When job posts say "No phone calls, please," does no really mean no?

When the Cleveland Plain Dealer had an opening and their listing said "no calls."

I wanted to show just how much of an enterprising reporter I was, so I figured out which editor was making the hiring decision, managed to come up with his home number, and called him there.

I guess that wasn't good enough.

 

I'll tell you what, if you get the SE title, that means you answer your damn phone.
I think it is incredibly arrogant to say "no phone calls" in a job ad.

 

Thanks to everyone who's chimed in. I don't think it's management's intention to be arrogant. The reality is that with as many job seekers out there as there are in today's environment, fielding calls about the post job post would be a hindrance to putting out the paper. Personally, I think it sucks. Applicants who won't question it will probably more corporate types. That said, I don't want to go through the rest of my life unemployed.

 

so i guess it's arrogant for a job seeker to think they are above the stated wishes of the person placing the job posting?

 

if it says "no calls please," it means "no calls please."

 

No, if it says "don't call," don't call. But it should never say "don't call."

 

Are you kidding? The way the business is now, who has time to take phone calls from hundreds of people? And wouldn't they invariably be put off by just getting a minute or two on the phone? What do you do, abdicate all your other duties while you're hiring someone? Some of the guys who are doing the hiring are also designing pages, writing columns and maybe even taking prep games over the phone. And what of the people who think every call deserves five follow-ups? In a world where e-mail is a viable means of communication, I don't see a need for calls.

"No calls" strikes me as completely reasonable.

 

If you're appyling for a job that says "no calls" it means that so many people are going to apply that you aren't going to get the job anyway, so don't bother applying.

 

No, it means the person hiring doesn't have time to spend on the phone.

 

Even if you get 100 resumes, they all aren't calling the same day. Six or eight a day spaced out over a couple of weeks.
You're not going to convince me. It's part of the job. If you can't do it, turn in the badge.

 

That's nice that you can be sure it's only six or eight calls a day spaced out over a couple of weeks.

And that's based on what?

 

That's based on seeing application packets coming in 4 or 5 a day, not 20 or 25 a day.

Listen, if you're busy, tell the caller that you are really busy right now. Tell them to please call back and give them a day and a couple hour range of time. That should take about 30 seconds.