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Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

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Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#101

Post by multjoy »

stackskipton wrote: post #6

After 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.

In many jurisdictions (the UK, in particular) charging people to apply for work is specifically illegal.

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#102

Post by staticshock »

pixl97 wrote: post #95
staticshock wrote: post #48

Instead, the approach that will continue increasing in dominance is hiring referrals and finding jobs through personal networks. In a world that increasingly resembles The Library of Babel, - the main way to know what's true is to tune into news sources you trust (monolithic old school media, or personality driven new-school media, social media, etc.), - the main way to learn what to watch/listen/read is to take reco…

>monolithic old school media, Unfortunately these have been bought up by billionaires that use them as play things to get richer. >from people you trust, In one particular area where they understand what is going on. I have lawyers I would trust with my life on legal matters, but should not be trusted around any digital device. >y exploiting a network of people you trust. agreed, but sucks for people that don't have…

"wildly misplaced trust" is a subcategory of "trust", which is exactly how i meant it

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#103

Post by nitwit005 »

stackskipton wrote: post #6

After 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.

There are a ton of fake jobs openings out there, or which sort of exist, but they aren't exactly eager to hire and haven't filled the role in nine months.

You'd have to pay with no guarantee anyone will even read it, which even at a fairly low cost rapidly becomes an issue when you might have to apply to a lot of jobs.

Making the employer also pay might help, but I suspect then the employers will just wander over to another jobs site that promises free listings.

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#104

Post by musicale »

rapidaneurism wrote: post #70
msten wrote: post #55

Last job I hired for I required short video submission answering some basic questions. If you didn't submit a video you were automatically disqualified. The previous position we hired for had over 1,000 applicants this last position around 500.

Doesn't that open the door to discrimination? At least now you have to guess the sex and ethnicity from the name.

It selects for the most telegenic applicants with the best video production (and best coaching, etc.) In-person interviews have analogous issues but are less susceptible to cheating on the questions.

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#105

Post by ewuhic »

kittikitti wrote: post #50

In my last job search, I sent out a few dozen resumes utilizing snail mail. It was from a job board that searched for job descriptions that only accepted applications through physical mail. There were some big tech companies I was able to apply to. Ultimately, I didn't get a role from snail mail but it was an interesting process. I would probably expose myself if I detailed the specific service I used, but you can lo…

When was it?

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#106

Post by verzali »

duck wrote: post #24
verzali wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What was the "additional effort" you've had to do before?

All sorts. Some make the application process very long, some ask for what is essentially a long cover letter through written questions, some ask you to complete tests, one sent me an IQ test...

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#107

Post by midnitewarrior »

You can submit an application online, and require a printed QR code be mailed via post with a handwritten cover letter, achieving the personal intent, inconvenience tax, and cost, while still providing the convenience of digital resumes and applications. The mailed QR serves as a CAPTCHA.

Re: Employers, please use postmarked letters for job applications (2025)

#108

Post by Denkel »

x0x0 wrote: post #43
vulcan01 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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…

The last req I opened I closed around 500 applicants. I opened it Thursday afternoon and closed it Tuesday morning. Over 40% were totally nonqualified. The job was for a rails engineer. In the current market, I wanted exactly what I asked for: a senior rails eng. But as long as the applicant had shipped a web app in a dynamic language -- node, react, vue, svelte, django, flask, phoenix, whatever the php folks use, et…

>And I can't be in a position where I spend effort while the applicant spent none

But isn't that literally what you are paid for? Your job is to do the steps needed to hire someone and that includes reading through applicants. Why would the applicants -that are dojng this for free, for a promise of a posibility- need to put more effort than you?

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