Job Application Experience

My most recent job application was for the internship I will be starting at ATI in Albany. I was fortunate enough to be recommended for the position meaning my application process was different than it typically would have been. Instead of filling out the application right away I was actually interviewed first and then filled out the application later to formalize my position and receive the official offer. Although there were advantages to the way it worked out for me I would have loved to see a job description prior to interviewing. By the end of the interview process I had a much better idea of what they were looking for, but I went in somewhat blindly.

Once I had the opportunity to work through everything I was very happy with what the position looks like. However, I would not have been as interested if I based it solely on the online application. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, I just was not able to get much information from it or a good feel for the company. Talking directly with the company is an entirely different experience. Ultimately, I believe it is because they are required to follow the guidelines set by the company as a whole. This makes it seem much more formal and unapproachable than they are in reality.

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3 Comments

  1. Hey Courtney,

    Congratulations on being accepted for your internship! It’s nice when we are able to use our connections to help us find an opportunity like you did. Reading about the interview process was interesting with the company interviewing you before going over your application. Did you find that more helpful or did it feel weird? I hope it all works out for you and I enjoyed reading your post, thank you for sharing!

  2. This is why career fairs are really good because you are able to get a good feel for the company and the position before actually formally applying and going through the long process of answering all of the questions on an application.

    It also gives you a feeling of exclusiveness as if they carefully chose their applicant which will make someone feel more appreciated as a new hire.

  3. Hi Courtney!
    I’ve noticed that online job descriptions are not good at representing the position or the company very well. It makes sense because like you said, they need to follow the company guidelines when writing the description and application, but they are often so formal that it’s difficult to see what the culture will be like. I’m glad the interview process went well and you’re excited about the internship!

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