One of the reasons people can't find employment....

bugslet

mattcanary wrote: »

You can advertise in different places, and can make applicants apply in specific ways.

I'd be happy if people applying just fulfilled the criteria in the JD. So many are eliminated for that simple reason.

cavework

'A lot are from non relevant industries, barwork, cleaners etc'
I stopped reading after this .........

Caroline_a

I have seen a lot of 'interesting' CVs, including some sent from many many miles away! However, being on the hunt for a new job has also opened my eyes to some very 'interesting' recruitment practises! In looking for a job as a PA, I've encountered a company who will only look at graduates with a 1st, one who would only look at candidates who had at least 5 years as a paralegal (as well as senior EA/PA experience), another that wouldn't interview anyone who had any other job title than EA ..... makes it harder for us mortals!

mattcanary

Lamentation wrote: »

My immediate colleagues sift formal applications for admin assistant positions which often attract 150 applicants.

They say only a minority of really poor ones can be put down to JSA tick-boxing where someone is clearly not currently in employment and will write something terrible on their supporting statement like 'I'd really like this job' and nothing else.

They say that it appears that many applicants simply don't know that the sifters will count up how many of the essential and desirable criteria they meet and interview those who meet the highest. That's despite guidance on the application process that instructs that the applicants should do precisely this - provide specific examples of how they meet the criteria listed in the job description.

My colleagues say that there are many applicants who seem very qualified and experienced to do the role but sadly haven't shaped their supporting statement around the job description to prove they meet each essential and desirable criteria, that the applicants supporting statement waffles, that they probably meet more of the criteria in their real life experience than they have entered on their application form. Sifters cannot fill in the gaps - it is either met in the supporting statement or not.

When I apply for jobs, I tailor my supporting statement in the exact way that the job description lists the essential/desirable criteria, responding in the same order that it is listed and actually putting capitalised headers for each criteria in the JD and then provide brief but specific evidence that I fulfil it. At a glance, someone sifting it can check off that I meet everything without having to hunt through a page or two of cut and paste narrative.

My colleagues feel that it is ignorance about how to complete applications properly that trips up the applicants.

Having said that, they say that quite routinely around half of the people they interview perform terribly and a large minority invited to interview often withdraw at short notice or simply don't turn up.

In the role that I gained, they had to advertise it 3 times (the successful candidates of the first two rounds both accepted the position, then withdrew before they started). My colleagues received around 450 applications in total over those 3 recruitment periods, interviewed around 25 candidates (everyone who met all the criteria on the job description).

That basically means around 90% of candidates who applied didn't prove they met the criteria on the JD. Obviously, many would have met the essential criteria and were unlucky that they didn't meet all the desirable ones, as there were so many that met all 10, they were the candidates that were interviewed.

If your colleagues are able to tell this from their application, then the application is not that bad. Combining that into why they want the specific job, must be enough surely?

Otherwise the process is just bureaucratic nonsense

mattcanary

Caroline_a wrote: »

I have seen a lot of 'interesting' CVs, including some sent from many many miles away! However, being on the hunt for a new job has also opened my eyes to some very 'interesting' recruitment practises! In looking for a job as a PA, I've encountered a company who will only look at graduates with a 1st, one who would only look at candidates who had at least 5 years as a paralegal (as well as senior EA/PA experience), another that wouldn't interview anyone who had any other job title than EA ..... makes it harder for us mortals!

And then companies say they find it difficult to recruit staff!

No wonder when they put ridiculous barriers in the way of people applying!

TyreLever

pioneer22 wrote: »

So I am on the interview panel for a role where I work, and I've asked HR for the CV's we've had so far. Just a standard PA/Admin role.

Wow, do people not realise the indeed format for CV's is terrible, and just some of the basics are wrong, spelling, Format, content, cover letters are for other jobs.

I appreciate people are looking for jobs we've had about 200 people apply. A lot are from non relevant industries, barwork, cleaners etc. Which is fine people want to move around but there is literally nothing to say why they want the job and what transferable skills.

One of the guys in HR said when they rung one of the candidates they said "whose this, I've applied for so many jobs" At least pretend you know which job it is!!

Incredibly frustrating.

Holy !!!! that was probably me! Due to the high volume of rejections, I fire off an application and then forget about it, rather than wait to find out if I get it or not. I would go insane if I job hunt any other way.
While I did use indeed, I used my own CV and for jobs I was particularly interested in, my own cover letter. Most jobs are min wage so I usually didnt bother with a cover note anyway.
I now have a permanent job on a living wage, only took me about 10 years for someone to actually accept im not a complete !!!!!!.

System

pioneer22 wrote: »

That's why there's a "do you need any adjustments to attend interview" section so that doesn't happen.

How many people fill that out though? Can't actually remember if there was one when i applied for current job but if there was i didn't dare say anything. I was scared if i put i needed adjustments i simply wouldn't get the job Plus after being out of work for 3 1/2 years i didn't know what adjustments i needed until i was back in work and knew what they were.

Masomnia

TyreLever wrote: »

Holy !!!! that was probably me! Due to the high volume of rejections, I fire off an application and then forget about it, rather than wait to find out if I get it or not. I would go insane if I job hunt any other way.
While I did use indeed, I used my own CV and for jobs I was particularly interested in, my own cover letter. Most jobs are min wage so I usually didnt bother with a cover note anyway.
I now have a permanent job on a living wage, only took me about 10 years for someone to actually accept im not a complete !!!!!!.

Same, last time I was unemployed I was applying for dozens of jobs with the same title, and they don't tell you who the company you're applying to is...

I've been screening CVs recently and to be honest I wouldn't spend too long tailoring it for a position. I see quite a lot that I'm sure could do the job but I know that our clients will reject them for something that to the candidate is a selling point... so out they go even their CV is perfectly good. You do see the odd one who says in their profile that they want to be a carpet fitter or whatever and they're applying for an admin role - obviously that's no good!

nmr1991

they say anyone can get a job in Mcdonalds or KFC but what they don't tell you is you need to have a high level of hygiene, excellent communication skills, always smiling and pass the impossible online test

From experience, I cannot possibly be employed in these areas:

Supermarkets = intensive roleplay exercises (social anxiety) and group work which I have a history of failing at

Office = office politics (can't hold conversations, reserved person, stammer)

Warehouse = physically unfit, no car -> no shift work, noisy environment (sensory overload)

Catering = poor hygiene, unfit to care for elderly, anxiety breakdowns from dealing with people

jbond

TELLIT01 wrote: »

It's likely that many of the applications you are receiving, particularly those with no relevant experience and/or wrong cover letter, have come from people claiming JSA who have to apply for x number of jobs a week to ensure their benefit isn't suspended. There don't seem to be any checks on what jobs have been applied for, just the number. A standard DWP tick box exercise.

I think this is one of the best comments on here!
People on JSA are running an extremely high risk of being sanctioned, but also have to apply for a certain number of jobs a week. I'd bet that a large number of employers don't realise or perhaps care about exactly what strain job seekers are under.
In the past, I had to apply for jobs I wasn't interested in, but felt pressured to apply bcos of DWP pressures.
I'm not saying that this is always the excuse, but it's definitely worth bearing in mind!