A wee bit of advice to those applying for jobs

[bosslady]

I just thought I would share a wee bit of advice (mostly due to my sheer frustration) for those who are applying for jobs, especially via the internet i.e. trademe etc. Even those who are in the position of hiring staff might find it useful.

When placing an advert at the very end of the ad I always make sure I put something in there that ensures the person applying for the job does some extra work i.e. I instruct them to go our website and tell me how many outlets we have or which of our product(s) are their favourite and put that in their cover letter. In actual fact, I state that they won't even be considered for the position unless they do so. I placed a job advert last Friday, 6 people out of 35 did what I asked.
Those 6 people are put into a "keep" folder for me to look at later the other 29 are put into "no". When I have time during my day to go through cv's I have a look at the "keep" folder first. I only ever look at the "no" folder as a last resort and if I don't have many applicants for the position.

You might say that I could be missing out on someone really awesome, just because they didn't do what I'd asked them to and you could very well be right, I might be. But to be honest for each position I advertise I usually have at least a couple of hundred applicants and I don't have time to go through all those cv's. It also tells me something about their attention to detail (or lack thereof!) and that maybe they're the kind of superstars that will make the extra effort and really want the job.

SO my tip to people applying for jobs - read the advert from top to bottom! You might be doing yourself a disservice otherwise. Even if the the advert doesn't ask you to do something like I have, I'm generally very impressed when someone puts a sentence or paragraph in their cover letter about what they know about our company, which of our products they like or their experience of going to one of our outlets - another tip for you! *vent over*

[Banditbandit]

Cool. I'm pleased you managed to get your "vent" over .. and it's only Tuesday. What can you accomplish this week now that's out of the way?

Bad weekend was it ??? Bit short staffed on the first day back from a long weekend?

[bosslady]

Cool. I'm pleased you managed to get your "vent" over .. and it's only Tuesday. What can you accomplish this week now that's out of the way?

Bad weekend was it ??? Bit short staffed on the first day back from a long weekend?

Nah not a bad weekend, but it's disappointing to come back to a whole lot of cv's where people haven't "qualified", their loss! And nah, not short staffed - just hiring for the future, going to get very busy

What can I accomplish... hmm maybe some actual work? LOL

[Maha]

Early 90's I advertised for an apprenticeship position with the then Labour Exchange/Department. They sent me a number of CV's which stated that the applicant/s wanted to travel..
Well fuck off and do that shit, and don't waste my time with someone who has no intention of sticking around after all the effort has been put into them for three years or more.

Ended up hiring a school boy who helped out during one holiday period, he showed he had what it took, and got a job out of it, and as far as I know, he is still in the industry.
Don't envy your job/task on this matter Ms B.

[bosslady]

Early 90's I advertised for an apprenticeship position with the then Labour Exchange/Department. They sent me a number of CV's which stated that the applicant/s wanted to travel..
Well fuck off and do that shit, and don't waste my time with someone who has no intention of sticking around after all the effort has been put into them for three years or more.

Ended up hiring a school boy who helped out during one holiday period, he showed he had what it took, and got a job out of it, and as far as I know, he is still in the industry.
Don't envy your job/task on this matter Ms B.

I must say sometimes I have a giggle at some of the stuff that comes through. The most recent position I hired for was an Administration position. An applicant basically said they expected xyz $ because otherwise it wasn't worth it for them to leave their current position but if we were closer to where they lived they'd accept less $ (we aren't). Good on them for being honest however it got a bit much when they started saying that they must have an air conditioned office and they must have this and that etc. The office is air conditioned but the demands they were making and the way they worded it sounded like they'd be hard work. I really just laugh when people send through the wrong cover letters too i.e. applying for salesperson job, or hairdresser or childcare, looking after the elderly etc. That's nice you know, but not even remotely related to what we do here... And when interviewing I always ask if they want to go travel i.e. their OE or move overseas, or go back to school etc. as like you I can't afford to/don't want to invest time and money in training people and for them to bugger off. However even if you ask, most people aren't honest about it because they know if they are honest that you won't consider them.

[Banditbandit]

And when interviewing I always ask if they want to go travel i.e. their OE or move overseas, or go back to school etc. as like you I can't afford to/don't want to invest time and money in training people and for them to bugger off.

There's a swings and roundabouts approach needed there .. if you hire already trained people then someone else has had to pay for it ... if you dont train staff, then when they leave someone else has to pick up the costs .. join in and pay for it is the better appraoach - it also contributes to staff loyalty ..

So sometimes you win - sometimes you loose ... but all in all it works out in the end .. unless you don't do your part and don't train staff .. paying for training is never wasted money ...

However even if you ask, most people aren't honest about it because they know if they are honest that you won't consider them.

So why bother asking?

[Stirts]

I'm generally very impressed when someone puts a sentence or paragraph in their cover letter

I hope you write your job adverts better that you do your posts. Just sayin'

[Drew]

I hope you write your job adverts better that you do your posts. Just sayin'

You beat me to it bitch!

Perhaps you she could ask in one of her 'ads' for them to explain how to structure something resembling a paragraph, in the written english word?

Maybe they struggle to read the ads so much, only some people realise there is a task to be completed at all.

[Drew]

I must say sometimes I have a giggle at some of the stuff that comes through. The most recent position I hired for was an Administration position. An applicant basically said they expected xyz $ because otherwise it wasn't worth it for them to leave their current position but if we were closer to where they lived they'd accept less $ (we aren't). Good on them for being honest however it got a bit much when they started saying that they must have an air conditioned office and they must have this and that etc. The office is air conditioned but the demands they were making and the way they worded it sounded like they'd be hard work. I really just laugh when people send through the wrong cover letters too i.e. applying for salesperson job, or hairdresser or childcare, looking after the elderly etc. That's nice you know, but not even remotely related to what we do here... And when interviewing I always ask if they want to go travel i.e. their OE or move overseas, or go back to school etc. as like you I can't afford to/don't want to invest time and money in training people and for them to bugger off. However even if you ask, most people aren't honest about it because they know if they are honest that you won't consider them.

Never mind, it appears the chunk of (insert food substance here) is out of the enter key now.

[bosslady]

There's a swings and roundabouts approach needed there .. if you hire already trained people then someone else has had to pay for it ... if you dont train staff, then when they leave someone else has to pick up the costs .. join in and pay for it is the better appraoach - it also contributes to staff loyalty ..

So sometimes you win - sometimes you loose ... but all in all it works out in the end .. unless you don't do your part and don't train staff .. paying for training is never wasted money ...



So why bother asking?

Why bother asking? because SOME people are honest - so it's worth knowing. Can't help it if those who aren't (honest) lie.

Doing the job we do here, there really isn't such a thing as someone who is already trained to do the job (not that it's specialised or anything, cause it aint!) although things like forklift certs etc. are advantageous. Most people I have hired don't have previous experience in what we do so we have paid for all their training i.e. food hygiene courses, forklift certs, first aid etc. Each staff member is also fully kitted out in uniform i.e. designer jeans or shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, footwear, other safety paraphernalia etc. so it's a big investment for me when I hire a new person. I don't make the mistake now of providing one of these courses for staff say within the first 2-3 months of employment as when I have spent a few hundred dollars on them (that I can't get back) they've left, for whatever reason and I have training and uniform budgets I need to stick to. I could have spent that money on sending current staff on other kinds of training courses that could benefit them/us.

[bosslady]

I hope you write your job adverts better that you do your posts. Just sayin'

You beat me to it bitch!

Perhaps you she could ask in one of her 'ads' for them to explain how to structure something resembling a paragraph, in the written english word?

Maybe they struggle to read the ads so much, only some people realise there is a task to be completed at all.

Nice. I'm thinker than you smart I am! If you're referring to the fact I can't seem to separate paragraphs, for some reason I can't press enter when I am typing messages on this forum, not sure what's wrong - doesn't matter what browser I use either. Then sometimes I can press enter.. it's a pain. I wouldn't have my job if I couldn't do the things you don't seem to think I can

[Drew]

Nice. I'm thinker than you smart I am! If you're referring to the fact I can't seem to separate paragraphs, for some reason I can't press enter when I am typing messages on this forum, not sure what's wrong - doesn't matter what browser I use either. Then sometimes I can press enter.. it's a pain. I wouldn't have my job if I couldn't do the things you don't seem to think I can

Hit enter twice to seperate paragraphs on here.
But it should look like this if you don't, and not like a word jumble.

[Stirts]

You beat me to it bitch!

Losing your WOOD betrayed you, son. Made you think stupid. It won't be the last time that happens.

[bosslady]

Hit enter twice to seperate paragraphs on here.
But it should look like this if you don't, and not like a word jumble.

That's the thing I can keep pressing the damn enter key and it won't do shit, pisses me off. It's worse on my stupid tablet.

Seems it's working today though.

Maybe I eat at my desk too much and I've got some food in there or something

[Drew]

Losing your WOOD betrayed you, son. Made you think stupid. It won't be the last time that happens.

I didn't lose it, I left it for Trace. Steve is getting pretty old ya know, I'm sure she will appreciate it.