'Refer to CV' on job applications?

[auntieaunt]

I've not applied for a role for a few years but i've noticed there's a lot of applications now.

I've sent a cover letter and my CV to a job and they've asked me to fill out the application form. Recently i've not been applying for dream jobs just jobs that will do in the mean time.

Is it the worst thing in the world to write on Education/Work Experience/Address 'Please refer to CV'. Everything they've asked for except for references/diversity monitoring is on my CV.

Or is it a challenge to see who bothers to fill out the application?

I did it all for the CV, Indeed application and the company application in June and got the job out of 70 applications.

You need to fill out the application.

If you put "refer to" they'll dismiss you automatically.

The form is there for a reason.

You have to fill out the form, especially if it’s online.

If they ask for an application form they are unlikely to accept referring to a CV. They want everyone's application in the same format so that they can compare like with like.

Different companies will use the application form in different ways. Unless you don’t care about the job at all I would at least copy and paste from your CV into the form.

If you want to come across as lazy and not the sort of person who will follow the rules or do what they ask, by all means but "refer to CV" on the application.

If you actually want to be considered for the job, jump through the hoops they ask you to.

Don't do this, it looks lazy

I work for Local Authority and we only accept applications forms and not CVs. So no, if I got an application saying “refer to CV” it wouldn’t pass the shortlist.

Yep write the lot out in the application form. I automatically bin all applications that don't follow instructions.

I know it's a PITA but as PP have said, it's because they need to be able to compare candidates easily. CVs come in such a variety of formats - and loads of them tend to have huge amounts of waffle in them as well (not joking, last week I received one which was 10 pages!).

If you do what you are suggesting here, there is a high chance that the HR team and/or hiring manager will dismiss your application. This is likely to be on the basis that they don't have time to plough through your CV, and that if you aren't willing to complete the application properly then you can't be that serious about wanting the job.

It's a tough market out there at the moment. If you want this role then an application form and covering letter/email (which briefly explains why you are the right person for this role) is the best way forward.

Yep fill in the form. I'd be looking for people who can follow basic instructions!

I think you must fill out the form and not say “refer to cv”.

You are looking to impress these people and not the other way around!

They have got a form because they want all the info in the same place and not to have to refer to a cv. Also the forms are directly comparable. They don’t want to be wading through your cv.

I notice we are all assuming online applications are accessible ?

I would reject your application instantly.

Echo everything above - I wouldn't progress your application if it meant I had to keep switching between your application form and your CV. If you make the recruiter's job more pleasant, they are far more likely to read your application in a positive frame of mind.
Your post suggests entry level positions, but surely you need to adjust your standard CV answers a little to highlight the specific skills and experience for each job you're applying for?

‘Refer to CV’ means you can’t be bothered to put effort in and is kind of lazy. They might not bother referring to it so if you want a job- def fill it out

If your CV is in an electronic format (word document), then it will be the matter of minutes to copy and paste relevant bits into their form.
The point of job applications is that you do the hard work to make them like you. Making them work to decide if they want you is highly unlikely to work - best case scenario they'll start looking at your application P'd off, most likely scenario - they'll reject you instantly.

Don’t offload your work on to them. You are basically saying I don’t care enough about this job to follow your instructions so you will have to do extra work to consider my application. It’s not a great message to send.

Fill in the form like they asked.

This is your one opportunity to show a potential employer, "this applicant is efficient/co-operative/pays attention ".

Not filling in their form conveys the opposite message
" sloppy attention/ can't be arsed/ ignores instructions ".

Even though in real life everyone knows that most people have to apply for a fair number of jobs before they manage to gain a position, in application life the short listers operate as if they expect an applicant to at least appear to be committed to that particular job and that job only.

So any deviation from the application requirements puts that application on the rejection pile. When you get, as we did for our last job, over 600 applicants for one post, you don't want to give anyone a clear reason to reject you.

At the moment, this is not a jobseeker's market.

Yep, you have to fill out the application form. It's a pain, I know, but as a recruiter, I would not waste my time on a candidate who couldn't be bothered to follow basic instructions.

Yeah, if you write 'refer to CV', it's going straight in the bin.

They've put the questions that they want to know answers to on the application, they don't want to sift through people's CVs to get there to do the shortlisting.

Same as everyone else. If you did this we'd reject your application straight away.

We state clearly that we don't accept CV's. We have a checklist to see who has the appropriate experience, the forms match the checklist and make it easy to see who meets the criteria for interview.