I like this as an optional "this will be read and considered by a human" guarantee added to a job posting. That way, you can still get the reach of digital submissions but the benefits of this approach.
Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
11–20 of 109 posts
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#12[deleted]
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#13Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#14As someone who is currently looking for a job, I don't like this idea. All this does is increase the effort and barrier to entry to apply for a job. This is not a good thing. Applying to jobs is already time consuming as it is; nobody wants more hoops to jump through. I understand that recruiters/hiring managers/whatever get a lot of junk applications, but frankly, it is your job to sort through them. You are paid to…
Applying by mail sounds easier than the usual online form nonsense.
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#15For every 1 LLM applicant that this idea would deter, you would also deter 50 humans who simply don't feel like having to send a letter to apply to a job.
But surely there’s also a downside somewhere.
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#16As someone who is currently looking for a job, I don't like this idea. All this does is increase the effort and barrier to entry to apply for a job. This is not a good thing. Applying to jobs is already time consuming as it is; nobody wants more hoops to jump through. I understand that recruiters/hiring managers/whatever get a lot of junk applications, but frankly, it is your job to sort through them. You are paid to…
I think you are ignoring the advantage for the applicant.
The reduction in what are essentially spam applications means your genuine application will stand out and be more likely to be considered.
Things that help employers find qualified candidates also help those qualified candidates.
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#17They already do this, listen to the radio at off hours and there will be many job ads with instructions to apply via postal mail. Of course the reason isn't to deter LLMs it's to deter Americans so the employer can claim no Americans applied in their visa and green card filings.
Do FAANG, FAANG wannabes, or startups do this for software development roles? I've never heard of that.
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#18After seeing the flood of resumes for application, I do think a small cost to apply wouldn't be a bad thing for either applicants or companies. I also realize that if someone is unemployed, getting them to pay money they don't have to find a new job is counterproductive. However, when we wanted to hire a new Ops person at work, the flood of obviously not qualified at all applicants we got was insane.
> the flood of obviously not qualified at all applicants we got was insane
From speaking to folks looking for jobs in tech over the past few years, this is a natural result.
1. Companies write requirements on the job posting that are a little beyond reasonable for the role and salary.
2. Applicants learn over time, and start applying to jobs for which they only meet most of the qualifications.
3. Companies adjust and write even more ridiculous requirements.
4. Applicants start applying to jobs for which they only meet some requirements.
5. Repeat.
As evidence that the applicants are, at every stage, correctly reacting to the situation: I have received positive responses (and, later, job offers) by applying to roles for which I am only mostly qualified, and I know many people for whom this is true of jobs they are only barely qualified for.
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#19For every 1 LLM applicant that this idea would deter, you would also deter 50 humans who simply don't feel like having to send a letter to apply to a job.
At least for me, I'd still rather mail a letter versus input all my personal details and job experience into yet another CRM with a crappy data entry interface.
Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)
#20As someone who is currently looking for a job, I don't like this idea. All this does is increase the effort and barrier to entry to apply for a job. This is not a good thing. Applying to jobs is already time consuming as it is; nobody wants more hoops to jump through. I understand that recruiters/hiring managers/whatever get a lot of junk applications, but frankly, it is your job to sort through them. You are paid to…
I think you are ignoring the advantage for the applicant. The reduction in what are essentially spam applications means your genuine application will stand out and be more likely to be considered. Things that help employers find qualified candidates also help those qualified candidates.
That never seems to happen in practice. The number of jobs I have applied to that required additional effort and that never bothered to reply is just too high.