to think that people have no idea how to apply for jobs?!

[myteenytinyteapot]

Just that really. Hiring for a senior admin person at the moment and have had hundreds of applications but honestly only about four shortlistable ones. I have had:

• CVs which include full-length glamour model style photographs of applicants
• CVs without cover letters when the advert clearly asks for a cover letter
• CVs and cover letters riddled with spelling and grammatical errors
• CVs which are 20 pages long and go into loads of detail about the hobbies and interests of the applicant. Also hardly anyone uses page numbers!
• Cover letters which are obviously just generic copied and pasted mass send out jobs - "I am writing to apply for the position advertised". Couldn't even be arsed to put in the job title!
• People applying who don't have any of the essential requirements listed

AIBU that I'm not surprised people can't get jobs if this is the general standard considered acceptable?!

ChrisPrattsFace

Just this morning I received a CV with the person's primary school education listed! The person is almost 30 and has multiple degrees and extensive work experience

@Katiepoes oh yes that's a good one! I have a hotmail email that I've heard is "unprofessional" as hotmail is too old school and not in a cool way, but the address I have is [email protected] (insert my first name and last name!) and I refuse to change it as I love that it has no letters etc!!

Chucking at the righteous indignation of the OP for ranting about the number of poor, badly put together applications for ..... an admin job at a charity. Which I’m presuming isn’t the most well remunerated position in the marketplace etc.

Of course it's not big money but it's actually extremely well paid for the sector. In general we pay our employees more than most charities too. And we are very very supportive of flexible working.

It's a decent, interesting job though it is "just" admin.

Not that it matters really, if you think the job is shitty and beneath you then just don't apply for it surely?!

also lots of [email protected] type emails. Just no!!!!!

Depends on where you are advertising, some recruiting sites don't allow you to add a covering letter so it's just a more generic one. I do that kind of work and my cv is three pages long and no photo at all )why include a photo for an admin job?)

I don't recall ever being taught how to write a job application or CV at school, but to be honest with the internet there really is no excuse these days.

This appalling standard of education and basic common sense is part of the reason we got Brexit, folks.

Depends on where you are advertising, some recruiting sites don't allow you to add a covering letter so it's just a more generic one

All ours do so it's by the by, but even if they didn't the job description clear says "please email a CV and covering letter outlining how your skills and experience match the person specification to xxxxx@xxxx"

I'm not sure that's so, Piglet, the only people I know who voted to leave are in their 50s/60s/70s so products of the old grammar school system and free university education.

@Piglet89 Full marks for introducing Brexit. It’s becoming like Godwins.

@myteenytinyteapot

I had a live in job advertised which said clearly you must live on site and the accommodation is a small 2 bedroom flat. A man with 5 kids applied and said he would not be living in, when we turned him down he threatened discrimination. It was a live in caretaker job!

Though I'm currently job hunting as I need more hours (thanks to h announcing he's leaving) and it's proving very hard to get senior administration roles around here, they either want various accounts and hr qualifications (I can do it but don't have the letters after my name) or they are paying minimum wage. I'm thinking of moving area now, I need a change, just applied to a fundraiser job 200 miles away!

A lot of it is the jobcentre making people apply.

It is also true I'm afraid that sometimes the issue is employers and recruiters not accepting that, well, this calibre of applicant is what you get for what you're offering. I'm definitely not saying that's the case here, but, well, it happens.

Also true about people essentially applying for the role not the charity. That probably happens across sectors, but I definitely experienced it when I recruited in the third sector.

I find this thread quite soul destroying. I'm looking for a part time job atm and can't find anything.

Yes yes to everyone bemoaning the quality of applications.

For those who aren’t sure how and no one ever showed them, google will quickly take you to sites with cv and cover letter advice. It isn’t a hidden art if you invest the smallest amount of time in finding out the basics.

When I see people on tv who say ‘I’ve applied for 10,000 jobs and I’ve never even got an interview’ I wonder what they’ve applied for and how much time they can have spent on each application. I’d bet my bottom dollar if they’d done a better job of targeting jobs they had even the tiniest hope of getting and invested some time in quality rather than excessive quantity they’d be in a better position.

It is sad if job centres are making people fire off applications for applications sake. That wastes everyone’s time.

Good luck to those looking for work.

He emailed back saying I only found it inappropriate because it turned me on and would I like to go for a drink sometime.

shock

^
What the what the actual fuck?

It is also true I'm afraid that sometimes the issue is employers and recruiters not accepting that, well, this calibre of applicant is what you get for what you're offering. I'm definitely not saying that's the case here, but, well, it happens.

I'm with you on that, I have seen some charities (they are especially guilty of this because the salaries they pay are generally low) wanting Executive Assistants with 10+ years experience at board level paying a measy 20k (this is London btw).

We genuinely are paying above market rate for this job however.

I find this thread quite soul destroying. I'm looking for a part time job atm and can't find anything.

Assuming you aren't doing any of the things mentioned, I can't see why you would find it soul destroying!

the only people I know who voted to leave are in their 50s/60s/70s so products of the old grammar school system and free university education.

@Satterthwaite

The folks in this demographic (not specifically the ones you know) are likely to be products of the secondary modern system and no tertiary education at all.

Oh I just knew someone was going to say it’s because people are applying because the Jobcentre make them!!!!

@familycourtq you’re welcome: anytime!

Tempted at a place which dealt with recruiting for a major employer, the email addresses that the applications were coming from were unreal. Who thinks applying for a job with the email hotrod69@ is a good idea?

I have had people fill in online applications horribly, it gives you plenty of chances to proof read it before sending it off.

I always feel bad for people I can see don’t have the relevant experience (perhaps have been in completely different role) but a really solid personal statement would make me consider them anyway. BUT they either then just write a tiny meaningless 3 line paragraph or a whopping OTT 25 paragraphs of why they are amazing - people really need to focus on this section and making it meaningful and professional.

I really don't mind people applying whose background might be in something different but they do need to explain how and why their skills are transferable.

Pressed send too soon... Jobcentres have not had a policy of testing availability through applications for donkeys years. Simply doesn’t work..pisses off employers and not really likely to get anyone a job. It’s an ongoing myth...like homeless people get benefits for their dogs etc. I’m not saying some people don’t apply thinking it will appease their work coach but that’s distinctly different from the jobcentre telling them to

I hired for a job role, which was a big step being self employed. I had awful applicants too, plus someone who turned up for an apprenticeship interview, the company went bust and she decided to come for the interview anyway. Her solution to no longer doing the apprenticeship was to get a full time job with me for £25,000 with absolutely no experience.

The person I hired I made a massive mistake with. I emailed her for an interview saying I could do any day that week apart from Wednesday. She emailed back with suitable times on Wednesday.

I ended up sacking her