Written Applications: A Rant

Earlier this week I recieved a letter from a firm offering me an interview on Friday. Enclosed with the letter was an application form they desired me to fill out. An 8 page written application form

What is it with written application forms? Shouldn't they have been phased out in favour of technology? They are inferior in so many ways and in this case are being used to reiterrate information I have already given the firm, via technology. In case you are puzzled as to why I am quite so strongly opposed to them here are a few pointers.

1. They are time consuming - okay not a big issue for the firm here, but an irritation for the applicant. It takes so long to write everything out, which brings me neatly to point 2
2. You have to write EVERYTHING out - If you apply on a computer then a certain amount of copy and paste is likely. You will have you grades in your C.V and its a simple minute procedure to add them to the form. Similarly with work experience and personal information.
3. They have LITTLE boxes - What is it with firms who ask for information and they leave you a five centimetre box to write your answer in. Yes, you can always turn the page over and write on the other side, or write outside the box but this looks messy, instead you try to make handwriting as tiny as possible till its barely readable. Its entirely reasonable to limit the amount people can write but you can do that on a computer too!
4. Handwriting - Handwriting varies, some people have big loopy handwriting, some people have tiny crabbed handwriting. The one thing they have in common, typed script is easier to read.
5. Its on paper - So the firm gets the application. You cant database paper applications, well you can but its wastefully inefficient. Instead you may as well type it up.. and look your having to type up something that could have just been given to you anyway in that format!
6. What a waste of paper - Most applications are x pages long. The longest I have completed was 14 sheets. If every interested candidate has to fill that out the amount of paper wastage is impressive. On that note some pages are pointless to some candidates, I have had no previous employment thus left the page entirely blank. This the alternative of pressing "next" just with extra wastage. Why not put it on a computer, thus saving the environment and the world in the process. Its that easy!

7. A counter argument - Some people may suggest that technology scared people feel safer with paper. A fair point you might say. If the job did not largely involve sitting on a computer all day! Not to mention there really are no place for the kind of person who views a computer as a suspicious object best left well alone in any modern office!

Ultimately there are technologies and developments that make others obsolete. DVDs replaced Videos, CDS replaced Cassettes because they were better then their predecessor. Why then do we still have to put up with old fashioned, inferior paper applications? I am at a loss to see why paper applications are still used.

Answers to me on a stamp addressed envelope at...

Compromise

Part of job hunting is compromise. When you first set out to find a job, unless you are especially flexible you set a number of criteria which any potential job has to fill. These may be location based, occupation based, money based or based on an entirely different premise altogether. When I first set out to find a job I wanted a marketing exec position in the south that paid over 15,000.

The money was the first thing to go. After all its less important really. For many Graduates, a salary at all is just numbers and I picked 15,000 as a limit as I thought that was reasonable. Of course clever firms are cutting costs by offering significantly lower salaries because they know how tight the job market is.

Next I cut down to look for any marketing position and soon got a few interviews for marketing research positions. This is turn became any business based position which involved marketing which has led me to apply to some rather odd job titles.

Location cannot be changed. I am tied to a contract in Southampton and dont want to leave what I have here and in a way it limits me as much if not more than the others.

I am fortunate in that I have some savings and therefore do not have to literally take anything. The question is though how far do we have to compromise?

Last week I applied for a purely Admin position, a job description which could be filled my a school leaver and which duties include filing and making tea. I justified applying because it was a year contract and would give me office exeperience.

I think this is where I have chosen to draw the line. I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel with regards to the economic situation and I don't expect the job market to simply pick up. I have therefore ruled out jobs which have absolutely no application to my chosen career in business. I could go and work in a shop but then I am effectively just wasting time. Time which for the moment I can use to hopefully find one break. I am not naive to think that with that first job everything will be exceptionally easy, I do think I will be considered for more positions, and at least the excuse "you have no experience" will not be flung at me.

Incidentally I have an interview for a sales and marketing position with JPA tomorrow. When I originally applied the position was a marketing one, the sales was tagged on later. However I was impressed with the company and the position has marketing in the title. It is after all, all about compromise.