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Original poster

to be appalled at this and to think about whether I want to work there in the long term

89 replies

hopipolla · 23/03/2013 20:30

I've just got a new job and we are recruiting for a new member of staff and I'd collated and printed out all the applicants CVs and Cover Letters before giving them to the person who is in charge of the recruitment process. He immediately picked up half of them and put them in the bin before joking with another colleague that "unlucky people don't get hired", he then proceeded to put one in the shredder which he had had delivered that morning as he needed to "test it" apparently before laughing with the colleague again.

I'm Shock about the whole episode but DP thinks that this sort of thing will be fairly common practice at the current time with some many people jobhunting and that I'm overreacting due to my brother who is graduating in June and so is sending a lot of CVs/applications out.

OP posts:
RatPants · 23/03/2013 20:31

I would get into huge amounts of trouble at work if I did this with job applications.

MrsBW · 23/03/2013 20:33

Err.. no, you are not being unreasonable and besides, employers should keep applications for a certain amount of time in case of a discrimination challenge. You might want to let them know?

wannabeEostregoddess · 23/03/2013 20:34

Thats probably illegal in some way.

thebody · 23/03/2013 20:34

He sounds like a vile arrogant twat. Like to see him hunting for a job.

Very very unprofessional and stupid.

MrsBW · 23/03/2013 20:34

ACAS recommends applications/CVs should be kept for 6 months...

MortifiedAdams · 23/03/2013 20:35

I.think the people that had their CVs shredded have had a lucky escape.

careergirl · 23/03/2013 20:35

I think sadly this may be sign of the times. Wasn't it Starbucks who advertised for a barista job and got literally thousands of applications
A school here recently put in an ad for a school caretaker/handyman/ person and got for one vacancy 500 applications

TomArchersSausage · 23/03/2013 20:35

Sad How horrible. And laughing about it too.

Smartiepants79 · 23/03/2013 20:36

That's crap.
Unbelievably smug, hope he has to go thru this process some time soon.
Just lacking in all empathy, how hard is it to at least scan them and come up with some form of valid reason for tossing them.
Don't give up your own job though until you have got a replacement!

careergirl · 23/03/2013 20:36

Sorry cut myself off. I meant to add of course however its completely unacceptable to do this!

SPBInDisguise · 23/03/2013 20:37

Well there are plenty of jobs where they seem to say they can't even rad all the applications
Never been a pro lem when I hire, we struggle to get someone suitable

porridgewithblueberries · 23/03/2013 20:40

YANBU.

I feel really sad for the people who went to time and trouble putting their CVs and application letters together to have them treated like this Sad

It is horrible.

thebody · 23/03/2013 20:43

This is actually quite upsetting isn't it in its arrogance and cruelty.

SPBInDisguise · 23/03/2013 20:44

It is but I thought it was commonplace
Not getting to them I mean - not necessarily actively shredding them

MaeMobley · 23/03/2013 20:46

YANBU but I think it is fairly common behaviour.

I have seen sexism, racism and ageism in the recruitment process in the companies I have worked for.

And also silly reasons chosen for interviewing some person over another (eg sharing the same birthday).

CognitiveOverload · 23/03/2013 20:46

That's not only unethical. It's stupid.

lurkedtoolong · 23/03/2013 20:47

Is there someone higher up you can report him to? Or a whistle-blower process? I've just applied for my dream job and didn't get an interview. The thought that this might have happened to my application is really upsetting.

TSSDNCOP · 23/03/2013 20:48

Let us fervently hope he finds himself in the "unlucky pile" in the very near future.

SPBInDisguise · 23/03/2013 20:48

Maybe, maybe not. If they have many many high quality candidates, is it really worth the extra time and effort to get on that is a shade better than the one eventually appointed.
not saying its not shit. It is. But it's reality in some jobs. Like I said in the ones we advertise we get so few good candidates that we cling onto the ones we do get.

zoobaby · 23/03/2013 20:49

I guess this makes you one of the lucky ones? Pretty crap thing to do though. Does this guy have a manager? You know, someone interested in hiring the best person for the job, potentially someone whose CV currently resides in the bin.

OwnedByACockerSpaniel · 23/03/2013 20:51

I have applied for many jobs and finally start one on Monday ((happy dance)). I had a feeling something like this was going on at smaller firms I was applying for so I turned to employment agencies.

It's just upsetting to know that after sending 50+ CV's out they may have just been binned without consideration!

In my previos employment we advertised for a jnr position and had aprox 400 applications, I remember sitting there for about 2 weeks just going through them all. We gave a deadline of last day to apply, and even then I felt bad throwing ones out of the deadline out but could not justify accepting them as then where do you draw the line IYSWIM.

Like a PP said, you have to keep them for 6 months incase someone rings and ask's "why they were nto considered?" If you have shredded it your not going to be able to give a reason are you?!

SPBInDisguise · 23/03/2013 20:53

Well done owned, good luck form monday

Tee2072 · 23/03/2013 20:54

If there are electronic copies, they don't have to keep the hard copies. I assume they are emailed in, as the OP was printing and collating.

Also, if it is through recruiters, the recruiters will keep the CVs.

This is not that uncommon in the current market. I don't know if it's illegal or immortal or even unethical. It's just life.

SPBInDisguise · 23/03/2013 20:55

Certainly nhs jobs tend to say "we are unable to give feedback on why your application hasn't been selected for interview". Not that I believe they're doing that, but shows volume

OwnedByACockerSpaniel · 23/03/2013 20:58

Tee I see what you mean, it's just unfair but theres not much that can be done about it. One of those situation where it is just a sad state of affairs Sad

Thank you SPB Smile no more this morning for me though, my lovely silver fox Phillip will not grace my tv Sad

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