Twenty years ago, I remember seeing a few jobs in the paper that appealed and applying either direct or via an agency. Of course, way back then, you had to use a new fangled word processor to put together your covering letter and CV and then you’d use snail mail to send it to the company in question.
Without fail, a few days later, a smart looking letter would arrive back, thanking me for my interest in the company and the position and advising me when the company would start the review process, and letting me know when they would next be in touch.
Over the last few weeks I have seen a few jobs listed in places like the Sunday Times or online on various job boards and I’ve taken time to craft a letter and send it off. These days the word processor is not such a mystery and the application is sent by email. In many cases, the company actually use automatic content scanners to review CV’s and extract the contents into the format they like to hold it in.
However, with very exceptions (you know who you are but I will mention Calibre 1 and VMware who were exceptional) no one has even acknowledged receipt of my application. In almost every instance my application, even when sent to a named individual, has simply disappeared into a black hole.
What is wrong with HR departments and recruitment companies these days? Don’t they realise that applying for a new job is a very big thing for most people? We need to know you received the application and it was readable. We need to know when you are likely to start short listing people.
In most cases I have been applying for fairly senior jobs in reasonably large, professional organizations. I am assuming these positions are important for the hiring company and they want to set the right impression and be seen as a great company that treats its staff and customers in a way that shows they care. Simply ignoring people who have expressed an interest in working for the company just doesn’t set the right tone!
Even a basic auto-responder that sends out a standard response acknowledging receipt is better than nothing.
That’s my rant for the day. (And there goes any opportunity I had of getting another job!)
Majority of the jobs (at least in IT) are fake. HR is always after CV collection to get an idea about market value of the job position. But I agree with Mark that he expects an auto response.
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