Anyone else bothered by this?

This isn't a recent phenomena in any industry. I think it's probably gone on for ten or fifteen years.

Applying for a job is like auditioning for a theatre or film part. You go, do your audition and if they want a call back, they'll get in touch; otherwise, you'll hear nothing.

But I agree that in an age of instant communication, even a quick, "Thanks but no thanks" e-mail would be classy

I applied for a fairly senior position at Scholastic a number of years ago, had three separate interviews with the recruiter, the president of the company and the executive committee. In a chance conversation about ten days later with a colleague in the industry she told me --unaware that I had applied--that Joe Schmoe got the job. I hadn't heard back from the company or the recruiter.

I tore a strip off the headhunter.

 

Still, seems to me that at the least, it wouldn't be hard for some intern to type all the failed applicants' e-mails into a list, and send a form e-mail out to that list. Just some kind of acknowledgment, ya know?

 

At least they're being honest, telling you now. A few years back I applied for a job with nearby Big City Metro, and the SE confirmed he got my application and said he'd get back to me before the interview process. The next time we communicated was when I saw him in a press box with the guy he hired.

 

Sometimes I fail to call readers back. Why do I want to call a stack of resumes sitting on my desk. That's just me, though.

 

Like I said, if you get a true interview and THEN you don't get called back, that is just ridiculous. And from what I hear, even that happens fairly regularly. But just to say "Hey, I got your stuff"? That's just wishful thinking. In a perfect world, sure, but we all know this is far from a perfect world.

 

Just to clarify, I realize that this trend is not limited to media companies. More and more companies in all industries seem to be doing it.

I just figure if I spend an hour or whatever getting a packet together to mail you, showing an interest in your company and such, it's not to much to ask to send a 2-paragraph email at least acknowledging receipt.

 

I felt the same way, Mark, when I didn't hear back from potential employers. But upon receiving my current job, I was told more than 250 resumes were sent through e-mail/post office. That's a lot of phone calls to make.

 

We got so many resumes for our recent opening that my boss would have literally would've taken four hours or more doing callbacks. We are a small shop, so that's a pretty difficult task.

 

Let's 200 people apply for a given job. Taking the time to send an e-mail to every person who applied doesn't sound like too much to ask.

But in an age when everyone is having to do more with less, is anyone really shocked that only a select few usually get a response? Most of the places hiring are small shops, so most of these SEs don't have a lot of extra time.

Not saying I think it's right. I just think that's the way things are right now.

 

I concur that this has gone on at a lot of places for a long time. Doesn't make it right, however.

To me, it's a symptom of what too often are lousy people skills of the folks in these managerial positions. Their inability or reluctance to deal with people -- at least those who might be or become their (hate these words) subordinates or underlings -- is a big reason for so much dysfunction in newsrooms. In good times or in horrific times now.

What used to be a "don't call us, we'll call you (maybe)" attitude about job applicants now is a "we're all stressed out and there aren't any jobs anyway and I've got my exit strategy to worry about" panic-as-excuse. Nope, not good enough. You treat people the way you'd want to be treated, good times or bad.

Undoubtedly, a number of these people who don't offer a simple acknowledgement of a job miss will soon be finding out what it feels like to be on that end of things, when their li'l fiefdoms are part of the big newspaper collapse.

Sorry to seem so harsh, but I've seen too many slobs ignore this basic civility. They're the same folks who would rag on a staffer who ignored readers' calls or e-mails.

 

That's an excellent point, Joe.

 

agreed.