To say that when applying for jobs some people should just make more effort?

[cocktailclub]

I hear all the time that people have applied for 'hundreds' of jobs and not even had an interview. I hear this from graduates as well as more mature candidates.
I've been recruiting to my team over the last year and advertised about 7 or 8 roles. They BFF e been fairly popular and I have sifted around 120 cvs per role in the first two weeks.
My point is that only about 10% of applicants ensure their cv is tailored to the role.
I spend about 3 minutes looking at each applicant so need to be impressed quickly.
Most CVs start with a statement looking for a career in science' when the role is complaints manager for example.
By making a few changes to a CV so it highlights the skills for the role you want would be easy to do but very few even try.
So I'm not surprised people have no luck in their job search when they can't be bothered with the application.
AIBU to think this is the reason they are rejected?

Yanbu. I've seen cvs in number of my jobs and am sometimes
Quantity vs quality doesn't work unless it's lower paid less "skilled" jobs.
Most recent is someone applying for senior job with experience in field required (it is really needed to know what the job is about), and we got bunch where people absolutely ignored requirements (some obviously didn't even read it). This is an application you do test first to submit. They spent time on going through process then submitted something that was vague and in no way relevant. Such a waste of time for them (and us). Friends in other firms report similar issues. We don't even require some major tailoring fgs.

I used to have a pick and mix cv for myself. It was about 5 pages and I always picked items to put together cv which would be more tailored to the role I was applying. Worked well! Got quite a few interviews, 2 job offers when I was changing careers😱 It saved time on applications. The only extra time slent really was at the beginning to create the different parts.

Oh god yes. You are so right.

We had a very basic entry level role. Great opportunity to get into a good employer. Very few set requirements other than good organisational skills, IT proficient, can use social media.

Even those working in Tescos could have pulled out the relevant bits of what they do there (stock rotation, dealing with rotas etc) .

But we got hundreds who wanted entry into a completely different field, who didn't meet any of the essential requirements on paper. Looking at their CV their roles must have met it but it's not my job to work this out, you need to tell me! Especially in a role where being able to select the relevant bits of information is key. If you can't do this on the application then there's little hope.

I also assume these are the 'I've applied for hundreds ' bunch and I really want to tell them to just apply for 10 jobs well. It's so frustrating on their behalf

This makes me sad. But it goes both ways actually.

1. HR manager contacted me on a Sunday and gave me 12 hours notice for an interview. When I said I couldn't arrange childcare in that time (Summer holidays) she said "either you want the job or you don't"

2. 14 page application forms from the 2000s (this is very common!)

3. Part time, NMW marketing role - being asked to write a 500 word blog post and present a SWOT analysis for 30 mins in front of the board. The blog post was later used on their site but no job offer. Nobody got the job.

4. You apply for the role and spend ages on Covering Letter and CV...But no matter how good you are, it has been offered to a mates mum despite the fact she has no experience.

Recruitment agencies are the worst though. Just yesterday I was asked to add skills to my CV which I didn't actually have. They directly told me to lie. Main recruiter in the County - If I say no then I've probably burnt a huge bridge.

But OP, you yourself made so many errors due to fat fingers. Case in point.

I agree, OP. We recently advertised for an entry level role in Indeed and got over 100 applications. However only three of them had read the ad properly and submitted what was required.

HR might. But I doubt it, as they're dealing with around 300 a day.

I agree with @Hearthnhome I’m my last job there was some
illness/covid/general timing issues at work and I was asked to help out recruiting. I ended up sifting all the cvs but it turns out it had already been done. When we compared answered they had used wildly different criteria to me, for example they had rejected someone because they lacked “breadth of experience”, but they had a masters in the exact thing we needed, a job that didn’t need a degree at all. It was like advertising for a shoe designer, having Manolo Blahnik apply for a £19k job and reject them because they’d only worked for 1 company. Was the weirdest meeting but really hammered home how applying for jobs isn’t a science.

And also, once bitten, twice shy.

Did this once, and then had a few dozen responses asking why? Can we be reconsidered? Takes forever!

@CollieWobble22
Agree I made errors but I wasn't complaining about typos. I was complaining about no effort to even make it look as if you have a vague interest in the role on offer by removing a statement that makes it clear you have no interest in a role. And with respect I'm not applying for a job here.

I am currently sifting CVs. I am doing it alongside my usual responsibilities so my initial look is probably 3 minutes. I only remove the definite no’s at that point though and the rest get more time.
Unfortunately if there is a typo or similar it’s very unlikely I will give it more than the 3 minutes

I have just been through the recruitment process. It took me a solid day to apply for 2 maybe three jobs. That was for jobs with the same title in the same sector.

I take out the key competencies and expectations as the focus was different depending on the role. Initially I spent a day or two working on a skeleton covering letter with statements I could import for the most popular requests in the JD. I spent a couple of days updating my CV, but rarely make tweeks to this for each job. It's the cover letter I spend time on. As a recruiter, I spent a lot of time on the letter as this is where you can convey your passion for the sector, role and highlight relevant experience.

I agree, having to cut and paste out bits from my CV and then rework them for a slightly different purpose for their portal was very annoying and time consuming. The D&I stuff and the basic details don't take long. The only benefit I see is that my logging back into the portal you can keep an eye on progress with your application. Being on the otherwise, it is way easier to manage recruitment with an online system. I did also have an organisation that asked for feedback on the process. I have also been asked verbally in interviews for feedback.

I interviewed for jobs two years ago and again this summer. Both times I was successful with my first application. I guess this is very rare, but more time, less applications seems to work for me. Reading the application and preparation for interview information is key. So.e organisations have specific ways of recruiting, like the Government and FAANG companies.

I can see how you can apply for hundreds of jobs, as I have seen applications where people are clearly applying for anything with little thought. We had names that were blacklisted in our system for doing this. Or they are lying and haven't really done anything!

Also “attention to detail” is a stupid criteria. It goes without saying. No-one is going to think “oh attention to detail isn’t one of my qualities so I won’t apply”.

Employers need to write better criteria especially for lower level job. Vague sound bites like “attention to detail” help no-one, applicant or employer.

Having had more professional and well paid jobs previously I have recently applied for more entry level positions in other fields. I’m amazed at the lower down you go the more vague the descriptions are because the people writing the adverts and job descriptions don’t really have a clue about the role. I temporarily had a role and the description for my replacement was so out of touch with the actual role it like a different job, but all the sound bite HR phrases were in there.

I agree with Lindy2. I'm currently job hunting and it's absolutely soul destroying. I've applied for 24 jobs, mostly minimum wage or salary a couple of pounds an hour above. I have years of experience in the particular sector I'm applying for, but have been self employed for 18 years while raising kids, so of course have no current referees, and it doesn't take a genius to work out I'm well on the wrong side of 50.

So I complete the arduous online applications, provide real life examples using STAR method (hmm), tailor my CV, upload my CV, send in personal statement, wait, hear nothing, assume have not been successful.

Except in the case of local government or civil service roles, where at least you get to hear they're not interested. Although the job descriptions for these roles are so full of corporate speak it's often quite difficult to work out what the job entails. Lots of reference to stakeholders but little information on what you'd be required to do.

The fact that many profoundly junior roles (admin assistant, telephone customer service etc) appear to require a degree. Why is that?

When I was last in the labour market you could contact a recruitment agency, send in your CV, have a chat on the phone or even a face to face meeting with an agent to properly explain your CV, gaps therein, slightly unusual work history etc. They could see you were neat, clean, reasonably articulate. Now, you can't speak to a living soul.

Even companies that state they're willing to provide feedback if you're unsuccessful usually don't, or if they do it's so generic that it's worthless.

I have at least 10 years before retirement. Even at minimum wage that's heading towards £200K that won't be coming into our household over the next 20 years because I'm starting to think I'm on the scrap heap.

@Hoppinggreen I agree, employers do not have the time to go to that sort of level for every applicant, my point is more why is that level of time investment expected from the applicant at this stage?

I'm not suggesting accepting poor CVs etc, clear errors and mistakes should get them rejected (very) quickly, but I think it unreasonable to expect a personalised CV at this stage if you are only going to read the CV for 3 minutes.

It would be fairer to assume they will put in twice the time as you - in the OPs case they would get 6 minutes. That 6 minutes should be enough to read the job description decide if it's appropriate to apply and to submit a pre-existing, non-personalised CV. That CV should be very good, time and care should have already been spent on it, it should be reusable for pretty much all of the roles you're applying for.

My issue is the expectation of personalisation when it's accepted it will be read for 3 minutes. It is not realistic to expect people applying for entry-level jobs to do that. In terms of applying for a promotion as mentioned in the OP, then yes, it's applying for a single job in a very specific environment and a level where the OP is likely already known - I'd expect a lot more time on it, equally I'd expect the hiring manager to spend more than 3 minutes considering OPs application for the promotion.

Exactly how I feel.
It's not my job to work out how your skills might fit. You need to make it clear quickly. Or at least don't explain how you are looking for a career in a totally different industry then wonder why you don't get an interview.

@Rapidtango welcome to the 3.6% unemployed club!!

Frequently being told by Hiring Managers / HR that I'm "older than our usual applicant!"..... I'm 36!!

People always say "they aren't allowed to say that" but they always do...

😔

I wish companies would stop asking "why do you want to work at Generic Employer Ltd?" for basic entry roles.

All they are asking is for the candidate to blow smoke up their arses when if the candidates were being honest they'd say "I'd quite like to be able to pay my bills and buy food and I've looked at the job description and think I could do a decent enough job to not get fired in the first day."

I agree. If you’re desperate for a job/want a job you can amend and tailor a job application. Tasks in your job will take more than 30 minutes, if you can’t be arsed now why should someone hire you. It’s also a bit of respect to get the actual application right and not leave your previous application details on. I don’t agree with the soul destroying comments, yes it’s shit job hunting, nice been there, but you have to put some effort in.

@BoredWithLife
I didn't mention a promotion, of course I would spend more time on internal candidates.
I don't expect a highly personalised cv either but candidates who say they are looking for a specific role, that's not even related to my role, in the opening statement are wasting everyone's time.
I think it would take a minute or two to at least ensure your cv is generic enough not to rule you out, and a minute or so more to add something in that makes it clear you have the right skills and experience. Just the opening statement would be enough.

How is it harder for job applicants? The vast majority aren't being forced to do it. If you can't be bothered to make the effort to find out about the place you're applying to then save yourself the effort of making the application at all.

I used to work in a solicitors' firm. It was extraordinary how many applications we got from people saying how they were really keen on developing their career in a specified area of law which two minutes' research would have told them we didn't offer.

@MoltenLasagne Yeah, why don’t they just give you the job when maybe 100 people have applied for it. It’s almost as if they need a way to filter the applications.

I'm tempted to say if you expect a tailored CV for every role, they should expect a tailored reply as to why they weren't successful.

I've applied for a few jobs recently and have heard nothing, or a blanket 'sorry you weren't successful'

It very demoralising.

Windinthepillows, thanks for that. I'm obviously just not putting enough effort in, I see that now.

Imagine working for some of these posters!

Enough red flags for a parade! 🤣

Well come on, getting the job application right is hardly the worst thing! I’ve been there myself, I was unemployed once for a year so it’s not like I’ve not been through it.

@CollieWobble22 could say the same for hiring people that ‘cba’ to write a form and check it!