Dear HR People;

Have you ever been unemployed?  Do you know what it is like to apply for a job?  Have you ever had to go through the process, and get excited about the opportunity- only to have your hopes slashed with no explanation?  Some say it's a process that you could benefit from:

From http://qualigence.com/infographic-recruiters-wake-up/

I would like to share with you a few of my experiences in hopes that you may learn how to think of the job application process from the other side of the interview table (actually, it is more accurate to say, the other side of the computer monitor).

First, if your company is large enough that it uses a recruiting software, please read my post about Taleo.  If you need more proof, look through the Google search results for "Taleo sucks."  Please note that there are a number of people, I mean "qualified candidates" in your terminology, who are saying they will not apply for a job if they have to use it.

The #1 complaint of job seekers is lack of response.  No matter the method of application, I never expect a response.  Never.  There is definitely a "keep your expectations low and you won't be disappointed" philosophy here.  I have a lot of history to support this philosophy.  I even get excited if I get a form email back, "Thank you for your recent application.  Due to the high number of applicants we will only contact you if...."  The automatic form email response should be the very least that a job applicant receives.  But there must be a better way.  There must be.

In an ideal world where there is no fear of litigation, as soon as my application has been rejected, I would receive a notification with explanation (how can I as an applicant learn how to improve without this information?).  If my application is being reviewed, I would also receive notification.  Since we're in an ideal world, this would all happen in a reasonable time frame, too.  Please don't leave us hanging.

Thank you for your consideration into these matters.  I know you want to find the right person for the job.  We're out there.  We are ready, willing, and excited to make some amazing contributions to your company.  But we're getting just a tad bit frustrated at the process because there seems to be some big cracks that we're falling through while trying to get through it.

Sincerely,

A Job Seeker

Unemployment Strikes Again

My five readers (thanks to everyone who peruses these pages!) may have noticed that it has been over a year since I have posted in this lovely blog.  There's a good reason for that.  I was working (!).  But, alas, I am no longer (?!?).  How did this turn of events come to be?

First, refresh yourself with this lovely piece from December, 2011.  No, I didn't get that job (but now I know who did!).  "Emma" eventually called me to give me the bad news.  At the same time, she asked if I was available for helping out with a couple little projects she had coming up.  A few days here, a week there.  Of course I'm available!  What else am I going to do?

My first day of work at Company I was Thursday, January 5, 2012.  I was tasked with what was described as a week-long data entry project.  One-and-a-half days later, I completed the "week-long" project.  Easy peasy.  I was a lab analyst.  I can do data entry in my sleep.

When I told Emma I was finished with the project, she found something else for me to do.  And when I finished that, she found me another thing to do.  This continued for several months.  I took notes at meetings, measured samples, all kinds of data entry, much-needed organization of stuff, unpacked samples, sent out wear test garments, and anything else I could do to help out the Product Development team.  I had not signed a contract and did not have any feedback about my staying-power.  I  just kept filling out time cards and they kept paying me.

Eventually I was assigned a desk.  Desks are good!  And then they gave me a computer for my desk.  Even better!  Then I got an email address.  Yahoo!  You don't give someone an email address unless you think they're going to be staying around for awhile and needing to use it.

Then something magical happened.  One of the Product Developers was being taken out of her normal role so that she could be a Super User for the new Product Line Management (PLM) system.  Company I started advertising for a six-month contract Product Developer.  That was the good news for me!  I didn't get too excited, though, because the advertisement required candidates to have 3-5 years experience.  Here's how the conversation went with my boss:

"I saw that you're looking for a Product Developer to take over for Lacey while she's working on PLM."

"Yes, we are.  You should apply."

"But I noticed that you were looking for someone with 3-5 years experience.  I don't have that."

"Yes, but you should apply."

I went home with a giant smiled on my face and applied for the job that night.

I honestly think the happiest day of my life was the day my boss pulled me aside to tell me that I was going to be offered the six-month Product Developer position.  She raved about the work I had been doing and my ability to build trust within the team so quickly.  She told me that they interviewed other candidates who did have the required 3-5 years experience, but she didn't think any of them would do as fabulous of a job as I could.  My insides were dancing for at least a week after that.

I put my all into that job.  I loved it.  The work was exactly what I wanted to do.  I loved the company and everyone I was working with.  Every day I went to work I walked in the door with excitement for the day.  

And then something happened that gave me a lot of hope.  Lacey, the PLM Super User (and whose job I was covering) decided to leave Company I.  I had another very promising conversation with my boss that led me to believe that there were possibly some very exciting opportunities for me within the company.  I felt like I had finally found my nitch in the world.  Finally I was doing the work I was meant to do and I loved it.

It turns out I was counting my chickens before they hatched.  It turns out they wanted to hire someone else for the permanent position, someone I had been working with- another contractor who had been working with the Product Development team on a completely different project.  He has more experience than I in one very particular thing and they decided they wanted that experience.  They do have someone on the staff who has this one very particular thing as her job, but no one else.  They decided this guy would be able to provide support for this particular thing and so they offered him the job.  Naturally he accepted.

They didn't kick me to the curb immediately, but allowed me to hang on for two more months (a contract extension) while Mr. Superior-to-Me transitioned into the new job and I could help them do data entry getting this new PLM system set up.  This was a miserable two months.

I had to work with the guy who stole my job for two months.

My last day of work was December 21, as in the Friday before the Christmas holiday.  Merry Christmas to me.  It was a horrible day.

And so now I am unemployed again.  And wondering again, why does this have to be so hard?