Employers - Is it just me?
Discussion
I'm currently in the process of starting a company, and I need a few work from home part time employees.
I have had nearly 50 applicants in the past week or so, and less than 10 have attached a cover note to the CV.
Is this normal? If I was applying for a job, especially a sales job as this is, I would be selling myself from the start saying 'please please pick me'
Is it the kind of job it is, or is this normal?
I have had nearly 50 applicants in the past week or so, and less than 10 have attached a cover note to the CV.
Is this normal? If I was applying for a job, especially a sales job as this is, I would be selling myself from the start saying 'please please pick me'
Is it the kind of job it is, or is this normal?
t.its a funny world we live in today as Ive heard all kinds of stories.
you get the arrogant cocky applicant who just bangs in a CV and lands the job then......you get the careful conscientious applicant who sends in a good cover letter with a tailored CV theyve pawed over for a few hours and they dont even get to interview stage.........
out of interest of those that did just send you in a CV without a cover letter - were they all poor CVs or were there some some that you liked the look of?
50 applicants to for a couple of home based sales jobs- wow I am surprised by those numbers. just shows how few jobs are out there.
you get the arrogant cocky applicant who just bangs in a CV and lands the job then......you get the careful conscientious applicant who sends in a good cover letter with a tailored CV theyve pawed over for a few hours and they dont even get to interview stage.........
out of interest of those that did just send you in a CV without a cover letter - were they all poor CVs or were there some some that you liked the look of?
50 applicants to for a couple of home based sales jobs- wow I am surprised by those numbers. just shows how few jobs are out there.
Pwig said:
I'm currently in the process of starting a company, and I need a few work from home part time employees.
I have had nearly 50 applicants in the past week or so, and less than 10 have attached a cover note to the CV.
Is this normal? If I was applying for a job, especially a sales job as this is, I would be selling myself from the start saying 'please please pick me'
Is it the kind of job it is, or is this normal?
I don't like cover letters - waste of time in my opinion. I have never read one that essentially didn't say - Hi - I'd like the job please. I have had nearly 50 applicants in the past week or so, and less than 10 have attached a cover note to the CV.
Is this normal? If I was applying for a job, especially a sales job as this is, I would be selling myself from the start saying 'please please pick me'
Is it the kind of job it is, or is this normal?
The rest is pretty meaningless puff/chaff - the CV is the thing that makes me decide to interview someone.
Pwig said:
I'm currently in the process of starting a company, and I need a few work from home part time employees.
I have had nearly 50 applicants in the past week or so, and less than 10 have attached a cover note to the CV.
Is this normal? If I was applying for a job, especially a sales job as this is, I would be selling myself from the start saying 'please please pick me'
Is it the kind of job it is, or is this normal?
All applications to us are started through an online portal.I have had nearly 50 applicants in the past week or so, and less than 10 have attached a cover note to the CV.
Is this normal? If I was applying for a job, especially a sales job as this is, I would be selling myself from the start saying 'please please pick me'
Is it the kind of job it is, or is this normal?
It depends on the CVs - while I would write a cover letter if I had the opportunity, I think that a CV tailored to the specific role basically has the same effect.
There is probably also a quantity factor - my father (NGO) used to get c. 8-900 applications for a single graduate role, so people would just pump their CVs into every possible opportunity at such a rate that they do not have time to tailor them (...and into the bin they went).
When I email my CV either directly or to an agency, I will generally include a short covering message in the email.
This generally sets out two or three things, my availability, my expectations with regard to salary etc, and a couple of bullet point type sentences to snag their interest sufficient to actually read my CV.
This is a reflection from being on the other side of recruitment, too little info doesn't engage me and overly long cover letters covering every angle, repeating stuff that should be in the CV, so I only skim read and get bored with.
This generally sets out two or three things, my availability, my expectations with regard to salary etc, and a couple of bullet point type sentences to snag their interest sufficient to actually read my CV.
This is a reflection from being on the other side of recruitment, too little info doesn't engage me and overly long cover letters covering every angle, repeating stuff that should be in the CV, so I only skim read and get bored with.
A quick cover note / email explaining why the applicant is applying for the job and "please find attached my CV" - that should be tailored to the role.
It shows that the applicant knows how to write a letter, having vetted thousands of applications it's incredible how many people don't have the basic skill.
That being said when you can apply for hundreds of jobs with the click of a mouse and employers get thousands of applications at a time, it's no wonder people don't bother to take their time to introduce themselves or employers don't bother to give feedback.
It shows that the applicant knows how to write a letter, having vetted thousands of applications it's incredible how many people don't have the basic skill.
That being said when you can apply for hundreds of jobs with the click of a mouse and employers get thousands of applications at a time, it's no wonder people don't bother to take their time to introduce themselves or employers don't bother to give feedback.
keirik said:
I've looked at loads of jobs on job boards, Facebook etc and most of them don't put a salary on them. Is this normal?
You'd think you'd want to attract the right calibre of people by stating how much you're willing to pay them.
I hate that, I've seen 3 similar roles this week for what I do and applied for 2 of them. The 3rd didn't post a salary range. I've wasted time on applications like this in the past to be told after applying that the salary is not even close to my expectations. Waste of both my time and theirs. You'd think you'd want to attract the right calibre of people by stating how much you're willing to pay them.
They might do but it might say something like.
£21 - 28k
IN which case they are saying, we might pay for experience but to be honest we don't value it, so we will take the young chump or the Polish guy who will happily work for 5 grand a year less than you, as the job is unskilled and we don't rate experience as we don't want to pay for it!
You can tell I have seen this several times no.
£21 - 28k
IN which case they are saying, we might pay for experience but to be honest we don't value it, so we will take the young chump or the Polish guy who will happily work for 5 grand a year less than you, as the job is unskilled and we don't rate experience as we don't want to pay for it!
You can tell I have seen this several times no.
hooblah said:
I don't bother with cover notes when applying for jobs. All relevant details are on my CV. Why waste time with a bunch of waffle to find out you didn't even get an interview?
A covering letter can be useful to direct the recruiter to where your CV meets the specific requirements of the role, without having to tailor your CV for every job.Job specs often contain very specific points which may only be implicit in a CV, or need expanding.
Remember that the person doing the recruitment (especially the first sift) may not even understand the skills needed for the job.
I'm recruiting for a Process Analyst at the moment and the first sift is done by our PMO. From the short list we the have to pick through the CV to work out if they have the right level of experience. A covering letter specifically detailing how they fit the role would be a great help.
I've applied for many different roles in my search, not just limiting myself to one industry, or one position. Having to type a new cover letter for each job app is tedious, especially when applying to 10 a day. It might be good for the recruiter, but then again it's their job to read my CV and figure it out.
I read a story about the decline of tie wearing in business.
Came across a great line about your approach when attending an interview and whether a man should wear a tie when so many offices now dont have a tie in the dress code except for maybe when meeting clients.
It said "Better to wear it and be over dressed for the role than risk not wearing one and be under dressed".
I take this same approach with a cover letter rather than just sending my CV off.
You cant do wrong including one - i'd say you stand a far higher chance of being passed over without one.
Came across a great line about your approach when attending an interview and whether a man should wear a tie when so many offices now dont have a tie in the dress code except for maybe when meeting clients.
It said "Better to wear it and be over dressed for the role than risk not wearing one and be under dressed".
I take this same approach with a cover letter rather than just sending my CV off.
You cant do wrong including one - i'd say you stand a far higher chance of being passed over without one.
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