Must remain professional (light-hearted)

[4teensandababy]

Oh wise mumsnetters. Please help me to remain calm, and not let my sarcastic self take over....

Background: I’m recruiting for a role within my company. It’s a Junior Admin Role. Basic stuff, filing, answering phones etc.

I posted a job advert on our local town page on Facebook (yes I know) - but it will get good visibility, and the role would be great for a local person.

Anyhow. Relatively simple post, and it included the following points:

Must have excellent verbal & written English
Good attention to detail
Monday to Friday 9 - 5pm
To apply, please email me at [email protected] WITH your CV AND a covering letter (this was a little test)

In the past 24 hours, I have received (and not limited to) the following:

Of 21 people who emailed me, only 2 included a covering letter.
One applicant messaged me on Facebook to ask me what the hours are.....
One applicant messaged me on Facebook to ask if the role can be done remotely.
One applicant messaged me on Facebook: “I wuld like to aply for this roll”
One applicant messaged me on Facebook: “Plz can u give me more info” (their profile picture was them smoking a joint)
One applicant emailed me (yay) with their CV, but stated not to bother inviting her for interview if the role paid less than £29k?!

There are plenty more examples!

I know I may have invited a little of this by using Facebook, but the recruitment company were being useless and doing their own thing!

So my AIBU. Would it be entirely unreasonable to respond to some of these with sarcastic responses, or should I remain professional at all times and bite my tongue?!

So you didn't put the hours or the pay?

Sarcasm all the way. They deserve what they get for being utter dopes.

Perhaps some people assumed the email was the equivalent of a cover letter? They're not really needed anymore when you can say why you're applying for the role on the email itself.

Tessliketrees I put both....

Oh well sarcasm then, definitely.

SecondayConfusion Oh absolutely. I wouldn’t have minded that. But I received one email with no introduction and the simple phrase: Job Application. The end....

Although the remote one seems fair enough(unless the rest of the ad precluded it). No point in them wasting your time reading a CV and their time writing a cover letter.

Were you expecting the covering letter as a separate attachment? Or just the equivalent within the body of the email?

As to your AIBU, sadly I recommend you remain professional to protect your company's reputation.

Placing the advert on Facebook like that leads to it not being a serious role within a professional company; hence the messages you’ve received.

I’m a little on the fence with the remote one. Advert said duties included: filing, answering phones, daily postage (incoming & outgoing) though....

Remain professional but you are allowed a small strangled scream and to self medicate with chocolate.

Covering letter could be either a letter separately or a little introduction in the body of the email.

I appreciate the Facebook remark. However, it’s a Junior role. It would suit a school leaver, or parent returning to work etc. Hence why I thought I might have a good market.

Chocolate is a great idea Thistlebelle !!

Might you receive a better quality of response if you specified the salary? I never understand why salary isn't a given to include in job adverts.

ScreamingValenta I did. I missed it on my original post - apologies.

However, it’s a Junior role. It would suit a school leaver, or parent returning to work etc. Hence why I thought I might have a good market.

I understand where you’re coming from, but if they’re looking for a job they’ll be checking job websites/local paper anyway.

Ah - so the £29k person was a complete time waster then . Could you refer to your potential target audience in your ad - that might help it catch people's eyes, particularly returners who might lack confidence if they've been away from work for some time.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue You’re right, and certainly lesson learned my end

I bet

ScreamingValenta I was worried that if I did that, it would come across as discriminatory or I would exclude people who might have been a good fit. It’s a tough one!

I am not surprised - Dh advertised for a similar role in his work place and he even had someone's mum on the phone applying on her son's behalf... the mind boggles at what some people think is acceptable.

I see this all the time on a FB jobs page I have liked.
The way people "apply" makes me want to cry for the future of the workforce, it's just appalling.

People will write one word responses on a post which clearly states "apply on this website/by email to/PM me" etc and expect to be answered to. Or they add xxx kisses or "hun" to their comments. Or they will tell the employer to message them!

Ah, the joy of recruitment! I used to work in this area. I'm not surprised either.

I think as long as you worded it in a non-exclusionary way without specific reference to sex or age it would be fine. 'Would suit person new to or returning to work' should be OK.

Oh I hear you - and not even through using Facebook, just job seekers' sites. The standard of job applications is terrifically low. If one arrives in English, addressed to the right person, mentioning the right company and position, it's straight to the top of the pile.