Ring ring....Ring ring......Ring ring.......You are through to the Voicemail of...........
Not really sure if this is blog material or just a vehicle for us to have a bit of a chunter but here goes.....why, oh why apply for a job and then never be available to talk to the recruiter who is really excited about your CV? One of the most frequent moans from candidates who have used an agency to find a new career challenge is that their CV often seems to fall into an abyss as they receive no feedback or communication. Even more frustrated are the poor applicants who make all the effort to attend an interview and never hear how they got on. If you have been on the receiving end of that, I sympathise and to a huge degree, empathise with your ire. How so? This week I booked almost two days full of candidate screening calls (these normally take about an hour give or take). Last week of the month is always extra busy with financials, salaries, team monthly reviews etc but I am working on some great jobs and had what appeared to be some really appropriate applications. One person had also followed up their application with a call to the office - it was out of hours but at least showed keenness. Here I am at the end of the second day of said calls and how many do you think I managed to speak to? 100%? 80%? 50%?? Not even close....20%! Only 20% of these potential candidates could manage to answer their phone at the pre-arranged time be it first thing before work, mid morning, lunchtime, afternoon or after work. Why is this? My theory is that applying for a job these days is merely a click of a mouse and therefore almost throwaway. I love advancements in technology but I do believe in the 'good old days' when you had to write a cover letter, print on nice paper, stuff an envelope and actually put your application in a post box. You really had to make an effort to apply because you really want that job rather than just 'having a look at what is in the market from your armchair'.
Now I am happy to accept that some people will have had last minute drains on their availability but come on guys and girls, if we can Skype the other side of the world why can't you call or e-mail me to say your plans have changed. I am not asking for special treatment, just good manners.
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