Applications have come a long way... Yet, somehow, the process sucks even more
There are times in life when something “new” is a good thing. Everyone likes a new car, even if they don’t like the payments or the increases in insurance. Just about everyone like a new puppy. What’s not to like? Well, lots of things actually, but still… It’s a puppy. You know you like it. With that being said, there are times when “new” doesn’t translate to better. A new wallet isn’t always a good thing. You like your old wallet. It fits your life just as you need it. Not to mention the whole concept of paying for a place to carry your money. Look at the raving success that was New Coke. Nobody liked that. If you are saying to yourself, “Hey! I liked New Coke!”… No you didn’t. New Coke was awful and you know it. Its lack of success was so awful that it will forever be known as the measure of how bad something ‘New’ can be. With that being the case, lets discuss the awfulness that surrounds the ‘new’ way of applying for jobs.
As I get closer and closer to graduation day (Woohoo!), I’ve been getting more and more active in trying to find a job. As such, that means that I’ve actually had to send my resume and, in some cases, excessively lengthy applications to prospective employers. While, the process of applying for jobs hasn’t really changed much over the year, the medium in which the application occurs has. Long gone are the days of physically hand writing an application, or mailing your resume to a company in hopes of a response. Gone also are the days when a company was required to send you a response to an application; good, bad, or indifferent. With the new methods of applying for jobs, the act of responding to an application has become an automated process rather than a simple, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Throughout my adventures of applying for jobs, I’ve received my fair share of those emails, and nothing is fun about them. But, I still enjoy getting them. Maybe ‘enjoy’ is the wrong word, since, after all, it’s still a rejection letter. I think the right word would be ‘thankful’ or maybe even ‘grateful’ if not for the content, but for the actual response.
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that it’s becoming more popular for a company to just say, “Thanks for the application, we’ll contact you if we think you’re worthy.” Maybe not in those words, but you get the idea. While this may be a good enough response for the company and sufficient enough for some—especially those looking for jobs when they already have one—it can prove to be treacherous for those trying to make a career/life move based on the applications submitted (such as myself). The problem is that when you apply for a job, you (in theory) want that job. As such, you should be privy to a decision or a timeline as to when you should be hearing back from the company to know whether or not that opportunity has closed. Realistically, I know that for some companies—especially with the advent of the online application process—it can be difficult to evaluate the multitude of applications they receive on a daily basis. But, not every company is a Google or Apple and should be able to review—or at the very least forward—the application package to the hiring manager or review team. I know this is a rather stupid gripe to have, and it’s not really a gripe… Think of it more as an declaration of distaste in the new way of applying for jobs.
Either way, I just wish companies would realize that there are human beings on the other side of the application, and some of us still appreciate being told if we have a shot or not. Oh well… back to the hunt!
-C.