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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel a bit cheated/Aggreved (Job application related)

53 replies

Summerxsunx · 02/06/2016 13:34

Basically I applied for a job the other week. It said send in your CV with a covering letter which I did.

The next day I got an email back thanking me for my application and saying that the next stage was to fill out their application form. I admit I took one look at this 5 page form (which didn't ask for any additional information that wasn't on my CV or in the covering letter) and thought 'No, I just don't have time for that at the moment' so wasn't going to bother filling it in.

2 days later ( 2 days before the closing date) I recieved a voicemail, text message and email saying that they were very interested in my CV but couldn't move forward with my application until I'd filled in the form. I thought it was a bit odd that they went through all of that and assumed that they must be interested like they said so did it.

It took me 2.5 hours and was so laborious. I got a reply confirming reciept.

Anyway, I've heard nothing, zilch. The interview's were being held on the 8th (next Wed) so I assume I would have heard by now if they wanted to interview me.

AIBU to feel a bit aggreved? That form took me ages to fill in, not to mention it got my hopes up a bit. There's nothing in the form that wasn't in my CV and covering letter so hardly like something in the form could've put them off, or id be very surprised!!!

Gah. Pointless rant.

OP posts:
DianaMitford · 02/06/2016 13:39

Er - YABU. They have a process, you need to follow it so they can evaluate you and other applicants properly. I'm a bit surprised they actually contacted you to ask you to complete the form; that feels like a second chance to me.

Original poster
Summerxsunx · 02/06/2016 13:40

No. You weren't told to complete a form until you'd sent in your CV and covering letter. There was no mention/ way of getting the form from the first part of the application process.

OP posts:
AintNobodyHereButUsKittens · 02/06/2016 13:51

It sucks but at least your cv passed the first test so that's quite reassuring? And you might still get a callback or at least a formal decline once they've sorted out interview dates with all the other candidates - there's still almost a week to go.

I must just say, are you getting your applications proof read by a friend? I wouldn't normally pull people up on spelling and grammar on MN but since you're being judged on it out in the real world at the moment it's kind of vital.

Purplepicnic · 02/06/2016 13:58

That would annoy me. Why do you have to fill in a form with the same info you've already given them?!

I had to fill in four forms per child at the dentist last week, each one contained name, address, DOB.....

AintNobodyHereButUsKittens · 02/06/2016 14:03

Large companies often insist that all applications are processed through a standard form so that they can demonstrate equality of treatment when comparing candidates. It also weeds out timewasters if that's a problem for them.

ilovesooty · 02/06/2016 14:05

If there was no new information on it I can't really see why it took you so long to fill it in.

maggiethemagpie · 02/06/2016 14:08

Applying for jobs takes time and effort. If you apply for enough of them, eventually you'll get one. It's a bit like sales - if you just looked at the effort taken for one individual pitch that was unsucccessful, no one would ever work in sales. You have to look at the overall effort for the overall result and decide if it's worth it.

You may have to apply for 5 or 10 jobs before you get one, and waste time applying going for interviews etc before you get lucky, you have to decide if it's worth the overall effort or not.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 02/06/2016 14:11

That would annoy me. It annoys me as a professional - what a waste of everybody's time!

If you want an application form filled out (and there are various good reasons why organisations do application forms) then put that on the job advert in the first place.

Wasting time looking at CVs and then reviewing application forms is daft. Just skip the unnecessary extra step.

Yanbu.

LunaLoveg00d · 02/06/2016 14:18

As others have said the reason they want forms filled in is so they can assess everyone against the same criteria. Same reason in many interviews they use standard questions for everyone. It's all to do with transparency and to protect the company against accusations of discrimination.

OP does not know how many people applied for the position. They screened her CV and letter, decided she was a decent candidate and put her through to the next stage which was the form. She doesn't know how many other candidates failed at the first hurdle and got a "thanks but no thanks" email.

Likewise, she has no idea how many people were asked to complete the form, and how many got through to interview. It is highly unlikely that everyone who submitted a CV was asked to complete a form, and everyone who completed a form was asked to interview. There is filtering at every stage, I would have thought that was obvious. Companies can choose to be picky about who they employ, and can have whatever recruitment process they choose, with as many forms, interviews and tests as they please.

OP may be on a "reserve list" of almost good enough for interview but not quite, she never knows.

LordoftheTits · 02/06/2016 14:24

If there was no new information on it I can't really see why it took you so long to fill it in.

The last application I filled in asked me to explain all the ways in which I met the essential and desirable criteria, with examples for each bullet point. All of that information was in my CV and cover letter but I still had to spend two hours crafting, basically, an essay on it. It has put me off job hunting completely!

unexpsoc · 02/06/2016 14:30

Man. These employers who expect you to do what they want in order for you to get a job. Who made them the boss? Oh, wait....

clarrrp · 02/06/2016 14:39

As someone who was responsible for hiring for many years I should explain how the process works behind the scenes at a lot of places.

CVs are great and they show what the applicant has done, but CVs are hard to compare because no two people write them the same way and a CV offers a chance to really big yourself up in a way that many application forms don't. An application form is often used as a reference point because it directly compares applicants across a specific set of factors. It's easier to cross reference a hundred application forms than a hundred CVs because you can do it question/point at a time and directly compare.

We often asked for both - a CV in the first instance to get an idea of if the applicant was suitable for short list and then application form for quick reference and direct comparison. I know it can be frustrating though.

Good luck though.

AnnaMarlowe · 02/06/2016 14:42

Why not give them a call and politely ask about interview?

MrsTerryPratchett · 02/06/2016 14:45

Maybe it's a job with irritating management and pointless tasks and they are checking your commitment to that!

LagunaBubbles · 02/06/2016 14:45

YABU. Its a pretty poor attitude if they wanted a form (their prerogative) to turn round and say "well stuff that Im far too busy for that".

ThePebbleCollector · 02/06/2016 14:50

If there was no new information on it I can't really see why it took you so long to fill it in.

They take ages!

I remember applying for an NHS job before. You can't do a copy and paste job, they make sure of it, separate little boxes for each detail and date and paragraph...etc All asking the same things as a CV but in a different fashion.

Usually I'd say fair enough if that's the process.

But yes I would be annoyed re: your situation, they contacted you again saying how interested they were, which would mean to me they wanted to interview you but needed you to follow their process. Strange they contacted you again to then not follow it through.

JessieMcJessie · 02/06/2016 14:50

Given that they specifically asked you to proceed I'd call them back and ask if you've made it through to interview and, if not, politely request feedback as to their reasons.

ThePebbleCollector · 02/06/2016 14:50

YABU. Its a pretty poor attitude if they wanted a form (their prerogative) to turn round and say "well stuff that Im far too busy for that".

I'm assuming she didn't actually say that... she just decided not to continue with the application i.e. filling out the form.

ONatural · 02/06/2016 14:52

You still have almost a week until the interview so I'm confused as to why you've already written it off?

LC01 · 02/06/2016 14:55

I can't believe people are complaining about the process of apply for a job. Next you're be complaining that they aren't paying you to turn up at the interview. If you really want or need a job, surely you'll do all that's needed in these extremely competitive times.

Supposedtobeworking1 · 02/06/2016 15:00

Can I just turn this around to look at the situation from an employers point of view here, not to be funny but just to try and maybe explain what they were probably doing? From the company's point of view, they asked you to submit a CV and covering letter which you did on time, great. They liked your CV so as a second stage test they asked you to fill in the application form, firstly so that they can compare all applicants with equality and transparency on a like for like basis and secondly so that they can look to see who actually bothers to complete the request in an appropriate timescale, having been given a specific deadline, in exactly the way any employee would be expected to within the workplace. You then left it to the last minute because you couldn't see the point. The point was they filtered the promising applicants based on their willingness to complete the task in good time and I'm afraid you didn't do it until the last minute and only then when they chased you for it. Unfortunately, whilst I can fully appreciate that it was annoying and seemingly un-necessary to you when they already had the information, you have unwittingly presented them with the impression that you don't respond promptly to set tasks and leave things to the last minute only completing the work when chased up close to the deadline.

swg1 · 02/06/2016 15:03

LC01 you do realize that sometimes you apply for a job whilst already having a job, yes? And if you already have a job, it is completely valid to see an interesting job advert, think "eh, you can't win without buying a ticket" and then discover the process is too much of a pain in the ass to continue with.

Employers are not people handing out wonderful rare gifts which the humble applicants must do everything to show their gratitude for.

unexpsoc · 02/06/2016 15:09

swg1 - and thereby show that you didn't really want the job in the first place, and it is much better that it goes to somebody who could be arsed filling in the form?

maddening · 02/06/2016 15:09

Maybe you are good at flowering up your info ? When it is boiled down to bare facts maybe it isn't as good compared like for like to others?

Perhaps your unwillingness to fill in a form put them off?

redexpat · 02/06/2016 15:11

My top tip is to Put all your info into a notepad file (or is it called notebook?) Because it doesn't format it, so you CAN copy and paste into these forms. Saves a lot of time.