Husband sent cringy email to recruiter. If you’re a recruiter would this put you off?

[Winterleaves1]

My husband is a qualified doctor but not eligible to work in the U.K. at the moment as he has exams to complete specific to the U.K.
While he’s studying for his exams I work in clinical trials and found a job that would be perfect for him. He’s Indian and has good English but doesn’t know how to word job applications so I helped him with the application. It took two hours as it was really long and I wanted to make sure it was spot on. I submitted the application for him. I have no connection with the employer at all. I just work in a similar field.
He came back to me and said the job application has an email for an informal chat or to ask any questions. He said he would email to introduce himself and let the manager know he is interested in the position.
Now I know in some countries this may be seen as proactive and increase your chances but I know from my managers opinion it’s been seen as annoying and socially awkward. It has definitely put them off and generally made them think the applicant didn’t understand British culture and wouldn’t fit in well within the team. Bit harsh but I’m just going by what their reaction has been when someone has done this.
They’ve also said the email should only be used for questions as the managers are busy and may have many applications where they are the manager and need their inbox clear. It’s also just not a ‘done thing’ here. I explained all this to him and told him it could negatively affect his chances of getting the job.
Well today I’m reading emails on our joint email account and he’s sent this email
‘Dear miss xxxxx,
i am writing to let you know I am very interested in your position and have completed the application. I think my skills and experience matches job well. Please consider my application’.
I know that this manager is married but no title was given so ‘miss’ was inappropriate. Also his grammar and English wasn’t the best in the email.

I’m really annoyed because the application was really strong and while he may not have got an interview I’d have at least felt that we’d given it our best shot. I feel this cringy email has really ruined his chance at an interview and will be viewed negatively.
If it was just this one application I could forget about it but it seems that he refuses to take my advice and I am sure he will continue sending an email to managers for all jobs he applies for moving forwards.
I know I sound really mean. I promise I’m not, just trying to help him as o know he wants to be in work.
So AIBU to think this email has affected his chances? If you are responsible for recruiting would this put you off? I’m hoping I’m overthinking.

I'm an NHS manager. As others have said, shortlisting will be done on the anonymised application form alone. If he uses the section at the end of the form to outline his skills and experience and explain why they fit the job, that will give him the best chance of success. It can help to link this to the person specification in the job description.
When I've had email contact from candidates, it has usually been with a specific question, which I'm happy to answer. I've sometimes been asked if a candidate can visit for a meeting/ tour, and have accommodated this. It is necessary, but may help them by giving them a better understanding of the role.
A generic email like the one your husband sent I'd probably ignore.

Many organisations have anonymised applications (mainly the public sector) but whoever is shortlisted will be named when called for interview.

The person interviewing them will surely know at that point that this person had sent the email?

Many organisations have anonymised applications (mainly the public sector) but whoever is shortlisted will be named when called for interview.

The person interviewing them will surely know at that point that this person had sent the email?
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True - but interview scoring will be on the questions asked only. Everyone is asked the same questions. An email like this would be ignored. The only advantage of making contact is to ask any questions to help you prepare for the interview by understanding the role better.

Oh come off it.

”Blowing his own trumpet”.

Of course he’s going to big himself up; it’s a job application. Everyone writes wanky stuff in their cover letters about how they’re the best fit for the role etc. I can assure you that when I was 18 I most certainly was not “passionate about working at such a recognised brand as McDonalds” but that’s the kind of bollocks you write and say.

I think with a bit of tweaking his follow up emails are fine, he just needs to make it a bit more targeted and personalised to the role, otherwise (ironically) it sounds low-effort.

If the trial need the skills from his CV then it won't matter, and if they need perfect grammar then they shouldn't hire him. At some point you need to accept they are hiring him and his skills, without you as backup. Anyone who's worked with a lot of Indians wouldn't be phased by his email, they would just internally note he isn't British, but it's pretty unremarkable and wouldn't bar him from most jobs.

You could help him by sorting out the title, writing grammatically correct text and pointing out 3 bits of relevant experience. Honestly though it's unlikely to make a difference unless he has a 12 page Indian style CV accompanying it rather than a concise 2 page version. (Likely neither as this is an application form?)

The fact that you have a joint email account would put me off more than what he wrote. It’s far more cringey.

You sound very bossy. Which you like to dress up as supportive I realise.

I am going to remember some of the comments the next time someone constantly misspells or gets my 3 syllable Indian name wrong. Which happens often with recruiters. In fact, most Indians I know have shortened their beautiful, meaningful names to Sid or Jaggi or some bastardised version, because they are so sick of having their names mangled.

OP, I think you should both have planned for him to have a job before you getting pregnant. It's what all of us with foreign qualifications that are not recognised in the UK do.

I think it’s difficult since the hiring has specifically said they do not want to receive any non-urgent emails from applicants. If a manager says ‘please don’t email me’ and their first association with a potential applicant is being emailed by then, it doesn’t set them up well, it makes it seem like they either can’t or don’t bother with following instructions.

But if I was you I’d step away. If he isn’t a good fit for certain jobs because he isn’t able to assimilate to normal expectations like following basic instructions then it’s best recruiters find out beforehand rather than reading your application and basically thinking they’re hiring you.

Given how incredibly competitive medicine in India is- far, far more so than in the UK, like every field of study really- I am not surprised he is "confident". But he also appears keen. So I am baffled by the posters saying he doesn't want to work, or that he should work in a supermarket. Really? Would you say that to an Australian doctor?

As someone who speaks English as a second language, I am still waiting for anyone to answer my question regarding the grammar. What would sound better? How would you write the same content with ‘better’ grammar?

I mean if the Australian doctor read ‘please don’t email us unless you have a question as we are very busy’ and then emailed with a random and unasked for introduction then I’d still say it was inappropriate and a poor choice, yes.

I very much doubt they'd even read it to be honest.
I'm in clinical trials and recruit all kinds of staff. WhT role was it? Does he have experience?
They won't automatically for example look at his cv and say ah a doctor he'll be the best, if it's say a trial manager post he's need to show he can do that type of role, know the governance involved as well as all of the admin needed.

When I've recruited before and medics apply, in their interview they clearly turn the potential role into something they want to do themselves rather than showing how they'll fulfill the role for us, so bear that in mind if he gets short listed

‘Dear miss xxxxx, i am writing to let you know I am very interested in your position and have completed the application. I think my skills and experience matches job well. Please consider my application’.
Has no capitalisation on "miss" (should be Ms if he must and doesn't know) nor "I" missing THIS before job. The last two sentences are clunky too.
Say a form had to be sent by email so you have no option but to do a brief covering letter, I would write something like:
"For the attention of: Ms Xxx xxx

Dear Ms Xxx xxx,

I attach a completed application form for Yyyy position. I have Zz years of experience [in/ from - insert 3 critical skills from the application / name of company or industry], and am looking forward to working in Cccc [job remit] again. I am available anytime in the interview weeks A and B.

I am excited to hear more about this opportunity and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards,

Me
Me with surname
My email and phone number

If he insists he is going to continue to do it, how about working together on it?

This wouldn't bother me. You're being unfair

We get all sorts and this is totally harmless

He will be judged on the application and interview only

Seasoned hirers are used to this type of thing and especially the nhs

Can the NHS (or anyone) afford to discount a highly qualified candidate for this reason?

No, it's slim pickings

NHS consultant in charge of recruitment for our Dept, and it definitely comes across as trying to get an unfair advantage, yes. I don’t generally reply as I don’t want to get into a back and forth with them. I wouldn’t refuse to interview them though - if nothing else, the NHS application scheme anonymises your application, so I have no idea whose application is whose anyway.

Hiring managers in HR I expect just delete this sort of email outright.

Oh so you don’t really love him and just want him to get a job and pay your bills while you stay at home???

If it wasn’t clear that was my sarcastic dig at people like @Kitcaterpillar who just jump to random conclusions on mumsnet lol

I agree with you they it’s not the way it is done in the UK and may put some managers off, but I also expect managers in the UK to have some degree of flexibility and understanding of other cultures especially given the fact that the NHs is heavily dependent foreign doctors and nurses.

Heck we now have a scheme to hire teachers from Nigeria and I have Nigerian heritage so I can see some Nigerian applicants doing something similar as they try to adjust to the UK culture.

You’ve given him advice so let him be and continue to support him. Good luck to your husband with the job search.

To summarise OP, I think you are right. It is a bit cringe, and it might count against him if it gives someone "the ick".

You're right to be annoyed that he's ignoring your well-informed advice.

However, what most of the PPs are saying, myself included, is that most people will be more charitable about it than not.

But you sound pretty stressed and desperate for him to get a job, and that's the sort of situation where small things like this can feel like they matter a lot. If it's hanging on a thread, you expect him to be careful, not bullish and ignoring good advice.

Good luck. 👍

I used to recruit for my own Clinical department in the NHS. An email like that would not make me more interested in an applicant, but it wouldn’t put me off either.

I have to say, I stopped reading after your grammatically incorrect sentence about his poor grammar.

You need separate email accounts. He might want a tutor or language practice helper who isn't you.

I work in the NHS and am involved in the recruitment and interviewing for my team (I'm a clinician) We actively encourage people to come and meet us informally before an application. We really like it and find it positive and proactive if a person emails us to ask about the job and ask for an informal visit. In fact, I did this before my own appointment and it made me feel more at ease in interview and my boss said she liked that I did that, it showed I was keen. As for the email, we employ so many people from overseas.... we realise that English is a second language for them and accept that they will not always use the correct terms and wouldn't hold it against them. Maybe the emails need a bit of work and maybe he could just say he would be keen to visit the dept for an informal visit if they invite that and are able to accommodate that. They may not be able to do that but it won't go against him. You seem a bit harsh and I don't understand why you would be cringing on his behalf

I used to hire in the NHS (for jobs in clinical trials actually!) and this wouldn't put me off although it's a little bit cringe. Unless the system has changed massively in the last 2 years, all applications are reviewed anonymously anyway (names are pseudonymised and no contact details are given), so this shouldn't affect his chances at being invited to interview.

This. If he managed to qualify as a doctor I'm sure he will manage just fine with his applications.