Why do employers prefer application forms to CVs?
The main advantage for employers is that they get to control the information they are asking for, and how they would like to see your answer. If a particular qualification, skill or level of experience is needed, they can ask directly about this, and mandate how and where on the form you answer. They can also ask about your health record and any criminal convictions, which you might otherwise not disclose. It is also much less likely that someone else will have written the form for the applicant, something that happens a lot with CVs. The second benefit to employers is the standard format of application forms. It not only means they can check off qualifications quickly and easily, but also compare forms easily. Application forms also tend to limit the amount of information you can give without resorting to complicated additional pages. Because people tend to like their applications to be tidy, they shorten what they want to say, which can in turn help to shorten the sifting process. Ap
