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I'm going to disagree with the OP - but only because I'm not sure what kind of jobs he/she is applying for.
In my field, only online applications are accepted - the job descriptions specificially say 'no paper resumes, cover letters, references, ect will be accepted'. Granted, this is a job you must have certifications/qualifications to do. I have not had any trouble getting responses. There are places where all I got was the automated 'we have recieved your application and will be contacted if we wish to interview you'. But I have no qualms about not hearing from them - I'm sure they had other applicants and I was applying from out of state.
Perhaps all of those 'stupid and rude' people working the jobs you have applied for got the job because they knew someone - now doesn't that make you wish they had to apply online.
I agree 1000% I hate online applications. There is an art to it. It must be mastered. I haven't mastered it yet.
Google "ATS." The online application is called the "Automatic Tracking System" and there are many of them out there and they all work differently. Apparently there are vendors that market these things to employers to make life easier on them. Whatever.
I'm going to disagree with the OP - but only because I'm not sure what kind of jobs he/she is applying for.
In my field, only online applications are accepted - the job descriptions specificially say 'no paper resumes, cover letters, references, ect will be accepted'. Granted, this is a job you must have certifications/qualifications to do. I have not had any trouble getting responses. There are places where all I got was the automated 'we have recieved your application and will be contacted if we wish to interview you'. But I have no qualms about not hearing from them - I'm sure they had other applicants and I was applying from out of state.
Perhaps all of those 'stupid and rude' people working the jobs you have applied for got the job because they knew someone - now doesn't that make you wish they had to apply online.
jobs like walmart, target, sears, stop and shop etc.etc.etc.
The only fault for the applicant is that it allows for a lot more competition, so yours has to stand out a lot more when there are 1,000 others to be reviewed. Some employers such as where I work (hiring manager) accept only online applications. Since every job requires the use of a computer for some tasks, people can be eliminated by messing up the simple online application/resume upload process.
Stop applying online and you are greatly reducing your opportunities. We have 12 openings currently, but had as many as 30 a few weeks ago. Generally we run about 100 applicants for each opening, making it a lot easier to review and eliminate online and only print out the best.
People who say "we only accept online applications" are lying sacks. They NEVER check online applications. No matter whether it's a corporate job or retail - same game, same blame. I applied to plenty jobs (and dumbed down my resume) so I know I qualified. Of course I never heard from them. I would just say - "your online application system (ATS) is not an effective way of screening applicants. Because telling you to apply online is a passive-aggressive "no". No means I don't want to bother with you or "there are no positions available." I would ask in response, "Are there positions available" - "I'm REALLY interested in working for your company and the online system of applying is not effective". There are several ways you can turn that around. But absolutely no, I am not going to apply online. If they don't take my resume personally or give a name of someone who will or provide with a fax/email - then it's "next."
Welcome to 2011 and beyond, applying online is what the majority of companies will only accept now. They don't want hundreds if not thousands of people in today's market coming into their place of business and disrupting peoples work.
Some people don't believe this, but those personality tests play a big factor in it. Businesses buy these tests from strange no name companies. There are 3 levels of scores which are red, yellow, and green. Red means they are "not allowed to call you". Yellow means they are suspicious of you. They'll keep you in the desperate database. Green means you get called for an interview. Getting green for the typical person is like winning the lottery, as some people describe it. Most people get filtered out immediately because there are certains ways you have to answer these. Aka NOT tell the truth! Which is sad. I always thought employers saw honesty as a valuable trait. Not a bad one. You have to pick answers only using Strongly Agree and Strongly Disagree, nothing in between. At one point, there were answer keys for these kinds of tests compiled on blogs and other forums but they were all taken down. Now there is only a few sites left that still have these answer key strategy guides. It's like reading a strategy guide for a video game while you are playing it. Strangely, the only few sites left that have these guides are mental health sites with people saying they are getting discriminated against illegaly by these personality tests. Someone told me these companies who make these personality tests are trying to avoid legality suspicions and dodging lawsuits by letting the answer keys stay up while they try to repackage the tests to avoid getting in trouble. I think this is true and it sucks that people get filtered out so quickly like that. I was told if someone has a disability but is perfectly capable of doing a job, refusing to hire said person because of them being disabled is illegal and can be grounds for a lawsuit. I'm suprised there aren't laws being pushed against these tests. They DO go against people with anxiety disorders or depression. Yeah, employers need a way to filter out thousands of people who can't spell or type their first name right, but I just don't see how you can judge someone from words on a screen. Personality tests aren't supposed to be right or wrong. They "describe" someone or give you an idea. But there is so much grey area that you still can't consider these things an accurate description of a person who is still faceless to you.
Last edited by Silenthelp; 05-08-2011 at 12:00 PM..
Smart decision my friend. I'm telling you. Our workforce is flawed. This online system employers have setup is just one of the reasons. I was talking to a guy yesterday and this is what he told me
"When I was a teen I held jobs from gas station attendant, landscaper and department store employee. This was the 1970’s and jobs were abundant. No such thing as a resume or a test either. All I had to do was walk into the employers personnel office and fill out an application, wait a few minutes for an interview and get the job. I can't remember ever being turned down. Now these types of jobs can only be applied for on line. You must take a test that they never tell you if you passed or not and no one ever calls you back. Yet when you go to the store or company you see total idiots working there".
What was the population in the 1970s compared to today?
203,392,031 (1970)
308,745,538 (2010)
How many gas stations hire people these days? What about grocery stores?
The type of jobs he's talking about don't exist today.
People live longer and the mom & pop shops are long gone.
Today isn't 40 years ago.
Online applications are a just another way to exclude people. I have never even gotten a phone call in response to any of those online apps. Just an automated computer generated BS acknowledgement or automated "we'll keep your resume on file" type thing. I don't think anybody ever even checks the ATS (Applicant Tracking System). They're too lazy or bored or whatever. But yes, I agree, many of the people working in those places are borderline retarded or lack basic socialization skills. There are plenty of "professional" white collar places where I'm noticing this as well. Answering ads, cold calling, cold emailing/faxing and sometimes just walking in and filling out an app is better. I mean cold emailing to a specific person, not a jobs@___ or any of those.
I agree that online applications are a way to exclude people. When I was looking for a job, I submitted numerous online applications for basic retail positions. I have a couple of degrees and am close to 50. I am semi-retired and only need to work part-time. I did get a job, but that was by walking into a store that had a help wanted sign out and just being there at the right time. I did not receive one call, email, or anything from the online applications I submitted. Considering the age range of the people that I have seen working in some of those businesses, I am sure that my application was excluded as soon as they figured out my age from the dates that I obtained my degrees. It is my guess that the hiring managers ignore the ATS and just hire their friends. I will never fill out an online application again. It is a waste of my time.
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