Application for employment

The completed and returned document notifies the company of the applicant's availability and desire to be employed as well as their qualifications and background so that a determination can be made as to the candidate's suitability to the position.

These vary depending on the nature of the job and the preferences of the person responsible for hiring, as "each organization should have an application form that reflects its own environment".

Employers may be prohibited from asking applicants about characteristics that are not relevant to the job, such as their political view or sexual orientation.

[citation needed] They help companies with initial screening and the longer form can be used for other purposes as well[clarify].

The employment application is not a standardized form, so every company may create its own as long as regulations set by the government are adhered to.

[10] Educational background is important because it allows a potential employer to evaluate an applicants' performance in school as well as make determinations as to personality and intelligence.

Work experience is important because it will inform a potential employer if the applicant meets their specific needs.

In many English-speaking countries, notably the United States, this is not customary, and books or websites giving recommendations about how to design an application typically advise against it unless explicitly requested by the employer.

The job application is called Bewerbung in Germany and usually consists of three parts: the Anschreiben (cover letter), the Lebenslauf (curriculum vitae (CV)) and the Zeugnisse (references).

The Lebenslauf is documented in reverse chronological order and should give information on work experience, education and professional training as well as an applicant's skills.

Some employers, mainly governmental organisations, deliberately neglect the photograph to ensure a higher degree of objectivity in the course of assessment procedures.

[citation needed] Job applications are known to be used by hackers to get employees to open attachments or links or connect USB sticks with malware.