Please be patient if you've sent out resumes.

[Randi]

I am retiring at the end of Dec . The timeframe my boss is using to replace me is: advertise now, interview through Sept, start date early to mid October for plenty of training time. So you won't be hearing back right away as hard as it is to wait.

Advertisement is over; received well over 100 replies. My boss expected quite a few but even she was surprised. She is reading over each & every one of them. In addition to doing her own work.

I answer the phone & am surprised at the number of calls to see if she has received their resume. Assume that she has, neither of us has the time to check, & if we did check on yours it may just go to the bottom of the pile for taking up our time.

The ad only gave a mailing address, please do not call looking for an e-mail address. There was no indication in the ad that resumes are going to an HR dept, so my boss would have to print off e-mailed resumes in between her other work. Assume that if e-mailed resumes were going to be accepted, the address would be in the ad.

Anyway, I just wanted to give some helpful advice as I know how difficult it is to be out of work. I hope everyone will find the job they want soon. Keep sending out lots of resumes, you never know how long it will be before you hear back.

[olena]

Originally Posted by Randi

I am retiring at the end of Dec . The timeframe my boss is using to replace me is: advertise now, interview through Sept, start date early to mid October for plenty of training time. So you won't be hearing back right away as hard as it is to wait.

Advertisement is over; received well over 100 replies. My boss expected quite a few but even she was surprised. She is reading over each & every one of them. In addition to doing her own work.

I answer the phone & am surprised at the number of calls to see if she has received their resume. Assume that she has, neither of us has the time to check, & if we did check on yours it may just go to the bottom of the pile for taking up our time.

The ad only gave a mailing address, please do not call looking for an e-mail address. There was no indication in the ad that resumes are going to an HR dept, so my boss would have to print off e-mailed resumes in between her other work. Assume that if e-mailed resumes were going to be accepted, the address would be in the ad.

Anyway, I just wanted to give some helpful advice as I know how difficult it is to be out of work. I hope everyone will find the job they want soon. Keep sending out lots of resumes, you never know how long it will be before you hear back.

Over a year and counting with lots of applications and only one interview to show for it. Frustration is our daily companion.

Point well taken on the other stuff though. The only time DH has followed up on an application is when an acknowledgment letter came back affirming his application for the wrong job. A phone call cleared that up.


Congratulations on your approaching retirement....

[N&B'smom]

Good reminder! I've sent some out and I guess it shouldn't be surprising if I don't hear back right away.

[BelleWDW]

Randi-care to share what career you are retiring from?


I keep telling DH we can never afford to retire!

[Binnie]

I am the HR Manager for a small company, so I'd like to offer some advice, too!

• Follow the instructions in the ad. If the ad says not to call, dont call. If it says to apply in person, don't send an e-mail. Not following instructions may disqualify you from the position.
• If you're filling out an application, completely fill it out, and don't put "any position" when it asks what you're applying for. It sounds horrible, but I don't have time to chase down information from you to complete the application. It will go in the garbage if it is incomplete.
• If you're applying in person, dont be rude to the receptionist/security/whoever is receiving the application. I will find out, and I don't want a meanie working with us.
• If you're applying with a resume, spell and grammar check it! It shouldn't be more than a page or two, anyway, it's not that hard.

I don't mean to be mean, I know that lots of people need work, and I know they're eager, but there's only one of me, and I can only do so much at one time. I hope it helps someone to find a great gig.

[Topper]

Originally Posted by Randi

Assume that she has, neither of us has the time to check, & if we did check on yours it may just go to the bottom of the pile for taking up our time.

How gauche

[Luv2Scrap]

Originally Posted by Binnie

I am the HR Manager for a small company, so I'd like to offer some advice, too!

• Follow the instructions in the ad. If the ad says not to call, dont call. If it says to apply in person, don't send an e-mail. Not following instructions may disqualify you from the position.
• If you're filling out an application, completely fill it out, and don't put "any position" when it asks what you're applying for. It sounds horrible, but I don't have time to chase down information from you to complete the application. It will go in the garbage if it is incomplete.
• If you're applying in person, dont be rude to the receptionist/security/whoever is receiving the application. I will find out, and I don't want a meanie working with us.
• If you're applying with a resume, spell and grammar check it! It shouldn't be more than a page or two, anyway, it's not that hard.

I don't mean to be mean, I know that lots of people need work, and I know they're eager, but there's only one of me, and I can only do so much at one time. I hope it helps someone to find a great gig.

OTOH... let them go ahead and be rude to the receptionist, if they're so inclined. Now they've shown their true colors before you make the mistake of hiring them!

[Mkrop]

Originally Posted by Randi

I am retiring at the end of Dec . The timeframe my boss is using to replace me is: advertise now, interview through Sept, start date early to mid October for plenty of training time. So you won't be hearing back right away as hard as it is to wait.

Advertisement is over; received well over 100 replies. My boss expected quite a few but even she was surprised. She is reading over each & every one of them. In addition to doing her own work.

I answer the phone & am surprised at the number of calls to see if she has received their resume. Assume that she has, neither of us has the time to check, & if we did check on yours it may just go to the bottom of the pile for taking up our time. The ad only gave a mailing address, please do not call looking for an e-mail address. There was no indication in the ad that resumes are going to an HR dept, so my boss would have to print off e-mailed resumes in between her other work. Assume that if e-mailed resumes were going to be accepted, the address would be in the ad.

Anyway, I just wanted to give some helpful advice as I know how difficult it is to be out of work. I hope everyone will find the job they want soon. Keep sending out lots of resumes, you never know how long it will be before you hear back.

I am surprised by this statement bc when I was helping my DBro look for a job 2 years ago when he graduated college, most of the career sites recommended a follow up call to make sure the company received your resume.

[Luv2Scrap]

Originally Posted by Mkrop

I am surprised by this statement bc when I was helping my DBro look for a job 2 years ago when he graduated college, most of the career sites recommended a follow up call to make sure the company received your resume.

That is what I thought I was taught, too...

[disykat]

I think this is a darned if you do, darned if you don't situation. Most people say you MUST follow through or your resume will be ignored in favor of those who show more initiative, but then you risk bothering someone like in the OP.
It's hard when you know you have the ability to do the job, but know that your resume is in a stack of several hundred and they may never even glance at it.

[mamacatnv]

I see both sides of this - however as an employer who placed the ad I do feel that you assume the responsibility to somehow acknowledge that you have received the resume's.
IMO a simple postcard or even an email if applicable would suffice and would be courteous especially since like you stated this is going to be a long drawn out process.

Binnie - I agree 100% I too am in HR and if you can't give me a completed application or a resume free of spelling errors I am not even going to bother. Also, don't show up here with said documents in your flip flops and hoochie mama shirt. I am not asking for a skirt or a suit but come on people have a little respect and decency, cover your belly button ring before entering.

[underdesea]

[quote=mamacatnv;33263867]I see both sides of this - however as an employer who placed the ad I do feel that you assume the responsibility to somehow acknowledge that you have received the resume's.
IMO a simple postcard or even an email if applicable would suffice and would be courteous especially since like you stated this is going to be a long drawn out process.

QUOTE]

Exactly. Just as potential employees should show courtesy by spell-checking resumes and cover letters, following application instructions, etc., employers also should show a little common courtesy in return. I've found this to be sorely lacking in the current economy, however.

It goes without saying that a resume will not be acknowledged. Worse, I have been on interviews in which the employer has talked with me for more than an hour, given me his/her business card, even implied that I was on the short list of candidates ("I don't ask just anyone to follow up with me; you'll be hearing from me"). I have gone home feeling positive, followed up with a thank-you note and then -- nothing. I never hear from the person again.

Come on -- I've been on the hiring end; I know it's not pleasant to call a candidate you've interviewed and tell them they did not get the job. But I considered it the courteous thing to do because that person took his/her time to come in for the interview. Apparently, some employers today feel
that because they hold all the power in this economy, they don't need to show basic decency or courtesy. It's discouraging, and also a sad statement about the companies/interviewers themselves.

[DisneyBlonde]

Two years and two months of looking. 819 applications. Several interviews, but only a very small percentage given the number of applications. I've been patient.

[bumbershoot]

Originally Posted by Luv2Scrap

That is what I thought I was taught, too...

It's what everyone suggests, and has been since I was applying for even the most simple positions in the '80s.

Originally Posted by mamacatnv

...I do feel that you assume the responsibility to somehow acknowledge that you have received the resume's.
IMO a simple postcard or even an email if applicable would suffice and would be courteous especially since like you stated this is going to be a long drawn out process.

I agree.

This timeframe seems pretty long, compared to all the jobs hubby was applying for for 3 months. Everyone had immediate needs, and while they could wait around for the best person (or who they thought was the best person, in one case, but it turned out they'd misunderstood something about hubby and had higher-up pressure to hire some other guy...and 2 people have quit the team b/c of the guy they did hire), the timeframe was much quicker than 2 months.

Since your company is bucking two trends (not allowing people to follow-up and having such a long time-frame), it would really be good of you to acknowledge that to the people applying.

Also, don't dump the "lesser" resumes. If the people that you consider are best for the job are really good, they might be snagged by other employers before October, and if you've dumped the other resumes you'll have to start over again.

[kaytieeldr]

Originally Posted by Binnie

Follow the instructions in the ad. If the ad says not to call, dont call. If it says to apply in person, don't send an e-mail. Not following instructions may disqualify you from the position.

Excellent point. It shows the prospective employer you have difficulty (either by choice or by nature) taking direction or comprehending.

Originally Posted by undersea

Come on -- I've been on the hiring end; I know it's not pleasant to call a candidate you've interviewed and tell them they did not get the job. But I considered it the courteous thing to do because that person took his/her time to come in for the interview

I've gotten the occasional e-mail, and one postcard and one letter indicating the position had been filled; and two stating my qualifications didn't match the position. And a couple of immediate-response e-mails stated that they would let me know in X days if they were going to follow through. But I'd applied for a lot more than just the dozen or so positions that offered some - even negative - response.