Application Forms

Application forms are a necessary part of most job applications, but the amount of information required and the variety of questions asked can be anxiety provoking for the applicant. While most applications require the same general information, some may ask short-answer questions designed to assess the applicant’s experience and personality. All applications must be completed thoroughly and accurately, which can be challenging in either online or handwritten form. Helping students understand the kinds of questions to expect and to navigate the various possible formats will help them tackle this complicated but important task.

Teaching Ideas

Click on the icons below for detailed information on how to teach this skill.

Guiding Questions

  • Has the student obtained and organized personal, professional, and educational information including employment and education histories to include on the actual application?
  • Has the student identified and received approval from at least three references?
  • Has this student sought applications by conducting door-to-door or online searches?  Was there a higher level of success in one of these approaches?
  • Will the student struggle to accurately decipher and appropriately respond to questions about background checks, drug screenings, desired pay, availability, or short answer questions?
  • When recording information, does the student exhibit higher success with hand-written or typed assignments?
  • Does the student demonstrate basic internet-based skills:  browser navigation, conducting online searches, checking and responding to personal email, etc.?
Visual Supports
To-Do Lists
The to-do list (also referred to as a "work system"or "activity system") visually clarifies a series of activities that a student is to do.
Graphic Organizers
Graphic organizers can provide a student with a way to represent and organize concepts, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and potential outcomes.
Social Narratives
Social narratives are a set of tools that visually represent social situations and appropriate social behaviors. The social narrative connects the important details of a setting or social situation to support the student in understanding the social context and in developing a new social skill.
Visual Cues
Visual Cues are learning materials that students can keep with them to help guide them through real life situations.