Entry Sheet Length: How Full to Write, How It's Counted, and How to Trim

How much of the limit should you fill?

The short answer is that 90% or more is the baseline. For "within 400 characters", aim for 360 to 400. Below 80%, the reader may conclude you didn't have much to say.

When it says "about X characters", 10% either way is usually acceptable, so about 400 means roughly 360 - 440. "Within", on the other hand, is a ceiling, and going over by even one character can mean the form rejects it or the impression suffers. Never go over.

How characters are counted

What a submission form counts as one character actually isn't standardized. If it differs from your own count, you can go over the limit and get rejected.

• Punctuation and symbols count as 1: commas and periods are generally counted as one character each. Parentheses and exclamation marks are included in the same way.
• Full-width and half-width both count as 1: most forms count a full-width "Ａ" and a half-width "A" as one character each. But systems that limit bytes rather than characters may count a full-width character as 2.
• Line breaks vary: some forms count a line break as one character and others don't. If you go over the limit as soon as you split paragraphs, this is the reason.
• Spaces are usually included: a full-width space used for indenting also counts as one. If every character counts, you can skip the indent on web forms.
• Manuscript paper is a different thing: 400-square Japanese manuscript paper counts squares, so empty squares at line ends also get used up. On handwritten forms, what's judged is how the squares are filled, not the character count.

1. 1

   Count just the body text yourself

   Paste your text into a character counting tool and check the plain count first. Knowing the count both with and without line breaks tells you how much margin to leave.

2. 2

   Stay at about 97% of the limit

   For within 400 characters, aim for around 388. Even if the count shifts slightly because of how line breaks and spaces are handled, you won't go over.

3. 3

   Paste into the submission form and check again

   If the form has its own counter, its number is the one that counts. If you're over here, it handles line breaks or spaces differently.

4. 4

   Check how it looks after pasting

   Pasting from a word processor can remove line breaks or replace symbols with other characters. Read through the text before you submit.

How to divide your space at each length

When you run short or can't cut enough, the usual cause is an unbalanced structure. Decide how many characters each element gets before you start writing, and you'll rewrite less.

"Your actions" gets the largest share. If it isn't 40% of the whole, your text ends up being just a description of the situation. People with space left over tend to pad the situation, but what the reader wants to know isn't the background; it's what you thought and did.

• Put the conclusion in the first sentence: state it upfront, such as "I worked on X and achieved Y". Readers go through a large volume, so a conclusion left to the end may not land.
• Focus on one episode: two episodes in 400 characters makes both thin. You can include several only from about 600 characters.
• Include one number: "120% of the previous year" is shorter and more concrete than "increased sales". It also saves space.
• Connect in the last sentence: close by touching on how you'd repeat this at the employer. Without it, you end on a nice story that isn't a reason for applying.

Trim without losing content

When you're over the limit, cutting an episode is the last resort. Shorten your phrasing first. In most writing, you can mechanically remove about 10% without changing the meaning. Here are common wordy phrases in English, with the words each one saves.

• Cut connectors: "and", "also" and "furthermore" can often go without changing the meaning. Each one wins back a little space.
• Look for doubled expressions: remove places where the same meaning overlaps, such as "first of all", "approximately ... or so" and "looking back on it".
• Use "I" less: you're writing about yourself, so it doesn't need to open every sentence. Vary the openings and let the context carry it.
• Drop adverbs: "very", "really" and "quite" add no information when cut. Better still if you can replace them with a number.
• Split a sentence in two: long single sentences are hard to trim. Once split into two short ones, you can sometimes drop one entirely.

When you finish trimming, count again to confirm you're within the target range. If you're applying to several companies, base your work on a 400-character version and adjust to 200 and 600 from there so you can reuse it. You don't need to rewrite from scratch for each length.

FAQ

How much of the limit should an entry sheet answer fill?

90% or more is the baseline. For "within 400 characters", aim for 360 to 400. Below 80%, it can look as though you didn't have enough to say. But "within" is a ceiling, so don't go over. Allowing for differences in counting, it's safe to stay at about 97% of the limit: around 388 for 400.

Do punctuation and line breaks count?

Punctuation is generally counted as one character. Line breaks vary by form: some count them as one and some don't. If you go over as soon as you split paragraphs, assume line breaks are being counted. Spaces also usually count as one. In the end, the form's own counter is what matters, so paste and check to be sure.

What should I do if I'm short of the limit?

Rather than adding episodes, build up "your actions". If this element isn't 40% of the whole, the text ends up as a mere description of the situation. Writing specifically about what you were unsure of, how you decided and what you did will lengthen it naturally. Adding numbers to your result and connecting at the end to how you'd repeat this at the employer also add length.

Any tips for cutting length?

Before cutting episodes, shorten your phrasing. Changing "I was able to do" to "I did" and "was given the opportunity to lead" to "led" wins back a few words each time. You can also cut connectors, "I" at the start of every sentence, and adverbs like "very". This usually removes about 10% of the whole, so you can often fit the limit without losing content.