Do you remember the dim and distant past where you wrote a job application on paper and posted it to the recruiter? It wasn't that dim and distant...I did exactly that for my last role in about 2006. Actually I emailed it. BUT I did ring the recruiter to check if that would be OK and not considered rude. I was worried about sending an application letter via email without an actual pen signature on the bottom of the letter!
That was mainly because I discovered the ad on the closing date and it was to be sent to a PO Box - hard to send a courier there.
Back in the olden days (6 years ago), you would either get a phone call inviting you to interview or a monogrammed envelope...usually the first word of the second paragraph read "Unfortunately..." and that meant you were unsuccessful. But at least you knew one way or the other.
But I digress.
These days it is all about online applications...and it's kind of fiddly to be honest...I need to check all my job alerts that come in from SEEK, My Career, CareerOne, JobRapido, Linkedin and any number of other emails.
That means I have to trawl through ads that have been selected for me by a computer with no actual intellectual comprehension. I have the words "Communication" and "Communicate" in my search terms, so with the exception of roles that require you to speak with no-one at all, just about every single ad that states you must be able to communicate, and therefore I have received alerts for everything from mushroom picker to highly technical roles requiring an ability to assemble the entire NBN single handedly.
Once I have trawled through these, I need to "copy and paste" the ads into a word document for filing and tailor my application and CV accordingly (only now I have eight of those buggers, it adds another element of confusion - will they want the one pager? The one with the picture? The interpretive dance Youtube version?)
In simple terms, I now need to go to ALOT more effort to apply for job.
Normally I get the acknowledgement from the website (eg: SEEK) to let me know that my CV has been received and passed on to the advertiser...and then.....nothing....
Most advertisers no longer bother to let you know if you haven't been successful. It's not like they couldn't have a template email prepared, with the first word of the second para still saying "Unfortunately" and just drop your name in the opening line and insert an email address. It's pure laziness.
In fact I think it would be a damned sight easier than the old days when there was complex fine motor skills involved like envelope licking and stamp sticking! It's mostly the recruitment consultants (whose whole bloody job is placing people) who are so lazy and rude. One recruiter whose name rhymes with Dudson is especially notorious for this. I have even rung them and pointed out they have not responded, and kindly asked if they are in fact still receiving CVs via online sources and they promise the right person will ring back...but guess what? They don't.
Some of them are even so rude as to say "only successful applicants will be contacted"...I put this down to Gen Y laziness again...but I am sure then are gen Xers and boomers in the rude mix too.
Some companies get it right. These are the ones that also acknowledge the effort you put into the letter and CV. Even if I am unsuccessful, I come away with a positive perception of those companies.
This makes it sound like I have applied for a gazillion jobs. I haven't, but enough to see a pattern. Hint: The recruiters that do bother to respond are definitely the recruiters I will use once I am employed again and making recruitment decisions.
Are there other lazy things recruiters do, that really, they have no excuse for?
That was mainly because I discovered the ad on the closing date and it was to be sent to a PO Box - hard to send a courier there.
Back in the olden days (6 years ago), you would either get a phone call inviting you to interview or a monogrammed envelope...usually the first word of the second paragraph read "Unfortunately..." and that meant you were unsuccessful. But at least you knew one way or the other.
But I digress.
These days it is all about online applications...and it's kind of fiddly to be honest...I need to check all my job alerts that come in from SEEK, My Career, CareerOne, JobRapido, Linkedin and any number of other emails.
That means I have to trawl through ads that have been selected for me by a computer with no actual intellectual comprehension. I have the words "Communication" and "Communicate" in my search terms, so with the exception of roles that require you to speak with no-one at all, just about every single ad that states you must be able to communicate, and therefore I have received alerts for everything from mushroom picker to highly technical roles requiring an ability to assemble the entire NBN single handedly.
Once I have trawled through these, I need to "copy and paste" the ads into a word document for filing and tailor my application and CV accordingly (only now I have eight of those buggers, it adds another element of confusion - will they want the one pager? The one with the picture? The interpretive dance Youtube version?)
In simple terms, I now need to go to ALOT more effort to apply for job.
Normally I get the acknowledgement from the website (eg: SEEK) to let me know that my CV has been received and passed on to the advertiser...and then.....nothing....
In fact I think it would be a damned sight easier than the old days when there was complex fine motor skills involved like envelope licking and stamp sticking! It's mostly the recruitment consultants (whose whole bloody job is placing people) who are so lazy and rude. One recruiter whose name rhymes with Dudson is especially notorious for this. I have even rung them and pointed out they have not responded, and kindly asked if they are in fact still receiving CVs via online sources and they promise the right person will ring back...but guess what? They don't.
Some of them are even so rude as to say "only successful applicants will be contacted"...I put this down to Gen Y laziness again...but I am sure then are gen Xers and boomers in the rude mix too.
Some companies get it right. These are the ones that also acknowledge the effort you put into the letter and CV. Even if I am unsuccessful, I come away with a positive perception of those companies.
This makes it sound like I have applied for a gazillion jobs. I haven't, but enough to see a pattern. Hint: The recruiters that do bother to respond are definitely the recruiters I will use once I am employed again and making recruitment decisions.
Are there other lazy things recruiters do, that really, they have no excuse for?
You mean lazy things they don't do don't you? Like if they say they will follow up on some leads they have and then never ring back.
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing. You are fabulous and wonderful and mega. One day soon, you will get a new job leading the free world (or similar) and you will need to recruit. You will never use the agencies that treated you badly. Plus, when others ask you about the best recruitment companies, you will never let them go to the bad ones.
ReplyDeleteIs it Gen Y laziness? Or is that the recruiters are Gen Y themselves and want to employ someone the same age (and look) as them.
Or is it that now we're experienced we're expensive?
I have seen this happen to friends in the past, but I always thought they were reeeeally old like 55...which I would add now is looking far less old than it used to!
Seeing that my superannuation will now buy me a nice shiny toaster, I can foresee that I'll need to work well into my 50s and 60s...so do we have to create jobs for ourselves?
geez - you must be in a good super fund if you can get a toaster - LOL
DeleteIt's not that they're lazy and don't want to tell you "thanks, but no thanks".. it's that there's not enough hours in the day to respond to all the people that apply and won't qualify. I get so many applications from people that aren't even remotely qualified, and honestly, I'd like to shoot them a quick email asking if they read the description. Had a candidate today, which I took the time to respond to her and let her know that she didn't fit the bill, and she sends me a very "short" email telling me that she has a master's and the experience the description mentions. The position is a _____ Manager, of which this candidate had 0 years of experience as a ______ Manager, but she INSISTS she meets the criteria.
ReplyDeleteOur rule at my company is to treat everyone as a potential future client.. candidates, referrals etc.etc.etc.. You never know when that person is going to be in a position in which they need to hire a recruiter, and you'd like for them to come back to you. But realistically, it's not feasible.
What about an prepared form rejection email like the ones you get from online job sites? "Dear so and so, Thanks blah blah. Unfortunately on this occasion you have not been successful but we'll keep your details on file."
ReplyDeleteThese things aren't hard to set up, and most reasonable candidates don't expect you to disseminate exactly how or why they don't fit. It just leaves candidates feeling like they matter and are not just a means to a commission.
I am sure not all candidates will get back to you and tell you about their masters degree. I don't. It have only been looking a couple of months, but I find things have vastly changed in less than half a decade.
It is nice however that you recognise they could be future clients though. Thanks for your feedback. It's great to get the other side of the story.