Why employers don't reply to your CV's & letters...

[Clars1909]

I tried that mail shot thing with my cv about 6 years ago. It went to any financial company in Limerick that looked even vaguely suitable for the type of work I am experienced in. It was about 40-50 pieces of mail, and I researched and rang around to get the correct contact name to address each one to. I got eight replies, and one of them even complimented and waxed lyrical about my beautifully worded application letter. Still didn't result in any job offers though!

 

[Complainer]

Reasonable has nothing to do with it. Its simply not worth the effort and most places wouldn't have the resources to do it. The public sector shouldn't be wasting resources on it either.

The resources involved are minimal. It simply means noting a couple of lines per candidate in a spreadsheet. The smart employer could just include these lines in the mail-merge response letter, so candidates get the information and don't have to bother making a request.

The discipline of having to think through these few lines will help to ensure that those doing the shortlisting will get their thoughts clear.

 

[AlbacoreA]

Replying to a 100 or 200 CV's is still not worth the effort. Its job you don't have to do.

 

[bond-007]

But think of the poor jobseeker who is having to satisfy the cynical dole inspector that he is looking for work.
"where are your rejection letters Mr. Byrne?"
"I don't have any. No one replied to my many applications."
"Oh dear Mr. Byrne, I am afraid I will have to suspend your benefit".

 

[z103]

The resources involved are minimal. It simply means noting a couple of lines per candidate in a spreadsheet. The smart employer could just include these lines in the mail-merge response letter, so candidates get the information and don't have to bother making a request.

It'd probably take at least three hours to set this up. Think of a letter, set up a mail merge and spreadsheet. Then print the letters, put them in envelopes, stamp them (more money) and bring them to the post box. Easily half a working day for someone.
How much do you get paid a day, gross? - would you be willing to flush half this money down the toilet?

We don't even post invoices to customers unless they specifically ask, because of cost.

 

[Complainer]

It'd probably take at least three hours to set this up. Think of a letter, set up a mail merge and spreadsheet. Then print the letters, put them in envelopes, stamp them (more money) and bring them to the post box. Easily half a working day for someone.
How much do you get paid a day, gross? - would you be willing to flush half this money down the toilet?

Have you heard of the new and emerging technology called 'email'?

 

[geecee]

We recently advertised a position in my dept (IT related) for which i received 89 CVs

The vast majority of these were unsuitable:

-Business graduates applying for an IT postition
-Senior engineers applying for what was advertised as a very junior position
-People without valid working permits
-People not even in the country and willing to relocate
-IT graduates looking for 45K+ etc etc

At least half the respondents didn't answer one of the 3 key questions that i asked:
"What are your current Salary expectations"
Answer =Market rate, Negotiable, no answer etc etc

Sorry but i don't think its my problem to reply to most of these people... if they havn't read the job spec and have wasted my time getting me to read their cover letters and CV, why should i waste any further time on them?

Similarly neither should anybody else in the office have to do it...

The worst one was the guy who mailed:
-HR first with his CV
-Then Mailed me less than a week later
-And then mail my boss demanding to know why we hadn't called him to interview!

Needless to say he won't be getting the job!

 

[Purple]

The resources involved are minimal. It simply means noting a couple of lines per candidate in a spreadsheet. The smart employer could just include these lines in the mail-merge response letter, so candidates get the information and don't have to bother making a request.

The discipline of having to think through these few lines will help to ensure that those doing the shortlisting will get their thoughts clear.

I would guess it would require minimal resources where you work (and indeed where I work) but most SME’s don’t have an IT department and many don’t have someone who knows how to set up a mail merge (or even a spread sheet). Look at the wider picture.

 

[Caveat]

We have had similar experiences geecee and adopt a similar attitude.

 

[Yorrick]

A sign of the times.
What goes round comes round.
I know a person who was sitting on an Interview Board in 1997/1998 for Civil Service and Public Service positions.
He said it was a daily occurrence for applicants not to turn up for interviews and not inform the Interview Board.
Many of these applicants went for so called well paid jobs in the priviate sector.

 

[DubShelley]

A sign of the times.
What goes round comes round.
I know a person who was sitting on an Interview Board in 1997/1998 for Civil Service and Public Service positions.
He said it was a daily occurrence for applicants not to turn up for interviews and not inform the Interview Board.
Many of these applicants went for so called well paid jobs in the priviate sector.

I was responsible for recruitment in my last job and we would get at least 10+ CV's posted & emailed into us daily - even when we didn't have any suitable positions open to them. There is not a chance I would answer 50+ applications, particularly if there weren't even a job advertised.

Anyone who says the time involved is minimal obviously has not worked in recruitment at this level before! Even if it only takes 2 or 3 mins to reply to an email, this all adds up when you are constantly receiving these applications!!!

 

[bond-007]

Would you entertain calls from dole inspectors asking if Mr. X applied to your company?

I currently know of one inspector that is phoning employers asking if people have applied to them.

How hard is a 2 line thanks but no thanks email to send. It would save more hassle in the long term.

 

[callybags]

Would you entertain calls from dole inspectors asking if Mr. X applied to your company?

I currently know of one inspector that is phoning employers asking if people have applied to them.

How hard is a 2 line thanks but no thanks email to send. It would save more hassle in the long term.

I agree. It is only common courtesy to send a quick response seeing as the applicant has gone to the trouble of showing interest in working for your company.

 

[Caveat]

...common courtesy to send a quick response seeing as the applicant has gone to the trouble of showing interest in working for your company.

Common courtesy?

We regularly get emailed, badly worded "applications" for jobs that do not exist from people with completely irrelevant backgrounds who then follow up their email a couple of days later demanding to know why we have not responded - I wouldn't call that a courteous approach, it's just sloppy, unprofessional and rude IMO. To hell with those kinds of people - life is too short and they never get responses from us.

For actual advertised jobs - we always respond.

For speculative applications we would generally respond if the applicant would have been appropriate - I think that's enough.

 

[AlbacoreA]

If your not getting responses thats a message in itself.

The days of hand holding are gone.

 

[Complainer]

I
Anyone who says the time involved is minimal obviously has not worked in recruitment at this level before! Even if it only takes 2 or 3 mins to reply to an email, this all adds up when you are constantly receiving these applications!!!

2-3 seconds per email, more like. MS Outlook users can set up a standard signature to contain an appropriate response (maybe telling the applications that you don't accept speculative applications), and then it takes four keystrokes to reply to any email choosing that signature. It doesn't take an IT dept, or a technical genius, just someone who is prepared to use the technology at their fingertips. I'm frequently amazed at how many of those who claim to "no good at 'puters" don't seem to have any difficulty booking their Ryanair tickets online.

Common courtesy?

We regularly get emailed, badly worded "applications" for jobs that do not exist from people with completely irrelevant backgrounds who then follow up their email a couple of days later demanding to know why we have not responded - I wouldn't call that a courteous approach, it's just sloppy, unprofessional and rude IMO. To hell with those kinds of people - life is too short and they never get responses from us.

For actual advertised jobs - we always respond.

For speculative applications we would generally respond if the applicant would have been appropriate - I think that's enough.

I can understand that it would be frustrating to have to respond to large numbers of speculative applications, though I'd guess there will be more and more of those applications as the economy worsens. It is probably safest for all concerned if an immediate 'no thanks' response is sent and the application is deleted. This avoids any data protection or confidentiality issues.

The days of hand holding are gone.

It's not hand-holding, just simple good manners. Saying 'thanks' to a customer takes a few seconds too, but let's not use the credit crunch as an excuse to be rude.

 

[AlbacoreA]

...It's not hand-holding, just simple good manners. Saying 'thanks' to a customer takes a few seconds too, but let's not use the credit crunch as an excuse to be rude.

Lets blame everything on the credit crunch

Its got nothing to do with the credit crunch. Its been like this for decades. Its the norm not to reply unless your shortlisted or its a very senior position. Unless you are going into to detail, a stock reply isn't worth a fig. If someone is interested in you, they'll get back to you. If they aren't they won't. If someone can't take that simple message, they definately don't want you. Theres enough spam and junk mail (including email) without adding 400 PFO letters to your carbon footprint. Don't call us we'll call you, is exactly what it means.

 

[Complainer]

Its got nothing to do with the credit crunch. Its been like this for decades. Its the norm not to reply unless your shortlisted or its a very senior position.

Not in my experience. I've always got some response/acknowledgement/PFO any time I've applied for a job.

Unless you are going into to detail, a stock reply isn't worth a fig.

Wrong. It has value for both the applicant and the employer. It tells the applicant that the application has been received and declined. No doubt, no wondering. It brings clarity. For the employer, it reduces the likelihood of further queries, particularly if it gives some explanation as to why it was declined.

 

[bond-007]

It also keeps your local neighbourhood dole office happy too.

 

[conan doyle]

Just been reading your reply to cleaverclogs7 and I just want to say thanks for the tips. I've been sending C.Vs like some one possesed over the last few months and getting little or no repies. Im going to to try to get a contact name next time and hope this will help. It can be soul destroying to get no feed back so heres hoping and thanks again