Random Thoughts About Finding a Job: Wasting Time

This post reflects random thoughts as I have hired someone and does not constitute a series

As I was going through the process of hiring someone this week, I discovered scores of new ways job seekers waste the decision maker’s time. I chose not to use the keyword selection feature to reduce my list of 120 applications, but to look at each one individually.  Most resumes took exactly 5 seconds to discard—once I could get the system to open the resume. It usually took longer to open the application than to reject the application.

Various Ways They Wasted My Time

Let me share some of the ways that the people who applied for the job I was filling wasted my time. Remember, I am reviewing 96 applications (24 did not even get through for me to see because of a bug in the system). Opening the files takes a lot time due to slow computer response and limited bandwidth. These were some of the problems that wasted my time:

• Generic resumes outlining experience and skills completely unrelated to the position I was filling (One person sent a speech pathologists resume for an HR recruiter's job)
• One person submitted a resume with nothing related to my position. Then, he submitted a second version of the resume that barely matched my desires
• Another person sent me five emails a day for three days. None of the emails gave me a good reason to hire them
• Several people called me after we rejected their applications to complain and ask why we rejected their application. When we mentioned specific experience which they did not have, they gave us examples that had not been included in their application. They wanted to us to reconsider and let them reapply

Communicate How You Can Help Them Achieve Their Goals

The solutions to not wasting time remain very simple:

• Discover management’s priorities and what job they really want done (not just the published ones)
• Communicate specific facts illustrating how your experience meets their expectations

Monday we rant about how job seekers arrive for job interviews completely unprepared

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