A Loss of Respect

I have to say that I am so utterly shocked these days in the lack of respect that potential employers have for applicants who apply for their open positions.

Recently my husband has had to start looking for a new job, and for the last two months he has applied over and over again for multiple positions with multiple companies, only to never hear from them, EVER! Not a phone call, not an email, not even a letter. We sit here wondering if any of these employers are ever going to call or what happened with his application. Was it even received?

What does that say about a business or company? What does that do to a company’s image? It is crucial for businesses to remember that even when going through the hiring process, applicants are still consumers who may use their products or services, or know someone who might. Treating people poorly or with lack of respect in any capacity is just poor business. People talk and people will remember anytime something negative happens to them. Trust me, it’s not worth the risk of giving your company a black eye.

If you place an ad seeking applicants for an open position within your business, every applicant deserves a response, period. Even if it’s an automated email response that notifies the applicant that their application has been received and that someone will respond within a specified time frame.

Another suggestion is that if you have 32 applicants and you know that only four are being considered, it would be best to send a letter or email to the applicants who are not being considered that you appreciate their application and interest within your company, but that you have chosen a candidate that you feel best fits your needs at this time. Once you have chosen the applicant that fits your needs, every other applicant deserves notification that the position has been filled. You may even want to offer to keep their resume on file for future openings and offer them the option. I have found some of my best employees by going back through previous applicants and giving them a second chance.

I hired employees for one of my past employers, and I took a lot of pride in the fact that I contacted every applicant with an update on our hiring process. I had a position where more than 70 applicants applied, but I took the time to contact each one of them and it really built a strong reputation for my employer and myself and provided a glimpse of our true professionalism.

I am not sure why the rules of the game seem to have changed over the last decade, and why no one takes the time to treat each other with respect and professionalism, but everyone deserves to know where they stand, especially when they are applying for a job that will support and sustain their livelihood. Nothing is more concerning than that part of your life and the not knowing if you are being offered a job or not.

I guess I see it like this, if you have a car and you need it serviced and you call 10 different service providers and you never hear anything back from them, what does that say about their company? The same thing can be said for a business who handles the hiring of employees.

Take the time and be appreciative that someone was willing to apply for a position within your company. You will get better applicants and additional referrals when you seek future candidates.

Miss Executive-Tina