Note of acknowledgement leaves positive impression
When I was growing up we always received the odd Christmas gift from Great Aunt Harriet, a mystery woman we seldom saw. The gifts were practical but often a tad strange. One year I remember opening a package from her that held really frilly girly pajamas, and I was such a tomboy. Good grief, what the heck was odd Aunt Harriet thinking?
The hardest part of this gift- receiving cycle was when my mom sat us down and forced me to write the obligatory thank you note to this crazy lady who sent pink lacy PJs. But to this day I still write thank you notes. Sometimes I think I am the only one who remembers this social grace. It goes along with returning phone calls, saying thank you and all those other actions that separate us from animals.
Recently we shared dinner with friends, who both are unemployed because their company left Spokane to consolidate operations in another area. He was the director of human resources and she held a good position in administration. Months have passed since they last worked, and despite a whole lot of searching on both their parts, they remain unemployed. Our dinner conversation turned to the challenges they face searching for a job in this economy. Their biggest frustration is the near total lack of response from business people when they send in a résumé.
Of course technology dictates most of the submissions are via e-mail to a blind address that does not even indicate the name of the company. It is tough to follow up with a black hole, and that is how they feel. They send the information requested and never hear a thing.
When an individual sends a résumé in response to an advertisement, we are beginning a relationship with that person. They or someone they know could:
•Become a client or a customer down the road.
•Be hired by a competitor.
•Become a competitor by opening a new business.
•Know some of our customers or employees.
These are just a couple of reasons why we should care about how we treat them, but most importantly, keep in mind that they are human beings. Looking for a job is a tough situation and as employers we have an opportunity to not add to their grief.
During the résumé reviewing stage, there are some easy traps to fall into. Do not simply set aside a résumé because:
•The individual is too educated and will not fit your position.
•The individual is not educated well enough for your position.
•There are too many holes in the job history.
•The experiences are so varied you cannot judge what the strengths are.
•The applicant lives too far away.
Why? There is a large group of highly educated people out there who are looking for a position that is rewarding, and have the luxury to work at a lower rate than they may have required in the past. And there are those leaving large corporations to find something new, and they might just be the answer.
Granted, some jobs clearly require a certain level of education to perform, but we all hire attitude, too. Humans are a complete package, and education is just one component. Look at it this way: If you had a position highly specific to your company and were faced with two applicants, one with a degree but an attitude, the other with no degree but enthusiasm, whom would you choose?
Our dinner guests made it clear they want to stay in Spokane and will both take a step down to make that happen, yet they are seldom given the chance to explain that decision when dismissed with a form letter.
But the lack of any response is still the most frustrating. Simple things like thank you notes and acknowledging a résumé can make all the difference.