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Old 06-15-2013, 06:36 AM
 
111 posts, read 658,413 times
Reputation: 201

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Where I work, we just developed a new Employment Application and had a few people completely fill it out to see how long the typical person would take to completely fill it out. We determined a reasonably efficient person should take no more than 20 minutes to fill it out.

All applicants for employment in our company have to completely fill out an Employment Application in our lobby. We email all applicants and tell them to arrive 30 minutes before the interview to fill out the application and bring all the supporting documents and information they will need to complete the document.

The HR Assistant checks with the applicant 30 minutes after they start filling out the application and usually finds the following:

1) They did not bring the information to supply data on previous bosses and employers and contact information, so they leave it blank or put SEE RESUME.

2) They have made almost no progress on the application at all.

3) Their handwriting is so poor you can not understand what they are saying.

4) They don't remember what they did in past jobs so were unable to write the paragraph description requested about the responsibilities of each job.

In general, many applicants don't pass the first test in the employment process, The Employment Application.
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Old 06-15-2013, 09:01 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,147 posts, read 80,240,475 times
Reputation: 57000
Ours are all done online, but I have rejected several applicants because they obviously cannot follow simple directions. Your method is more drastic, because it adds a lot more stress to the applicant, which I suppose is good if you are trying to eliminate those that can't handle stress.
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Old 06-15-2013, 09:22 AM
 
Location: Arizona
8,222 posts, read 8,547,475 times
Reputation: 27483
Why would it add stress. They are told to bring supporting documents and information. I doubt if the people that don't finish the application, after being told what to bring, realize that they are eliminating themselves.
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Old 06-15-2013, 09:51 AM
 
2,845 posts, read 5,991,554 times
Reputation: 3749
Honestly I hate that. I applied, I filled out your online application, and I sent my resume. While YES I do bring a copy of my resume with me, and a copy of references, why do I have to fill it out AGAIN by hand?

So even though I would probably complete it, my handwriting would be terrible anways, I'm a left handed person with LOOPY handwriting lol.
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Old 06-15-2013, 10:07 AM
 
2,528 posts, read 1,646,950 times
Reputation: 2611
Quote:
Originally Posted by HumanNature View Post

3) Their handwriting is so poor you can not understand what they are saying.
Unless writing by hand is an essential part of the job, it's not suppose to bar somebody from employment.
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Old 06-15-2013, 10:10 AM
 
3,292 posts, read 1,921,463 times
Reputation: 3283
Default more info needed

what types of jobs are being offered and where does the initial contact occur?

if these positions are low wage then you can expect a proportionate level of abilities and skills in the applicants that show up and this should be no surprise to any competent hiring manager.

perhaps it would behoove your company to put a little more "human" into it's Human Resources Dept.

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Old 06-15-2013, 10:24 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,147 posts, read 80,240,475 times
Reputation: 57000
Quote:
Originally Posted by mash123 View Post
Unless writing by hand is an essential part of the job, it's not suppose to bar somebody from employment.
As a manager in an office setting, I may take notes at a meeting (for my own use) but other than that, only use a pen for signing things. What jobs still require handwriting?
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Old 06-15-2013, 10:38 AM
 
2,528 posts, read 1,646,950 times
Reputation: 2611
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140 View Post
As a manager in an office setting, I may take notes at a meeting (for my own use) but other than that, only use a pen for signing things. What jobs still require handwriting?
I can only think about a calligraphic professional who writes religious texts by hand on scrolls.
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Old 06-15-2013, 10:49 AM
 
1,378 posts, read 4,344,581 times
Reputation: 1767
I once worked at a car dealership in the business office. One of my duties was to write out a check by han every day that tranfered funds from one account to another. I then had to have the boss sign it before I sent it to the bank.

For the first couple weeks, he would complain about my poor handwriting. (I was writing in cursive). Then one day, I wrote all the information on the check by printing. I walked into his office without saying a word and tossed the check into the in box on his desk. A few moments later, he came out with a big smile on his face and said that was exactly how he wanted me to do the checks from then on.

For the rest of the time I worked there, I printed on the checks and he never had a problem.
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Old 06-15-2013, 11:56 AM
 
805 posts, read 1,157,850 times
Reputation: 719
Yes, what job requires you to write by hand?

Also, in my past experience, manual employment applications usually ask you to list job duties but then only provide a tiny space to list them. Applicants may simply put see resume in this space because there isn't enough room to list all or even most of their duties in the space provided.

You assume it should not take any more than 20-30 minutes long to fill out, but there is a substantial difference in how long it will take to fill out the application based on, a number of factors, including the number of past employers has to list.

All in all, this application process seems to be an arbitrary employment selection practice that is all too common in modern human resource departments. I hope your company isn't one of those that likes to complain about not being able to find qualified workers.
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