Local firms: Show some respect and professionalism

Wednesday 24th August 2011, 3:00PM BST.

From P Barratt.
I, ALONG with no doubt many others, have been sending off numerous applications for the limited number of situations becoming vacant.

I am increasingly frustrated by the lack of concern and professionalism shown by local companies who will not or cannot be bothered to either acknowledge or reply to applications for positions that they are advertising. This is in spite of many employing staff specifically for this purpose.

Just when I began to compose my letter I received a call from a local firm asking me to attend an appointment to discuss a part-time position.

Although the rate of pay was not great I turned up, having driven to the other side of the Island, at the designated time only to be told that the person had gone to lunch.
Come on, local companies, try seeing things from our point of view.

1
wildchild

August 24, 2011 at 3:48 pm

It was always the same, which is why when you find a company with some decency you tell your friends so that that company can prosper. Can a company really afford the risk of a business downturn due to a bad reputation?

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2
Clare Renouf

August 24, 2011 at 4:16 pm

The situation you mention is wrong. But, you may not know just how many timewasters local companies are having to deal with, people calling so often to see what is happening with their application that they are tying up the time of the very person trying to deal with the applications. Companies these days usually give a list of necessary and desirable qualities or qualifications, but are then inundated with applications from people who don’t even get close to the necessary ones. Add to that candidates not turning up for interviews, being uncontactable by phone, withholding their address, or expecting special treatment over other candidates, and you will find that recruiting can be a nightmare. Are people just applying for any job? That may be commendable, in some way I guess, but I don’t think a company should have to acknowledge your reply if you’ve applied knowing you don’t have the necessary qualifications. Bear in mind you are not dealing with huge companies with a massive HR department, it may just be one part-timer who also has the usual staff issues to deal with on a daily basis. How you have been treated is wrong, but you may be suffering because of other applicants rather than the company you have applied to.

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3
Rela Turthseeker

August 24, 2011 at 8:26 pm

Claire Renouf:
‘Are people just applying for any job?’

They have probably been duped by the posts from Real Truthseeker who tries to convey the impression that the Jersey job market just couldn’t manage without self publicists like himself.

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4
Beaumont

August 24, 2011 at 9:34 pm

Claire

You make a strong case, but when people are desperate for a job, and they take the time and effort to fill in application forms together with a covering letter and CV, only not to even receive a thanks or acknowledgement, is totally demoralising.

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5
Leah Holmes

August 25, 2011 at 2:58 am

I hope they’re not relying on Jersey Post for those replies!

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6
bella

August 25, 2011 at 10:01 am

5
Jersey Post is a joke.
No post on a saturday when most people are at home to sign for parcels is just plain daft.

but hey that’s alright as long as bussinesses get their mail every working day nothing else matters.

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7
WAVEY

August 25, 2011 at 12:58 pm

@Clare#2

Are people just applying for any job? That may be commendable, in some way I guess, but I don’t think a company should have to acknowledge your reply if you’ve applied knowing you don’t have the necessary qualifications.

….Please please please ..This attitude is fine from the comfortable position of full time employment. But it is so sole destroying to have no acknowledgement of an application. After a while it starts to feel as though you (the applicant) does not even exist.
Not to respond to an application when employment levels are high and applications not quite so, is bad. But When you advertise for a potential staff member, knowing that you are likely to be inundated with applicants. then, it is even more important to reply. As you then know the number of people that are desperate to get out of the rut they are in and start to contribute to there families lives.
At last count i have had 3 replies from 87 applications….That is poor by any standards. Incidentally, i DO only apply for a job to which my skill sets are applicable.

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8
nigel

August 25, 2011 at 2:38 pm

6 Bella

I get your point about Saturday private deliveries.
Surely it would be more logical to do away with the Monday deliveries to private addresses.
For me, alternate days deliveries would suffice, i.e. Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.

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9
nigel

August 25, 2011 at 2:47 pm

I meant to add that the introduction of two classes of post, next day or second class, is an unnecessary complication totally unneeded with such small recipient numbers.
If the bosses concentrated on doing the basics right and forgot about trying to copy the UK, I’m sure the service would be much better.
I also blame the States for allowing competition in the profitable areas of the postal service,while leaving Jersey Post to run the unprofitable areas, so making it more difficult for them to operate sucessfully. Jersey is too small for numerous postal suppliers just as it would be rediculous to have more than one electricity or water company in Jersey.

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10
bella

August 25, 2011 at 5:48 pm

8 Nigel
good idea.

as long as saturday is included it makes more sense.

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11
Parktown Prawn

August 26, 2011 at 9:08 am

Clare

We have such things as computers nowadays….and some of them allow multiple letters to be printed at the push of a button.

It would not take much effort at all to send standard acknowledgement of receipt or application decline letters out to all applicants……the very least they deserve for trying to find work.

This would then allow them to move on and continue their search instead of waiting with baited breathe for a response which will never come….it will also go some way towards reducing the phone calls and chasers you say would normally occur, wasting the recruiters time. Progress for both sides!

It’s just called common decency

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12
Clare Renouf

August 29, 2011 at 2:20 am

#11 I have used mailmerge, but it isn’t actually any faster since whatever method you use requires you to type in the address.

All the comments above are fine if the person in the HR department is sitting about twiddling their thumbs, but in a recession it is highly unlikely that is the case. Chances are they are doing the job of 2 or 3 people. Much as it is unfortunate for job applicants some HR matters have to be dealt with within a set timeframe, it’s the law, and so for anyone working within HR those matters have to take priority. If the HR person is already overworked then how are they meant to find the time to reply to all applicants? Are they meant to work vast amounts of overtime for no pay? #7′s situation is clearly disgusting, there are some firms in Jersey with big HR departments. However, my department is just me, and while I try very hard to to do the ‘decent thing’ I am unable to create more hours in the day. Tribunals, contracts, payroll etc. all have legally binding deadlines, I don’t have the option to prioritise the feelings of applicants no matter how much I want to. I have been in their position, so I’m not just talking from the comfortable position of full-time employment.

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13
C Le Verdic

August 29, 2011 at 10:29 am

Clare Renouf:
‘All the comments above are fine if the person in the HR department is sitting about twiddling their thumbs, but in a recession it is highly unlikely that is the case. Chances are they are doing the job of 2 or 3 people.’

Nice to see that this recession is actually hitting Jersey! The previous one had no effect whatsoever on the fools’ paradise, which is partly why the place got so cocky and blasé in the interim.

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14
Parktown Prawn

August 29, 2011 at 10:48 am

Clare

My comment was not intended as a personal attack on you….apologies if you felt that way.

I was merely stating that in 21st century we should have the means to send out a few letters now and again. An address would take literally seconds to input…..and there are programmes which allow you to select the address and automatically populate it from a simple post code…..

You mention tribunals taking up a lot of your time…..I’d hate to work for your compamy then because it would seem they’re doing something VERY wrong.

You also fail to mention how much of the old HR work has been conveniently passed on to middle management. My last managerial role meant we recruited staff, promoted staff, sacked staff, appraised and disciplined staff, organised staff holidays, managed illnesses…all with the bear minimum of HR involvement. All of these duties were “HR” duties in the earlier years of my career. To be frank, it left many staff (and managers) scratching their heads, wondering what it was that HR “actually” did these days!

That aside, however, it would appear that perhaps some of these applicants should apply for a role to assist in HR

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