Resume & Job Interview Black Hole
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Have you ever submitted your resume for an opening that matched your qualifications and never received an acknowledgment? Or have you interviewed with a company and never been informed as to the outcome (which obviously meant they hadn’t picked you!)?

Companies too often show a lack of respect for candidates who respond to openings by submitting a resume and an equally dismal lack of courtesy toward applicants they actually interview but don’t hire.

Why Your Resume Could Go into a Black Hole

When a company claims it can’t acknowledge every resume submission for a posted opening, something seems fishy. With today’s advanced technology, it’s hard to believe companies can’t find an affordable, automated way to acknowledge submissions, even if that lacks the personal touch you might prefer. At the very least, they’d be letting you know your resume reached them.Depositphotos_38898789_m-2015

On the other hand, maybe they’re behind the times and using low-tech methods to handle resume submissions. In which case, you might ask yourself the following questions:

1.How can I circumvent their obstacle course to reach someone who can tell me if my resume arrived?

2.Should I try a second method of submitting the resume (including, but not necessarily limited to, handing it to the receptionist)? And, finally….

3. Why would I want to work for a company that can’t get its act together enough to at least auto-acknowledge my resume submission?

And What About the Job Interview Black Hole?

Job interviews can be challenging, even nerve-wracking. Since you were invited to interview and did your best to prepare for and get through it professionally, wouldn’t you think the company could let you know if you weren’t selected, instead of just contacting you if you were?

In my book, it’s a matter of companies not caring enough to treat candidates as human beings rather than “things.” And when I say companies, I’m referring to the people who operate then, from the executive level on down to Human Resources.

Respect: Is that too much to ask? Apparently.

And out of respect for those employees (at any level) who do “get” it, I want to acknowledge that I’ve known some who did genuinely care and wanted to manage the hiring process with an approach marked by mutual respect. This largely critical post isn’t aimed at them.

How Do You Handle This Lack of Response?

You can step back and recognize that you probably won’t get an acceptable answer if you try to pursue it or you can grit your teeth and jump into the fray (contact the company and do your best to elicit some kind of response).

Actually, you have a third alternative: You can cross that company off as a bad bet that isn’t worth further thought and put your time and energy into going after a job with a company that will value what you have to offer. And you might want to start by circumventing the standard send-your-resume-to-HR method of job search. In other words, find a way to get your resume to someone inside the company by the “back door,” if using the front door means jumping through the HR hoop and into a job search black hole.

The same goes for lack of response after you’ve had a job interview with a company. Decide if the organization is worth more effort and act accordingly.