Paul, We use Google Apps (Gmail for your domain) which has a "canned response" feature that we've used to acknowledge receipt of resumes. Yes, communications design is an integral part of graphic design (at least it *should* be).
Thanks, Bradley On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 2:21 PM, Paul Flint <fl...@flint.com> wrote: > Dear Brad, > > If you need a procmail script to send back an acknowledgement letter, I > could do that. Good communications design is almost as important as good > graphic design. (Notice I use ASCII email :^). > > Regards, > > Flint > > On Thu, 29 Jan 2009, Bradley Holt wrote: > >> Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:24:51 -0500 >> From: Bradley Holt <bradley.h...@gmail.com> >> Reply-To: Vermont Area Group of Unix Enthusiasts <VAGUE@list.uvm.edu> >> To: VAGUE@LIST.UVM.EDU >> Subject: Re: Truth to power - re: Logic Supply >> >> Thanks for adding the perspective of an employer to this discussion, >> Tony. As a small business owner of a company that is currently hiring >> (a graphic designer position) I thought I'd add a couple more >> thoughts. We only advertised the position in one local newspaper >> (Seven Days) for one week but got over 85 responses. Apparently the >> job posting got syndicated to several online job boards (*not* at our >> request). We were looking for targeted advertising but apparently >> that's not an option for job postings today. >> >> We are hiring because we're busy. That means we didn't have time to >> give personal responses to everyone that applied (although we did >> acknowledge receipt of every application). We did, however, look at >> every resume that came in including ones with no cover letter, no >> email body, misspellings, bad design (it's a design position!), and >> unrealistic expectations. As a rule of thumb, people don't know how to >> present themselves when applying for a job (at least that's been our >> experience). Similar to Tony's experience, many people obviously did >> not read the job description. Is it rude of us not to give a personal >> response to all 85 applicants given these facts? I don't think so. >> >> Beyond the reasons given above, there's another really big reason why >> companies don't respond to applicants or give very terse responses: >> liability. Say something that can be interpreted the wrong way and >> you're opening yourself up to a lawsuit. The less you say, the less >> your liability. I'd love to tell people exactly why they didn't get an >> interview so that they can make improvements when they apply for jobs >> in the future but that's just not practical. >> >> A while back we advertised for a web developer position. During that >> process I tried to give people specific reasons why we were not >> bringing them in for an interview. Several times I was met with very >> rude and harsh responses (um, you're resume doesn't address any of the >> things we said we were looking for). If people can't appreciate an >> honest response then why should I go out of my way to give you an >> honest response? Many job applicants have a sense of entitlement. >> Sorry, but you're not entitled to a job. We've worked very hard and >> sacrificed a lot to get our business to where it is. We are not >> obligated to provide a job to you. The flip side of this (and the >> little secret most businesses don't want you to know) is that >> companies need employees as much as employees need employers. Just >> remember that and you'll be OK. Clearly communicate your value and >> make sure to specifically address what the company said they're >> looking for and how *you* are a fit. >> >> Thanks, >> Bradley >> >> On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 10:35 AM, Tony Harris <harr...@ccv.vsc.edu> wrote: >>> >>> --On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 11:22:25 PM -0500 Rion D'Luz >>> <riond...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>>> A friend of mine applied for over 120 jobs in 2006 >>>>> and received 6 denials, 1 calls, and 1 interview. Unfortunately its >>>>> par >>>>> for >>>>> the course -- >>>> >>>> Which is not an excuse! I realize that's the way it is. I accept that, >>>> but >>>> if a company is >>>> going to advertise to fill a job then they should allocate the resources >>>> necessary to >>>> respond in a timely fashion to all respondents; even those who fail the >>>> pre-screening filter. >>> >>> >>> So to add my 2 cents in here, and potentially ignite things more than >>> they >>> are, let me give a couple perspectives here. I'm probably a bit younger >>> than some of you who are complaining, rightly, that age discrimination is >>> rampant in IT hiring. I'm only 45. But, I've been in IT for 26 years >>> now, >>> in fact I've never had another career. I've been both on the applicant >>> side, and the search-team side. >>> >>> For the age thing, check out an older (90's) book titled "Seven Lean >>> Years" >>> by Tom Nadeau (an avid OS2 supporter). See his site at >>> <http://www.os2hq.com/articles/seven.htm> in fact. He's right. Age >>> discrimination is common in the IT industry, and hasn't gone down since >>> he >>> wrote the book. I am lucky to work for an organization where that >>> doesn't >>> seem to be true, in fact I'm at the middle of the spectrum on our team's >>> age, with at least half the department, all hired after me, above my age, >>> sometimes by a fair amount. But that's the exception, not the rule. And >>> one thing we've learned from the laissez-faire economic strategy is that >>> the >>> corporate world does not indulge in what's right or fair unless a) it >>> makes >>> them more money than being unfair, or (often *and*) b) they are dragged >>> kicking and screaming, fighting all the way, into some tiny bit of >>> fairness >>> by laws and regulations. Not so true in general of small firms, but it >>> still applies depending on the owners. For really big corporations, the >>> bigger they are, the more true it is. >>> >>> That said, putting on my search-team member hat, there are a lot of >>> reasons >>> why people don't get replies and don't get interviews. It's not *all* >>> age >>> discrimination. We've had times where we'll advertise an entry level >>> position and get 150 resumes, some of which clearly didn't even bother to >>> read any of the description we put in the paper. Frankly, if they can't >>> bother to read the description and are going to apply for something >>> they're >>> totally not qualified for, then I don't think the employer is under any >>> obligation to even acknowledge receipt. Some come in with no cover >>> letter, >>> just a vague resume. Some come in with a cover letter that has spelling >>> errors, grammatical errors, etc. Some have come in with cover letters >>> that >>> include a complaint about some aspect of the institution or the >>> application >>> process (maybe one should wait until *after* getting the job and making >>> it >>> through the probationary period before dissing the place one is applying >>> to?). >>> >>> Frankly if people want a job they do have to at least come across as >>> professional and positive about the place they're applying to. Another >>> thing that will shoot down a candidate is if they've had 25 jobs in the >>> last >>> 5 years or something. Or big unexplained gaps of employment in their >>> resume. If you're consulting and you have 25 different short-term >>> contracts, list one consulting job with 25 contracts, not 25 jobs and >>> hope >>> the employer assumes you're doing independent consulting or contract >>> work. If you've been out of work and supplementing with consulting, show >>> it >>> that way. If out of work due to injury, family situation, etc., then >>> include some explanation of that so people know. And finally we've had >>> people who apply who are clearly over qualified for the job at hand, just >>> got laid off from somewhere, and would be driving an hour to work at a >>> much >>> lower-paying job. To the employer, that says you're desperate and that >>> the >>> first chance you get at something closer to home that's more like what >>> you >>> were doing and pays better, you're outta there. Nobody wants to be doing >>> another search 3 months after hiring someone. >>> >>> I am not saying anyone on this list doesn't know all this already. But I >>> figured after reading all the comments here about applying for jobs, it >>> might be good to throw in the other side. >>> >>> Flame retardant suit is now in place, fingers are firmly in the ears, and >>> I'm humming. So I make no promises to respond to any explosions this >>> rant >>> might generate. >>> >>> -- >>> Tony Harris >>> Assistant CTO >>> Community College of Vermont >>> harr...@ccv.edu >>> (802) 241-3535 >>> >>> Dwirze ski, evarre kolex. >>> (One by one droplets, eventually an ocean.) >>> ------------------------------------------- >>> PRIVACY & CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message is for the designated >>> recipient only and may contain privileged, confidential, or otherwise >>> private information. If you have received it in error, please notify the >>> sender immediately and delete the original. Any other use of an email >>> received in error is prohibited. >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> http://bradley-holt.blogspot.com/ >> > > Kindest Regards, > > > > Paul Flint > (802) 479-2360 > > > /************************************ > Based upon email reliability concerns, > please send an acknowledgment in response to this note. > > Paul Flint > Barre Open Systems Institute > 17 Averill Street > Barre, VT > 05641 > > http://www.bosivt.org > http://www.flint.com/home > skype: flintinfotech > Work: (202) 537-0480 > Fax: (703) 852-7089 > > Consilium > gratuitum .~. > valet /V\ > quanti /( )\ > numerantur ^^-^^ > -- http://bradley-holt.blogspot.com/
