of Cognito Forms that makes job applications more useful and easy to create is the Repeating Sections feature. In the Employment Application template, a Repeating Section is used for a respondent’s references.
In a nutshell, an applicant can fill out as few or as many references as their heart desires. Repeating Sections can also be used for the Education History data XYZ Company requires of new hires. The idea is that a respondent may have a varying number of entries.
To find out more information, check out our featured Repeating Sections blog post!
File Upload
File Upload is used in the application template as a resume collector. Suzanne can limit the number of uploads in this field as needed. She can also restrict the types of files a respondent can submit. Who wants a .jpg resume file???
When an applicant attaches a document, a thumbnail will appear beneath the upload section. Once submitted, Suzanne can click the thumbnail to view the resume. The resume will open in a web browser, making Suzanne’s process organized and efficient.
Adding to the Employment Application template is as simple as creating the form from scratch. Need another File Upload field for a cover letter? Add the field in the placeholder of your choice and restrict its contents to fit your needs.
Styling and Posting
Whew! XYZ Company’s form is finally complete. Now, the fun part—styling! From the publish tab, select the Style Editor. Suzanne can upload or drag a logo into the Logo field for a simple way to get personal.
From the Publish Code tab, Suzanne can copy the embed code into the desired page on her website. Now applicants can easily apply on the company’s website.
Managing
Prior to Cognito Forms, Suzanne was receiving individual emails from applicants with an attached resume. The hiring process was daunting and consumed much of her day sifting through each email with tedious detail. With Cognito Forms, she can export the data to an excel file and sort through the applicants from a central location. The form fields help give Suzanne a starting point when looking through an applicant’s answers.
Once reviewed, Suzanne can mark the applicant as Complete, keeping organized throughout the hiring process. Here’s Suzanne’s form:
Sara
Sara began working as a marketing strategist for Cognito Forms in 2013. In her spare time, Sara enjoys weightlifting, sailing, and spending time in the great outdoors.