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Agreed. We run into this fairly regularly. Put a secondary number on the application or resume with "(will accept messages)" noted next to it.
This does seem obvious. Yet somehow, it is not.
That's funny. Better yet the references with a name and nothing more. no phone, no address, nothing. Um yeah, I'm Karnac.
Got one of those yesterday too. And it was even better than this. The person sent their references, just names. With a notation in the email "if you need phone numbers, let me know"
We've run into references that don't know/remember the person. Anyone remember the guy who posted here a few months ago about using the train conductor he had met on the way to the interview as a reference?
Oh my. Probably find this one today. I am not far off.
This is so true. And don't think that employers don't understand "yo420yo@gmail.com."
Got that one. And, I am even more annoyed by it when all you have to do is go to any free server and create an email for work, the same way you created the unprofessional one. Not like I am thinking you should do something that costs money or is difficult to understand. Nope, just want something free that you have already done.
And don't think employers are going to be so wowed by your resume that they'll make an exception and alter the job duties just for you because you're so special.
Nope. I often staff TRAVEL positions. IF you are not willing to travel, there is no way I can change the position, as I do not HAVE the position in the office, rather on the road.
This one is tricky. If you were RIF'ed and have a good relationship with that manager it's fine to use them. I was RIF'ed from my last job after the company relocated my position and I didn't want to move. My former manager wrote a glowing letter of reference as well as gave a glowing verbal reference over the phone. If you were a slacker who never showed for work until noon on Monday, find a different reference.
Then warn me. Tell me that when I call, I am going to hear that you are not rehireable.
2. Current means in the last decade. Actually, it means in the last 5 years. It does not mean from the early 80's. One of my applicants gave me the information for a lovely woman who remembered her fondly. From 1982. This does not help me..
Why didn't it help you? Wouldn't the nursing home put her on the phone?
Your applicant reminds me of a relative whose most impressive job lasted from 1972 to 1980, and she will not take it off her resume. I've reminded her she often interviewed with folks not born by 1972, and it was going to get her put in the circular file, but the advice goes in one ear, out the other, so while she'd love an office job, as I type this, she is working at WalGreens.
Then warn me. Tell me that when I call, I am going to hear that you are not rehireable.
Off to work now....
Actually I was talking about people who ARE eligible for rehire but were laid off or RIF'ed. Those people should by all means give their former supervisor as a reference.
Why didn't it help you? Wouldn't the nursing home put her on the phone?
Your applicant reminds me of a relative whose most impressive job lasted from 1972 to 1980, and she will not take it off her resume. I've reminded her she often interviewed with folks not born by 1972, and it was going to get her put in the circular file, but the advice goes in one ear, out the other, so while she'd love an office job, as I type this, she is working at WalGreens.
LOL I talked to the woman, as I was not aware until I was speaking with her how old the reference was and didn't want her to feel that I was wasting my time. But even the reference kept saying things like "well, she was great but its been well over 20 years". Sigh
Actually I was talking about people who ARE eligible for rehire but were laid off or RIF'ed. Those people should by all means give their former supervisor as a reference.
Oh no, the person I talked to gave a great reference. I asked if the person was eligible for rehire. After a pause the reference said "no". I asked why and was told that the person I was talking to terminated my applicant, personally, for failing to give notice (tried to give 2 days, when the boss said that was not acceptable, got mad and stormed off...the reference followed her to her area and fired her for what she said). And then the applicant used this person as a reference.
I know people on here are always complaining about the HR people, how terrible we are and how it is supposedly our job to make sure that no one ever gets hired.
For some reason, application after application has been crossing my desk with the same glaring issues, so partly to vent (although I doubt I will get any sympathy) and partly as information to people who are job hunting, here are some "what not to do's" that I have encountered.
1. If you have a phone number listed on your resume or application, make sure it works. Numerous people in the last few days have turned in applications with disconnected numbers. "This number can not accept your call at this time" is NOT code for the person is busy. It IS code for the person has either not paid their bill or had run out of minutes for the month. Please, make sure you include a working number.
2. Current means in the last decade. Actually, it means in the last 5 years. It does not mean from the early 80's. One of my applicants gave me the information for a lovely woman who remembered her fondly. From 1982. This does not help me.
3. Keep in contact with your references. If they ask "who" when I call or are not able to remember when they worked with you, it leaves me some doubt as to the reliability of their reference. Especially as I am going to have to submit this reference either to the client or to my boss at some point.
4. Give correct info for the reference. This goes back to keeping in contact with them. If they are no longer in a location, I should not be discovering this when I call them. It annoys me and makes it clear that you are not giving references of people who are still a part of your professional life.
5. Have a professional email. I am not, no matter how great you are, going to submit someone with the email "Ipartyalot@gmail.com" No, this is not the real email I got, so if this goes to someone in real life, I have no idea. But the message on why I am not telling my boss this person is great should be clear.
6. Pay attention to the job requirements. If the job says "Must be willing to travel" or in our case has "Travel" in the title, please do not apply if you are willing to go no farther than 5 miles from your home.
7. If you were terminated from your last job, no matter how great you think the reference will be, do not give the person as a reference if they were your boss or the person who terminated you. Find someone else. When the answer to "Why did this person leave your employ" is "I terminated them" then this is NOT a good reference, no matter the great things they have said about you, as they TERMINATED you.
It has been a fascinating week, and it is amazing how often some of this stuff appears.
I do not expect any sympathy, but the vent feels good....
for me, i just hate how Human Resources/Hiring-Managers are never completely honest with you, yes i know they don't want to risk getting sued, but i feel constructive criticism, specific detailed feedback would help me a lot to improve myself, to avoid making the same mistakes again in the future
For every applicant who does screw up, there are hundreds of others who do all of the supossed "right" things when applying for jobs and still have nothing to show for it at the end of the day.
So the OP is really just pouring salt on open wounds.
How is the OP pouring salt on open wounds? This is her job, to sort through resumes. She is complaining about the ones where the applicant has no common sense. She spent two hours weeding through applications she couldn't use. Nothing was said about the applicants that applied, with the qualifcations that answered questions correctly.
How is the OP pouring salt on open wounds? This is her job, to sort through resumes. She is complaining about the ones where the applicant has no common sense. She spent two hours weeding through applications she couldn't use. Nothing was said about the applicants that applied, with the qualifcations that answered questions correctly.
Thanks. And I spent another hour yesterday with the rest of the applications and the same things happened. So, 2 days this week spent with people who are not using common sense, as you and so many others have put it.
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