Because it is one of the world’s largest restaurant chains (it has over a billion dollars in sales) with more than 1500 locations all over the U.S. and 16 countries in the world, an online job application is the easiest way to apply for a job at Church’s Chicken. Your area might have a store or more for you to choose from.

To make the process smoother, faster and to help you stand out from all the other thousands of online applications, here are some tips for your use.

One of the most important, if not the most important, documents you present your prospective employers is your résumé.

The question now is, have you updated your résumé? Have you finished some courses, skills or other achievements related to your prospective job that you haven’t included yet in your résumé?

Update your résumé and send the latest version to your prospective employer. Just like the old ways of personally applying to the company you are interested in joining, you should address the selection criteria specified in their ads.

Show to them that you have their requirements by giving examples of your professional knowledge, experience and present skills.

Another way to “stand out from the crowd” is to use a “hook” to capture the attention of the hiring manager right from the start. The first parts of the email that employers look at first are the subject line and the first few lines of your response.

The well-thought out words you write should be impressive enough but not overkill. It should demonstrate to them why you are an ideal candidate, or maybe the top candidate.

This is usually expressed in your cover letter, specially fitting for those companies that only give out the email address of their HR department. Nowadays, this cover letter is your actual application letter that is incorporated into the body of the email.

One important note: keep your cover letter brief. You don’t need to go over one page. This way, it will come out professional, urgent, and concise.

It is always a good policy for application letter writers to thoroughly proofread their work before sending them out. One trick is to read out loud what you wrote to spot those errors you have overlooked during your silent reading of the document. Ask for help from friends, if need be.

Since online applications take seconds to send, you can safely assume that these are processed fast, sometimes right away or maybe a few days, maximum. If a week had passed and you have not heard from the company you applied to, it does not hurt to follow up.

There are two ways of doing this. If it is possible (the company address is near) and they allow it, you may follow up your application with a phone call. A professional conversation with your potential employer signals your interest and initiative.

Of course, you may not ramble on aimlessly. You have to prepare your notes on the key points of your call, and make them clear and to the point.  

Now that you have enough ammunition for your Church’s Chicken online job application, the next order of the day is to send it right away.