A growing number of people use their phone to apply for jobs. It will need a different process than your laptop due to the capabilities and capacities of your phone.
In the article below, we shall explore how to find vacancies and apply for them.
Search for jobs
Your phone can be particularly helpful while looking for jobs. You can search for vacancies anywhere and anytime. Once you find a vacancy you are interested in, you could email it to yourself with a brief reminder ‘apply asap’.
Apply for jobs
Some employers ask you to submit a CV and a cover letter, while others would require you to submit a lengthy application form as well as a CV and a cover letter.
If you are asked to submit an application form, it is best to switch to a larger device such as a laptop or a PC. In this way, you would be able to see the whole application form clearly, avoid missing any sections, and you would be able to provide more detailed answers to the questions.
Submit your CV and cover letter
Think of your job application as a marketing tool. The purpose of the application is to give your future employer a taste of your skills and experience. Cramming too much into a CV and cover letter is a common mistake. This approach often leads to creating generalised, vague and confusing applications.
The more clear, structured and bespoke your documents are, the more likely that you will receive an interview invite and take the next steps in your application journey.
Ensure that you are able to access your CV and your cover letter from your phone, and you can edit these easily. Many candidates who submit generalised CV templates for positions wonder why they fail to receive job interviews.
Recruiters and employers can very easily see if you have not tailored your materials to the position you are applying for. You will need to avoid grammatical and spelling mistakes because it is most likely that your application will be disregarded.
Mind the ‘gap’
Prior to starting to draft your application, explore the job description to see whether you have the relevant experience and qualifications. It could be a real advantage if you have previously worked in a similar role. Most people would agree that moving within the same sector, the same job role, and the same geographical area is a reasonably straightforward step.
If you are taking this step, you will need to edit your CV and cover letters to make them bespoke. However, you could use your phone to do the editing and to submit your application.
The most challenging move is the ‘career triple jump,’ which means changing job functions, sectors, and countries. The more you can research the role and the more convincing your application is, the more you may increase your chances of receiving a job offer.
If you are considering a significant career jump, it is best to avoid your phone and instead use a laptop/ PC. You would need to spend a significant amount of time crafting your application materials, which may be difficult to do from a phone.
Save your documents
Using your phone would enable you to keep records of the jobs you have applied to (e.g. job title, employer, date of application, closing date, expected interview dates). Do make sure that you always save a copy of your application materials, which you submit to the recruiter. If you get an interview invitation, you will need to look at these documents again.
Set up job alerts
Most job platforms allow you to set up alerts and be notified of upcoming vacancies. Setting up an alert from your phone is a good idea. This could save you time and help you ensure that you will not miss out on interesting jobs. If you wish to work in the Higher Education sector, you may find it helpful to set up an alert at the jobs.ac.uk platform at https://account.jobs.ac.uk/auth/login?redirectUrl=/user/login
Once you have seen a vacancy which is of interest to you, do try to apply as soon as you can. Recruiters can close applications well before the published deadline date if they receive a sufficient number of applications for the advertised vacancy.
Use AI
You could use AI tools such as ChatGPT/ GPT 5.0 or Perplexity from your phone. These could help you with searching for jobs as well as editing your application documents. You should never use AI to create job application documents (CVs and cover letters) from start to finish. If you simply copy and paste the results, you are likely to end up with some generalised and broad applications.
You also need to review the spelling of AI-generated documents. If you are applying for a job based in the UK, recruiters would expect you to use the British spelling of words. AI-generated CVs often come up with similar structures and formatting. It is essential that you use a structure which is best suited to the role you are applying for.
Revisit your LinkedIn profile
Recruiters often carry out online searches as part of the selection process. Before inviting you for an interview or offering you a job, they might Google your name and take a look at the search results. If you have a LinkedIn profile which you have not visited for a long time, you might like to ensure that your profile is up to date.
Using your phone, you could check if your photo is professional and if the information in the sections (e.g. about, work and education) is correct. Having an appealing profile could boost your credibility and improve your chances of being successful.
Follow up
If the job description includes the phone number of the hiring team, you might want to make a phone call to follow up on your application. If they do not provide a phone number but only an e-mail address, you could send a follow-up e-mail as an alternative (which you could do from your phone).
At times, the job description may indicate a timeline in terms of when the candidate will receive the interview decision of the selection panel. If there is no deadline specified, you may wish to wait about three weeks before contacting them.
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