by Sandra B. Drosian

Created on: November 02, 2006   Last Updated: May 03, 2007

My recent search for a job has left me discouraged and totally frustrated with the convenience of applying for employment on-line. I may be giving my age away here but what has happened to the old-fashioned, in-person, face-to-face contact when inquiring about a job?

I put my prehistoric way into practice one day when I stopped in at a store that had advertised in the local paper for part-time help. Upon entering the store, I immediately approached the sales clerk and asked about completing an employment application for the job(s) advertised. He looked at me oddly as if he didn't understand what I was saying, as if I was asking for some forbidden secret. He then smiled when his mind comprehended my quizzical question and he responded with, "All applications are completed on the company website".

With that suggestion, I drove home, booted up my PC and proceeded to complete an application which was not only the most time consuming nonsense I have ever participated in but also irritating, frustrating and so very impersonal. What is worse is that almost every other company website I visited that day used that same type of on-line employment application, as if they all conspired together to drive every unemployed job seeker insane. Getting into the FBI couldn't be any harder. After spending hours doing this, I decided to retire my fingers for the day and wait patiently for my future employer.

Patience can run very thin when there is no response at all, no thank you, no acknowledgment, no on-line form of "thank you for your interest in our company but...", no nothing. Then you begin to wonder if the company(s) you applied at has ever received the application in the first place, especially when you see their job advertisement again and again, week after week in the paper. So what did I do wrong? Did I type too slowly? Was my slouched posture noticed as I sat in front of my PC for 45 minutes answering repetitive questions that had nothing at all to do with the job in question? This invisible on-line job interviewer cannot see what type of person I am, nor cannot make judgment of my personality or qualities because I may not have answered one of the psychological assessment questions in the way that they see suitable.

I understand this is the new-age of doing things but if this is the new way, can we also expect a little more respect from the prospective employer with a little thank you note? It doesn't have to be a personalized memo from the CEO but an little acknowledgment would at least be some sort of incentive to give an unemployed soul to continue on his or her search. Perhaps there is some company out there that will take my pet peeve and turn it into a position that could be filled by some job seekers like myself. I'm still available and am very capable of replying to all of your job applicants so that they don't end your job application process feeling as discouraged as I have and proably many others also.

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