Job applications

[Mickey Blue]

Arg.. So ok, is there a reason why every company you want to apply to (maybe its just my field) seems to think it necessary to force me to re-write my entire resume via their various fields?

Why not have the option to just submit a resume and if its incomplete or difficult to understand then you don't get hired, I have a great resume put together that clearly and completely summarizes my experience and qualifications, why do I have to go through pages and pages of fields to fill out that do nothing more then re-state what is already on my resume?

I mean I can sort of understand check box type fields.. There a computer could sort through the answers to sort applicants.. But when you have to fill it in (like listing out all the past jobs you've had, past schools, certifications, etc it just seems redundant when that's already written down.


I know there is probably a very good reason for this, I have never been involved in hiring people beyond sitting for interviews, but it sure is frustrating.

-MB

[Magdalene]

It annoys me too, but best I can figure is possibly this way their HR department gets all the 'resumes' in the same standard format where they can pick out the needed information more quickly, rather than going through God knows how many resumes, all written in a different style, which makes it easier to miss pertinent information in the resume.

Still annoying on our end, though.

Magdalene

[MattPHS2002]

A lot of places make you do it this way because you have to sign the application attesting that information is true and correct to the best of your knowledge.

[Latiam]

It makes it easier for the computer programs to search through them in order to present the prime applicants to HR. Lots don't even get read. Only the ones that were within their parameters.

[Roadsterboy]

I would be happy if I didn't have to take an hour long exam asking lots of cloying questions about whether or not I'd turn in a coworker for stealing office supplies to get a job at lots of places.

-RB

[Barbara]

Originally Posted by Mickey Blue

Arg.. So ok, is there a reason why every company you want to apply to (maybe its just my field) seems to think it necessary to force me to re-write my entire resume via their various fields?

Look at it from the potential employer's point of view: It has hundreds of incoming resumes to sift through, with those resumes formatted in various ways. It is a lot easier for it to quickly isolate the 30 or 40 job applicants whose paperwork it wants to take a far closer look at when it doesn't have to play hunt 'n' seek for the information it's after.

[hambubba]

I did one yesterday that took a while. I uploaded the resume, THEN went into the questionaire thing. On part that bothered me, knowing it is illegal to discriminate by age, is that they asked what high school and "what year" I graduated. That was a specific question.

It would be hard, probably impossible, to prove age discrimination, but if they never send me a reply, there's no way to know what the reason actually is.

I feel your pain, Mickey.

[Gibbie]

It's all about the machine scan. No one's looking at your resume, you fill in the fields, the computer "reads" it and if you match the keywords you gets a closer look. If you don't you're out. It makes it really really hard to get an interview call anymore.

Gibbie

[Brad from Georgia]

I'm up for post-tenure review this year, after having spent 23 years teaching in my present college. One requirement we all have to meet is to keep a current CV (which is for all practical purposes a resume). I reviewed my folders in the office--I've been here so long I have two great big fat ones--and marveled at how little my CV has changed in the past five years or so. The education and experience parts have changed almost none in 23 years (except for chalking up another year every time). Generally, I've just added my publications as they came about.

But the format has been changed about once every three years, so every so often I have to do a laborious cut and paste to meet the new improved standards....

[Elkhound]

I once had a temp job in the HR department of a major bank that involved scanning resume's into their database.

Somebody actually sent a resume in purple ink on pink paper.

[pjbuczek]

When I applied for my current job, I had to fill out a forty-five question 'Integrity Survey' that consisted of a few multiple choice questions followed by several questions that were to be answered in paragraph form. I'm still wondering whether they sincerely cared or whether they were simply trying to see how many ways one could ask, "Have you ever stolen anything, ever?"

Also, I'm new around here. Nice to meet everyone

[DawnStorm]

Originally Posted by hambubba

I did one yesterday that took a while. I uploaded the resume, THEN went into the questionaire thing. On part that bothered me, knowing it is illegal to discriminate by age, is that they asked what high school and "what year" I graduated. That was a specific question.

Huge pet peeve of DH and myself. Wouldn't surprise me if it was a way to weed out older people.

[Mad Jay]

Originally Posted by hambubba

I did one yesterday that took a while. I uploaded the resume, THEN went into the questionaire thing. On part that bothered me, knowing it is illegal to discriminate by age, is that they asked what high school and "what year" I graduated. That was a specific question.

It would be hard, probably impossible, to prove age discrimination, but if they never send me a reply, there's no way to know what the reason actually is.

I feel your pain, Mickey.

It might be illegal to discriminate by age. However, it's not illegal to discruiminate by years of experience. Graduation date gives an indication of how many years of experience a person might have in a relevant field

[Jahungo]

Originally Posted by Mad Jay

It might be illegal to discriminate by age. However, it's not illegal to discruiminate by years of experience. Graduation date gives an indication of how many years of experience a person might have in a relevant field

But shouldn't that already be on the resume elsewhere?

[Not_Done_Living]

My computer knowledge and skills is something that i have picked up over the years by actually doing computer stuff.

I have no formal education in either business or electronics.
So why would the date of my education matter?

[DemonWolf]

Originally Posted by Mad Jay

It might be illegal to discriminate by age. However, it's not illegal to discruiminate by years of experience. Graduation date gives an indication of how many years of experience a person might have in a relevant field

It also allows the employer to verify that the applicant did infact graduate and is not lying. Especially if the name is a more common one. I personally know of two people names "Michael Murphy" who graduated the same high school within a few years of each other.

[rhiandmoi]

As a person who receives resumes to maybe hire people, I don't know why either. The HR dept forwards us your actual formatted resume based on you responding to a listing, and doesn't even ask you to fill out the long application until the hiring manager has indicated an interest in you. I know for our open spots I specifically asked HR not to pre-screen the applicants though.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Mad Jay

It might be illegal to discriminate by age. However, it's not illegal to discruiminate by years of experience. Graduation date gives an indication of how many years of experience a person might have in a relevant field

Only if the applicant has been working in that field since they graduated from high school. I have 15 years experience in my field, but I graduated more than 15 years ago.

The resume and the application should include employment dates, which will provide better information about work experience without also giving a clue to information the employer shouldn't be asking about.

[FullMetal]

the graduation date thing is kind of weird for me. I graduated from high school twice. I returned for an extra year to upgrade and get my advanced high school diploma, to make it easier to get in to university. so I actually have two High School Diplomas with my name on it...

[Wicked Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by pjbuczek

{snip}

Also, I'm new around here. Nice to meet everyone

Welcome to da board pjbuczek!