There is a saying, "It's easier to find a job when you have a job." It turns out that in today's job market, this cliche is ringing louder and clearer than ever before.
This is a huge problem for unemployed folk such as myself, and the problem is only getting worse. {Cue doomsday music.}
One of the reasons behind this phenomenon is that employers are becoming increasingly prejudiced against unemployed candidates. Some have even stated in the job advertisement that they will not accept applications from the unemployed no matter the reason. (Great article on that here- the comments are a rather interesting read as well.)
Another reason, and the focus of my tirade today, is the increased reliance on the internal candidate. According to this article (which references a Wall Street Journal article that I can't find), in 2010, 47% of all new hires were internal candidates. And this trend is only gaining in popularity.
HR people LOVE internal candidates! They're cheaper and easier to recruit. They improve morale at the company. You don't have to pay them as much. Sounds like a win/win, doesn't it?
Not so fast. I've been burned by this internal candidate phenomena. The scar tissue hasn't healed yet. Here's my story:
While I was still employed at my last job (so being unemployed was not yet one of my problems), I saw an advertisement for a great opening-level-type position at a company whose product I am totally gaga over. You could not fake my enthusiasm over this company and the position was really great, too. Super extra bonus- I know someone who works there already!
I sent my contact an email inquiring about the job. Her response, "you would be a fantastic fit for this position." I'm golden! She gave me the name of the HR person, so I bypassed the generic "apply@company.com" as posted on the advertisement and went straight to the right person.
Then came the phone interview. I am starting to get really super extra excited about this. Then came the in-person interview. I am extra super encouraged. My enthusiasm showed through. They appeared very receptive to my answers to their questions. It seemed like the best thing ever. The feedback from my contact was very positive, as was the feedback from another contact who had been employed at the company for a long time and stayed in touch with them.
I could not be more excited about this opportunity. Everyone I talked to agreed, "oh, that is so perfect for you." And it was... or so I thought.
Fast forward to my last week of employment. My self-esteem was already wavering on unhealthy low levels, which is what happens when you spend two months working with the guy who stole your job and you've been steadily watching him being phased into your job while you are being not-so-gently phased out.
It's Tuesday. I had barely warmed up my seat that morning when I see a new email on my personal account. It's the super fantastic company I'm super excited about working for. It was one of those dreaded, "we decided to move forward with another candidate" emails.
I spent a good day-and-a-half bawling my eyes out.
I learned later from both my contacts that the position went to an internal candidate. Both contacts told me that the intent from the start was for this internal person to get the job.
I do not know why they advertised the position to the public if the job was intended to stay internal. I do know that I spent a lot time, energy, excitement, and eventually tears going through the process. The company also spent some time and energy getting to know me as a candidate. I also know that I would have been a great employee. They missed out on a great opportunity to hire someone who had enthusiasm and love to spare for their product line and would have showed it every day with passion for their work.
In the end, they decided the internal candidate was more valuable than the enthusiastic one. And so here I sit, much less enthusiastic and a little more bitter... and unemployed.
The perils of unemployment
Showing posts with label applicant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label applicant. Show all posts
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
How did the Interview Go?
As a job seeker, one of the questions I hate to get asked is, "How did the interview go?" The only question I hate more is, "So, how's the job hunt going?"- but that's a story for another day.
I went on an interview yesterday! Therefore, I've been hearing the dreaded question quite a bit. The reason this drives me crazy is two-fold. First of all, I must be a bad judge about interviews. I've gotten jobs from interviews that I've only felt so-so about. And I've had interviews that I felt really good about, but the job went to someone else. Secondly, it's not for me to decide if the interview went well or not. That's a decision for whomever is sitting on the other side of the table.
That being said, this is how the interview went (in summary)...
I went on an interview yesterday! Therefore, I've been hearing the dreaded question quite a bit. The reason this drives me crazy is two-fold. First of all, I must be a bad judge about interviews. I've gotten jobs from interviews that I've only felt so-so about. And I've had interviews that I felt really good about, but the job went to someone else. Secondly, it's not for me to decide if the interview went well or not. That's a decision for whomever is sitting on the other side of the table.
That being said, this is how the interview went (in summary)...
- They asked me to arrive 15 minutes early and I was exactly on the nose 15 minutes early. Actually, I was more like 40 minutes early. I sat in my car and read through all my notes before walking in the door exactly 15 minutes before the interview was supposed to start.
- When I signed in at the front desk, I noticed that the person who had signed in before me had done so 2 weeks ago... and I recognized her name. We went to school together at the Art Institute. Is she my competition? I start to panic because I know she's super nice and hard-working and good. But then again- that was two weeks ago! My mind is racing... Calm down calm down calm down.
- I sit in the chairs by the front desk and wait and wait and wait. The woman at the front desk can see me and I imagine that my interview has already started. Those front desk people have a lot of power, you know. I sit very quietly and smile when people pass and stare intently at the giant poster on the wall that gives a year-by-year synopsis of the company's successes.
- Finally! I'm greeted by one of my interviewers and ushered into the conference room. There are three people on the interview panel. They introduce themselves and tell me the structure of the interview: They talk about the job, I talk about my resume, they ask me questions.
- Their description of the job tells me that this is some place where the skills from my first career as a lab analyst may be appreciated! That is not always the case. I highlight my scientific and analytic skills and I get to talk about working with color. I show my portfolio paying special attention to the color stories.
- Questions they asked- When did I disagree with a decision from a higher-up and how did I handle it? An example of a time when I was called out on a work-realted problem and how did I handle it? What process do I use to learn new tasks or take on new responsibilities? What strength would I bring to the role? For the first question in this list, I talked about a time very early on in my internship (as in the first week!) when I was asked to double-check someone's lab dip results and I disagreed with her analysis of one color. She said the red was too dark compared to the color standard, but I found it to be a perfect match under every single light condition. I was very nervous about bringing it to her attention but she agreed with me, told me she didn't trust her eyes, and changed her results. By the end of the internship, I was running lab dips without assistance. One of my interviewers said, "That's a great example."
- At the end of the interview they gave me four diffeerent sets of embroidery samples. Each set included three different samples with the same logo placed on the same colored fabric. Each sample in the set had a different color scheme for the logo. They asked me to go through each set and talk about my favorite and my decision process. One of the sets was a pale yellow fabric. The obvious "loser" from this set was embroidered with thread the color of baby poop. I called it as I saw it and they laughed.
- I asked two questions, "I noticed that this organization is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the big giant parent company {Of course, I used the actual names of the companies when I asked the question.} What does that mean in terms of culture or other differences?" and "Can you tell me how this job is evaluated and what is expected for this role in the first 30 days or 60 days?" After I asked the second question, the manager said, "That's a great question!"
- The interview ended exactly one hour after it started. I was ushered out of the conference room. When I was about halfway through the front door I remembered that I needed to sign out. I turn around and walked up to the reception desk. I said to the woman at the desk, "oh, I almost forgot to sign out!" I look up to see if there's a clock but all I see is her grinning back at me with a look almost like, "Ha-ha! They'll hear about this! Gotcha!" There was no clock so I had to ask her for the time. Her silly grin greeted me in return. She delayed the tiniest bit- just to torture me a little bit more, I'm sure- before looking at her computer and giving me the time. I thanked her and left.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Interview Stories
It seems like there are a lot of interview horror stories out there about the interviewee. You've heard the stories- poorly dressed applicants, rude behavior, awkward bodily functions, bad question responses... I think these stories are supposed to make us job seekers feel better about ourselves after bombing an interview, or they are meant to be a wake-up call to the poorly dressed, rude, farting, and unprepared. If you would like some good ones:
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/businesscareers/2159.html
There are also some really good stories out there from the other side of the desk:
http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-funny-or-strange-interview-stories
http://www.snagajob.com/job-interview/funny-interview-stories.aspx
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/job-interview-horror-stories/story?id=8940390#.TrROabKipiN
We Decided You're Overqualified
My worst interview was for a job I never applied for. The ad I responded to was from a scientific company that made HPLC columns (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography- I do have a chemistry degree after all). They were looking for a stockroom assistant. I did not have aspirations of being the next Einstein (in fact, I had yet to figure out what I wanted to do with my life) so this job seemed like it would be a good way for me to stay current in the scientific world while I figured out what I really wanted to do.
The company called me right away to schedule the interview. I came prepared with my resume and a list of questions specifically related to the position of stockroom assistant. When I showed up for the interview, they showed me where the stockroom was, then said, "we couldn't understand why you applied for this position as a stockroom assistant. We decided you are overqualified for this position, but we're interviewing you today to see if you would be a good fit with one of our research and development teams."
Um... OK... You see the specialty of my studies was physical chemistry- quantum mechanics. Organic chemistry, an understanding of which is extremely important for HPLC, was my least favorite subject ever.
So the nice people at this HPLC column company decided to put me through a day-long interview where I was grilled one-on-one with each of their PhD research chemists on HPLC. It was like a graduate level final exam on HPLC six-times over with six different exam practitioners in one day. Needless to say, I failed each one. At least I got a free lunch out of the deal, where I got to meet other random members of the R&D teams. They were probably wondering why I hadn't applied to the stockroom assistant position.
There was one other time I was interviewed for a position to which I did not apply. In this case I was qualified for the position, but it was not the kind of work I was really hoping to do. I think they sensed this at the interview and I never heard from the company again. Special note to HR people- if you think a candidate is a better fit for a different position in the company, PLEASE talk to that person. Tell them about the different position, explain to them why you are considering them. Ask them if they would like to be interviewed for the position. It can be a waste of time for everyone involved if you make a bad assumption.
I Think You Would Be Bored
Speaking of making assumptions... I worry that my education and work history in the physical sciences are intimidating to potential employers. When I graduated from the Art Institute, I thought my history would be an advantage. I expected that employers would say, "Wow! Here is someone who is both creative and technical. We need to get her on board now!" My experience, however, has been completely the opposite.
Not long after graduating from the Art Institute, I interviewed with a company known for their children's wear. The position was Product Development Administrative Assistant. They were basically looking for someone to handle all the shipping and receiving for the product development team, and provide other assistance as needed (like spec measurements). I saw it as a foot in the door, even though it is a small company with low turnover.
The HR Assistant called me for the first interview. She was very nice and friendly and seemed impressed by my background. She scheduled me right away for an in-person interview with the Product Development manager.
The Product Development manager also noted my background, but in a much more negative way. I had to defend myself during the interview against her allegations that I would be bored with the position. That was pretty much the whole interview, from my recollection. However, I didn't leave the interview with a totally negative impression. I thought I defended myself well and she did admit that she liked me and thought I could be useful to her beyond the scope of the position.
I did not get the job. The reason why, I was told, is that the Product Development Manager could not get over the fact that I "would be bored" with the position and with the low turnover at the company she didn't think I would last in the position for very long because of it. As a result of this feedback, I immediately changed my resume, removing my prior degrees and downplayed my 10-year experience as a lab analyst. I dumbed down my resume!
Jump ahead nine months. The same company is hiring for a very similar position. I apply. The same very nice HR Assistant calls me for the first interview. Again she seems impressed by my background. She schedules me right away for the in-person interview with the Product Development Manager. I admit to her that I had applied for the position before, tell her the feedback I had received, and defend myself against these allegations of boredom.
Not even ten minutes later the nice HR Assistant calls me back. The Product Development Manager remembered me and would not change her mind about me. She canceled my interview.
And, by the way, the reason the position was open nine months later was because they had promoted the person they had hired.
The Boss is Mean
My most awkward moment during an interview was recently after graduating from the Art Institute. I was interviewing for a Product Development Assistant position at a very small company that sells their product nationally. Cheap is the name of the game for this company. They bang out tons of their product for a low price. Things like fit and comfort are a secondary concern. Already this is not my ideal work place.
There were only two people in the dingy office: the Product Developer, and the owner of the company. Their product was showcased on giant rolling garment racks and old dusty 1970's-era mannequins. The office did not have a good vibe to it.
After filling out a very lengthy application, I met with the Product Developer. She was friendly but quiet. I don't remember much about her except that when I left I couldn't help but feel a little sad for her. Then I met with the owner of the company. She was very direct and seemed like someone who you did not want to cross. The owner of the company thought it would be a good idea for me to meet the Warehouse Manager.
She called him in to the office and he took me back into the warehouse. This was a completely different atmosphere. There was a whole team of people working back here sorting product. He showed me around the bustling warehouse and took me into his office. He asked me how things were going so far and talked with me a little bit about the company. He specifically asked how I got along with the owner of the company and explained to me that the reason this was an important question is because she can be mean to her employees. I don't even remember how I responded to that. That was the icing on the cake. I did not want this job.
This was the first and only time that I did not respond back to the company after the interview. I did not send thank you notes, I didn't follow up with an email to check on my application status. A few weeks later I received an email that they had "decided to follow through with other candidates." That was the best I could hope for.
Who the @%#* Do You Think You Are?
A friend of mine owns title to having the worst interview ever. He was interviewing for a supervisor-type position at a restaurant. He had already been on a multitude of phone and in-person interviews with various people within the company. Finally, they brought him in to interview with the manager of that particular restaurant.
Since this was his fourth interview, he felt that he had asked all the "do you have any questions for us?" and had all the information about the job and the company that he needed. So he showed up for the interview with just himself.
Immediately, the manager berated him. Who the @%#* do you think you are walking in here unprepared? You don't even have a &%$#ing notebook! Why the &%*^ should I talk to you when you obviously don't care enough about this $#^#ing job to come prepared to the #%&ing interview?
My friend was berated and cursed at the entire time he was there. Needless to say he did not get the job. Nor did he want it.
See, I'm not the only one who doesn't want to work for a mean boss.
Please, feel free to share your interview stories in the comments. I would love to hear them.
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/businesscareers/2159.html
There are also some really good stories out there from the other side of the desk:
http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-funny-or-strange-interview-stories
http://www.snagajob.com/job-interview/funny-interview-stories.aspx
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/job-interview-horror-stories/story?id=8940390#.TrROabKipiN
We Decided You're Overqualified
My worst interview was for a job I never applied for. The ad I responded to was from a scientific company that made HPLC columns (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography- I do have a chemistry degree after all). They were looking for a stockroom assistant. I did not have aspirations of being the next Einstein (in fact, I had yet to figure out what I wanted to do with my life) so this job seemed like it would be a good way for me to stay current in the scientific world while I figured out what I really wanted to do.
The company called me right away to schedule the interview. I came prepared with my resume and a list of questions specifically related to the position of stockroom assistant. When I showed up for the interview, they showed me where the stockroom was, then said, "we couldn't understand why you applied for this position as a stockroom assistant. We decided you are overqualified for this position, but we're interviewing you today to see if you would be a good fit with one of our research and development teams."
Um... OK... You see the specialty of my studies was physical chemistry- quantum mechanics. Organic chemistry, an understanding of which is extremely important for HPLC, was my least favorite subject ever.
So the nice people at this HPLC column company decided to put me through a day-long interview where I was grilled one-on-one with each of their PhD research chemists on HPLC. It was like a graduate level final exam on HPLC six-times over with six different exam practitioners in one day. Needless to say, I failed each one. At least I got a free lunch out of the deal, where I got to meet other random members of the R&D teams. They were probably wondering why I hadn't applied to the stockroom assistant position.
There was one other time I was interviewed for a position to which I did not apply. In this case I was qualified for the position, but it was not the kind of work I was really hoping to do. I think they sensed this at the interview and I never heard from the company again. Special note to HR people- if you think a candidate is a better fit for a different position in the company, PLEASE talk to that person. Tell them about the different position, explain to them why you are considering them. Ask them if they would like to be interviewed for the position. It can be a waste of time for everyone involved if you make a bad assumption.
I Think You Would Be Bored
Speaking of making assumptions... I worry that my education and work history in the physical sciences are intimidating to potential employers. When I graduated from the Art Institute, I thought my history would be an advantage. I expected that employers would say, "Wow! Here is someone who is both creative and technical. We need to get her on board now!" My experience, however, has been completely the opposite.
Not long after graduating from the Art Institute, I interviewed with a company known for their children's wear. The position was Product Development Administrative Assistant. They were basically looking for someone to handle all the shipping and receiving for the product development team, and provide other assistance as needed (like spec measurements). I saw it as a foot in the door, even though it is a small company with low turnover.
The HR Assistant called me for the first interview. She was very nice and friendly and seemed impressed by my background. She scheduled me right away for an in-person interview with the Product Development manager.
The Product Development manager also noted my background, but in a much more negative way. I had to defend myself during the interview against her allegations that I would be bored with the position. That was pretty much the whole interview, from my recollection. However, I didn't leave the interview with a totally negative impression. I thought I defended myself well and she did admit that she liked me and thought I could be useful to her beyond the scope of the position.
I did not get the job. The reason why, I was told, is that the Product Development Manager could not get over the fact that I "would be bored" with the position and with the low turnover at the company she didn't think I would last in the position for very long because of it. As a result of this feedback, I immediately changed my resume, removing my prior degrees and downplayed my 10-year experience as a lab analyst. I dumbed down my resume!
Jump ahead nine months. The same company is hiring for a very similar position. I apply. The same very nice HR Assistant calls me for the first interview. Again she seems impressed by my background. She schedules me right away for the in-person interview with the Product Development Manager. I admit to her that I had applied for the position before, tell her the feedback I had received, and defend myself against these allegations of boredom.
Not even ten minutes later the nice HR Assistant calls me back. The Product Development Manager remembered me and would not change her mind about me. She canceled my interview.
And, by the way, the reason the position was open nine months later was because they had promoted the person they had hired.
The Boss is Mean
My most awkward moment during an interview was recently after graduating from the Art Institute. I was interviewing for a Product Development Assistant position at a very small company that sells their product nationally. Cheap is the name of the game for this company. They bang out tons of their product for a low price. Things like fit and comfort are a secondary concern. Already this is not my ideal work place.
There were only two people in the dingy office: the Product Developer, and the owner of the company. Their product was showcased on giant rolling garment racks and old dusty 1970's-era mannequins. The office did not have a good vibe to it.
After filling out a very lengthy application, I met with the Product Developer. She was friendly but quiet. I don't remember much about her except that when I left I couldn't help but feel a little sad for her. Then I met with the owner of the company. She was very direct and seemed like someone who you did not want to cross. The owner of the company thought it would be a good idea for me to meet the Warehouse Manager.
She called him in to the office and he took me back into the warehouse. This was a completely different atmosphere. There was a whole team of people working back here sorting product. He showed me around the bustling warehouse and took me into his office. He asked me how things were going so far and talked with me a little bit about the company. He specifically asked how I got along with the owner of the company and explained to me that the reason this was an important question is because she can be mean to her employees. I don't even remember how I responded to that. That was the icing on the cake. I did not want this job.
This was the first and only time that I did not respond back to the company after the interview. I did not send thank you notes, I didn't follow up with an email to check on my application status. A few weeks later I received an email that they had "decided to follow through with other candidates." That was the best I could hope for.
Who the @%#* Do You Think You Are?
A friend of mine owns title to having the worst interview ever. He was interviewing for a supervisor-type position at a restaurant. He had already been on a multitude of phone and in-person interviews with various people within the company. Finally, they brought him in to interview with the manager of that particular restaurant.
Since this was his fourth interview, he felt that he had asked all the "do you have any questions for us?" and had all the information about the job and the company that he needed. So he showed up for the interview with just himself.
Immediately, the manager berated him. Who the @%#* do you think you are walking in here unprepared? You don't even have a &%$#ing notebook! Why the &%*^ should I talk to you when you obviously don't care enough about this $#^#ing job to come prepared to the #%&ing interview?
My friend was berated and cursed at the entire time he was there. Needless to say he did not get the job. Nor did he want it.
See, I'm not the only one who doesn't want to work for a mean boss.
Please, feel free to share your interview stories in the comments. I would love to hear them.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Taleo- a love/hate relationship (mostly hate)
If you don't know what Taleo is, then you either haven't applied for a job in awhile, or you haven't been paying attention. Whenever you apply for a job online, say at Columbia, as soon as you hit the "apply for this job" button, the web address changes from www.columbia.com/blahblahblah to www.taleo.columbia.com/blahblahblah. Taleo is a "Talent Management Software" company, providing their customers with "...improved recruiting so you can know more about your candidates and build a high performance workforce." Their website says their customers love Taleo for many reasons, such as oodles of companies use them, they're good at implementing their software quickly ("100% implementation success"), it's cost effective ("With software as a service, there are no additional hardware or software required - just a web browser.")
The Taleo website brags that if your company uses their software for recruiting, then your "quality of hire" increases by 33%. (Off topic- what does that even mean? How did they arrive at that number? What, in their minds, is quanitifiable about "quality of hire?") Nowhere does Taleo talk about what the applicant thinks of their software. Is the applicant enjoying an increased quality of hire? This one isn't.
Here's the good part of Taleo: Job applications require rehashing all kinds of tedious information about names/addresses of previous employers, references, reasons for leaving, salaries, etc. When you sign in as an applicant for a position at Nike, you only have to enter this information once. The next time you apply for a position at Nike the information is already there. That's the ONLY thing I like about Taleo.
I have experienced three main problems while applying for jobs on Taleo sites: 1) there is no support for the applicant if you experience problems or have questions with the application process, 2) the supplemental questions often don't match with the job, and 3) once you hit the "submit application" button you are likely to never ever hear anything again about the position.
Examples:
1) A few months ago I applied for a position at Adidas. All I had to do to apply for the job was answer the supplemental questions since I was a previous applicant. I was really excited about this job so I put in extra effort to craft my answers. However, once I hit the "submit" button, an error message popped up. The message did not mention the source of the error, but it did ask me to send an email to let someone know of the problem. I drafted a nice email and sent it off. Guess what? Two seconds later I received an undeliverable email address notice. Lesson learned- always craft the answers to the supplemental questions in Word and then cut and paste them into the website. But really, what is wrong with a working phone number or email address so I can let you know that there was a problem? Do Taleo's customers worry that they might be bombarded with phone calls and emails so they don't even make it an option?
2) I run across this problem ALL THE TIME. Yesterday I applied for a job at Nike- Color Designer I- Running. I know- Color Designer!!! How awesome would that be? According to the job description, they are looking for someone with...
With this in mind, imagine my surprise when I found the supplemental questions were: 1) "I have a bachelors degree in business, communications, or related field, plus a minimum 6 years digital work experience..." Yes/No. 2) "I have 3+ years of Footwear Design Experience" Yes/No
What? Where did this come from? Did the HR person select the wrong button when they set up this job? The last time I checked, "Color Theory and Economics" was not part of a standard business degree program. And where is footwear experience mentioned in the necessary qualifications? So of course I checked the No button for both of these questions. And I know that means I'm automatically kicked out of the system and will not be considered for this position.
3) I have applied for many many many jobs using different companies' Taleo application sites. I can think of only twice when I have received an email letting me know that the company "decided to move forward with other applicants." Thank you, Adidas, for at least letting me know.
This is my first blog post that required actual research on my part. As part of this research, I found someone who might hate Taleo more than me. And so I recommend that you also read the Official Taleo Sucks Blog.
Note- all non-Nike quotations from this blog post came from the Taleo website- www.taleo.com
The Taleo website brags that if your company uses their software for recruiting, then your "quality of hire" increases by 33%. (Off topic- what does that even mean? How did they arrive at that number? What, in their minds, is quanitifiable about "quality of hire?") Nowhere does Taleo talk about what the applicant thinks of their software. Is the applicant enjoying an increased quality of hire? This one isn't.
Here's the good part of Taleo: Job applications require rehashing all kinds of tedious information about names/addresses of previous employers, references, reasons for leaving, salaries, etc. When you sign in as an applicant for a position at Nike, you only have to enter this information once. The next time you apply for a position at Nike the information is already there. That's the ONLY thing I like about Taleo.
I have experienced three main problems while applying for jobs on Taleo sites: 1) there is no support for the applicant if you experience problems or have questions with the application process, 2) the supplemental questions often don't match with the job, and 3) once you hit the "submit application" button you are likely to never ever hear anything again about the position.
Examples:
1) A few months ago I applied for a position at Adidas. All I had to do to apply for the job was answer the supplemental questions since I was a previous applicant. I was really excited about this job so I put in extra effort to craft my answers. However, once I hit the "submit" button, an error message popped up. The message did not mention the source of the error, but it did ask me to send an email to let someone know of the problem. I drafted a nice email and sent it off. Guess what? Two seconds later I received an undeliverable email address notice. Lesson learned- always craft the answers to the supplemental questions in Word and then cut and paste them into the website. But really, what is wrong with a working phone number or email address so I can let you know that there was a problem? Do Taleo's customers worry that they might be bombarded with phone calls and emails so they don't even make it an option?
2) I run across this problem ALL THE TIME. Yesterday I applied for a job at Nike- Color Designer I- Running. I know- Color Designer!!! How awesome would that be? According to the job description, they are looking for someone with...
- Bachelor's degree in Design, Art or a related field with 1-4 years' relevant experience or an Associate's of Art degree from an accredited art school with 4 years' experience in a design environment working with colors, palette development and/or color trends
- Knowledge of the product design and development process
- Familiarity with product manufacturing processes, including materials, fabrics, plastics and pigments
- Macintosh computer experience, including Photoshop, FreeHand and/or Illustrator skills
- Knowledge of CAD programs, preferably in Mac environment
- Thorough knowledge of art and design with a clear understanding of visual design concepts including color mixing, color compatibility and color placement
With this in mind, imagine my surprise when I found the supplemental questions were: 1) "I have a bachelors degree in business, communications, or related field, plus a minimum 6 years digital work experience..." Yes/No. 2) "I have 3+ years of Footwear Design Experience" Yes/No
What? Where did this come from? Did the HR person select the wrong button when they set up this job? The last time I checked, "Color Theory and Economics" was not part of a standard business degree program. And where is footwear experience mentioned in the necessary qualifications? So of course I checked the No button for both of these questions. And I know that means I'm automatically kicked out of the system and will not be considered for this position.
3) I have applied for many many many jobs using different companies' Taleo application sites. I can think of only twice when I have received an email letting me know that the company "decided to move forward with other applicants." Thank you, Adidas, for at least letting me know.
This is my first blog post that required actual research on my part. As part of this research, I found someone who might hate Taleo more than me. And so I recommend that you also read the Official Taleo Sucks Blog.
Note- all non-Nike quotations from this blog post came from the Taleo website- www.taleo.com
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