Fill out Job application before interview? (job hunting, employment, real estate, employer)

[emirate25]

Have you ever been interviewed by an employer and they had made you fill out the job application before the interview? Why would they make you do this?

This is for a Finance position at a real estate firm.

[myrc60]

Rarely have I been on an interview and not had to fill out an application. Not sure why you would question filling one out.

[danameless]

Originally Posted by emirate25

Have you ever been interviewed by an employer and they had made you fill out the job application before the interview? Why would they make you do this?

This is for a Finance position at a real estate firm.

Yes, I have. Many times. No big deal, what about it do you find wrong with it?

Is it me or has the weak job market caused people to question every little detail of a job search?

[emirate25]

All of my jobs that I have landed require for me to fill out the job application right after i accepted the job offer. This time is the total opposite...first fill out the application, then we get to interview you, then if we like you...we will make you an offer

[North Beach Person]

An application is how employers weed out "wastes of time".

[seain dublin]

They want your salary information. You can always put N/A down.

[emirate25]

Thanks Sean for your response.

[Redrover]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

They want your salary information. You can always put N/A down.

Instead of N/A, I usually put down "to be discussed during interview" so that instead of putting down a fixed amount I could hedge my answer with a range and imply that it would be worth their bringing me in to interview.

[jamaicabound60565]

I dont really find that to be wierd. I have had jobs where I filled out the application first and then got interviewed and had others where you basically interview and fill out the application once you basically have already been offered the job just to make it official.

I also find it kind of annoying you have your prepared resume and then you gotta fill out an application, if your job hunting you probably already filled out a dozen of them.

I think part of the reason is on an application they are pretty specific about the dates of schooling, employment, etc. Now days lots of people are getting creative with resumes like having a portfolio of work along with resume, some people organize a resume by type of job and other ways besides chronologically, and people often trry to brush over lapses in employemnt. I think a resume is a way of getting all your info down in the form they want rather than perusing a million resumes and having to look at all the diff formats.

[Perryview22]

Fairly common practice. Also, I believe that the application is considered to be a legal document.