The age of hiring badly 

When I worked in corporate security I saw hopeful workers line up starting at 4 a.m. for day jobs at a steel plant. The floor boss would walk the line at 7 selecting however many he needed. I never knew his criteria but he covered the gamut of age, race, body type and grooming practices. When he gave a man a nod the selected worker jogged into the office, signed a day-wage form and checked out gloves and a hard hat. Today, walk into many national chain stores and they refer you to their Web site. You must first apply online, set up your application account, establish a user name and password, type in pages of information including every school you have attended and job you have held, and then try and load your resume and a “cover” letter. Funny, the letter no longer “covers” anything – a term now beyond its prime.

Many independent organizations allow you to simply e-mail your materials to them, attaching your letter and resume, references, certificates, and sometimes your transcripts. Their Human Resources department manages the flow and establishes packets for the reviewers.

All of this is well and good, except for what happens next. With many organizations, too many to my mind, you will never, ever hear from them again. There seems to be a trend toward non-notification of the non-interviewed applicant. That is poor form, pure and simple, and it speaks loudly and poorly of the culture of the organization.

I know there can be a volume problem – too little HR staffing and too many applicants. Too bad. If you cannot manage with dignity the applications of good people who apply for a job you posted then you should not run the search. Some organizations even state on the job notice that due to the number of applications they receive non-finalists will not be contacted. The “volume” there is loud and clear how little they care for the people they do hire.

Organizations who value people, their “human resources” find a way to say “no thanks.” I’ve collected some of these over the years, including a letter from Montana State University, saying “out of respect for your time and effort, you will receive notice … if you are no longer considered.” I received such a letter, was disappointed, but greatly respected MSU for their practices.

Boise City uses an online hiring process, and they don’t send out notices – the applicant must log in daily until one day the word “Reject” appears in their “status.” Yet stalwart Idaho Power sends new applicants an email stating, among other things, “All candidates will be notified, either in writing or via phone, whether or not they will be interviewed.” That is very nicely done and speaks to their organizational culture.

All applications have to be logged in anyway, and EEOC data collected. A simple “form” e-mail message letting applicants know that they are no longer in consideration is not a lot to ask. At least at the steel company as you stood in line you knew if you did not make the cut as the floor boss walked past, completed his selection and said to the rest “men, I can’t use you today, thank you,” a process far better than some 2008 corporations and government agencies.

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