Why Companies Don't Respond to Job Seekers

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I had this same experience twice with the same company. It was a call center called ACS and I was interviewed twice for a two different contract management positions and both times I never heard anything back. They called me a third time and I told them to never contact me again and when they asked why and I told them, they responded with "oh we meant to get back to you."

Doug of ME 8:44AM June 22, 2010

If pressed for a logistical reason, these companies will say don't use automatic e-mail because they don't want "tens of thousands" of rejection letters to applicants clogging their servers. Of course, they'll gladly take every bit of your personal information (information that they don't need until they actually want to hire you) and have it sitting in their database somewhere, just waiting --begging-- for somebody to take it and steal your identity.

The truth about it, though, is that every potential contact with anybody is just another way to get sued by someone. That's how these places think. All the hoops you have to jump through, and there are more and more hoops every year, are not designed for any convenience or consideration of the applicant. Companies form these policies with the fundamental approach of considering any applicant not as a person, but as a potential asset. If 500 people apply for a job, they're 500 units of human capital that haven't happened yet. It's about the same as choosing between 500 kinds of copiers to use at the office.

A lot of things like "Would you fit into the corporate culture here?" are questions that really only apply to the 1% to 5% of applicants who actually get the interview. The rest are eliminated so quickly based on arbitrary and obscure automated database parameters that they don't even have a chance for their cover letter or interviewing skills to get them the position.

The kind of place that considers you so little but a number at first, will never consider you worth sending a courtesy note to tell you that you aren't continuing in the running to get the job. But of course, you'd better send them thank you notes and follow-up notes at every step of the process... that's just best practice.

While I personally know how to walk the walk and talk the talk in job applications, my real feelings is that the whole ordeal is truly adversarial in nature. Their job --their purpose-- is to ignore and exclude you, not to acknowledge and include. Don't expect kindness of any sort. If you get it, that's nice, but primarily the people who craft these policies and do the hiring are thinking at their core "Will hiring this person get me a bonus/raise/promotion?" It's all about making that man or woman behind the desk feel like they're personally losing something if they don't hire you -- quite the daunting task compared to the old days when you could just walk into a store or mill or factory, demonstrate in five minutes that you were of able body and mind, and start work the next day.

SAG of SC 6:37AM June 22, 2010

I, too, am relieved this issue has been addressed. I would think responses would be automated, but apparently not in all companies. One question, though, what if you do not hear back from an internship? I submitted a resume in May, and although their website said, "All applicants will receive email notification that their information was received," I did not receive such an email. After a week (should I have waited longer perhaps?), I contacted them as a follow-up, and they replied that my message was forwarded to the staffing department. It's been 3 weeks, and nothing; no email, no note, no notification in my inbox. I have written it off as a lost cause, but was there anything else I should have done?

JMW of CA 9:04PM June 21, 2010

I am soooooo gl;ad this was addressed. Times are so tough right now and with all the interviews folks are going through, not to mention the stress, anxiety, etc of it all, it is absolutley NOT too much to ask for a response one way or another. Typically htis is one of the questions I ask during the interview, "Will I be hearing back from someone regarding the filling of the position even if I am not selected?

And I've gotten the same song and dance, "Well, we just had soooo many applicants we can't possibly contact each and every one of them....." Well, to that I say the same thing Alison did.....if they're employment application receiving base is that enormous, they must use a database. And I in fact entered a polite discussion with an interviewer about this very thing. She quickly got downright nasty about it and I took the cobblestone path and I unfortunately painted her into a corner until she admitted that she didn't think it was really necessary since she chose one person out of 200 and it would've taken too much of her time. To which I responded, "Well, letting candidates know that they are out of consideration will free them up for being considered for other opportunities. Yours is not the only company hiring. And email is free. A simple form-letter email to all rejected applicants would only be the considerate thing to do. Afterall they each took the time to come to meet with you. Think of how you'd like to be treated if you were the one searching for a job and then treat your applicants the same way."

I sure hope this responding after an interview thing turns around.

Lisa of CA 4:50PM June 21, 2010

I am an unemployed college graduate who has undergone two unpaid internships to get experience and has worked in various part time roles throughout my studies. I apply to on average 20 jobs a month, and have done for the past year. So out of approximately 240 applications I can recall only 10 jobs that had the courtesy to tell me that I was unsuccessful in my application. I would rather know that I was unsuccessful than hear nothing and have another dose of false hope in this recession. I have attended around 15 interviews, and again only 3 of these employers contacted me to thank me for attending the interview and to let me know I hadn't got the job. It is inexcusable in this day an age when an email can be sent to all the unsuccessful applicants at anyone time. Applicants spend time and money trying to get that job so it just a basic courtesy. I also feel though, that it provides a good indication into the type of company that the place would be to work at. If this is how they treat people, I'd have been unhappy at their company.

Just another depressed unemployed graduate of AZ 12:54PM May 11, 2010

if you have an applicant no where near the requirements, that is one thing. but the people who are qualified do not hear back either. internal politics, etc. why do not all hiring people and etc just move to india or china and get out of out hair? seriously, if that's what this is about then say this and move along. quit all this stupid advertising on American job sites that you do not have any intention of hiring in the U.S.A. at all?? We, the American job seeker, are not fooled. it is an insult. You should cut these hr people who, in a pathetic manner, try to make things appear as something that it is not.

In summation: do not advertise in the United States if you do not want to hire here. Quit f---ing with us. please

jason lockhrt of WI 3:56AM December 23, 2009

I'm sorry, but I would have to disagree here. Considering the amount of resumes we receive, I can't imagine how a company that cannot afford (or does not buy into the value of) a resume management system, could handle responding to every single resume. We do have an automated response saying that we received the person's resume, but I have worked in companies that don't, and we would have had to hire a full-time person to simply send "we received your resume" letters/e-mails for 40 hours/week if we had to respond to every single one.

In addition, it's true that 90% of the resumes we receive do not even meet our posted qualifications, they are just applying to "see what happens". (Let's be honest, nothing will happen if you don't meet the minimum qualifications)

For those people who we have contacted, interviewed, etc., there is a different standard of response required of course.

Just another HR lady... 10:10AM January 02, 2009

Lest we forget about all the crazy people who apply to jobs they're completely unqualified for. If you don't meet the qualifications, that I've spent the time to outline and paid money to post, I refuse to further waste my time to tell an applicant that they didn't read the job post, or that the job does not allow for telecommuting, or that their request for a six figure salary as an admin is insane. If I have personal contact with a candidate (phone screen, interview, etc) I'll always follow up. Why? Well, those are generally the candidates who met the minimum requirements.

But on the occasional instances that I have contacted applicants to tell them that they are not a match for our current needs, they tend to write back asking for specifics (How can I not be!!). Do you really want to hear that you mispelled my company's name in your cover letter, or perhaps, forgot to follow the application instructions? I simply don't have time for that kind of ignorance. Perhaps that makes me a "meanie," but if you weren't contacted at all, it's generally because you didn't meet the minimums. Perhaps you forgot a cover letter, maybe it's because you made no mention of the position you were applying for...who knows, the list is endless. But to expect a company to respond to thousands of applicants (90% of whom are not qualified) is ridiculous.

Frustrated recruiter. of NY 4:35PM November 11, 2008

... with an e-mail or phone call, for instance, that may be the trigger that would obligate me - as a matter of courtesy - to follow up if I were to decide to not consider the person for the job. But if I see a potential fit for another position, it would be my responsibility to keep the applicant in mind.

On the other hand, simply sending a resume and not following up is like saying you're not *that* interested in the job. Having said that, I've sent resumes to a few organizations, never followed up, and received kind rejection letters in return months later - and it left me wondering what job I applied for because I lost interest. Yet I appreciated the professionalism in sending a letter.

Rick of MA 12:51PM November 11, 2008

I would love to say that any company who can't even be bothered to send a form rejection is a company you don't want to work for...

... but of all the companies I've applied to in my entire life, only ONE even does that.

Even worse, however, is getting a rejection letter months after you applied for the job, which has happened to me on a few occasions.

Rebecca of PA 11:40AM November 11, 2008

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