

The High Cost of Treating Job-Seekers Like Cattle - Adrock
http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2012/05/17/the-high-cost-of-treating-job-seekers-like-cattle/

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PaulHoule
Pretty recently I saw a job listing that looked pretty interesting, exactly
along the lines of what I do.

When I saw they used Taleo.net, I thought two or three times if I wanted to
apply at all. I've put a lot of work into formatting my resume in a way that's
distinctive and helps people understand the value I bring.

Taleo just wipes that all out.

I feel the same way about it that Superman feels about Kryptonite. Add to that
the real possibility that Taleo won't work with my web browser or I might lose
25 minutes of work because my session timed out (oddly, session timeouts don't
happen to the kind of apps built by 'hacker news' people) -- in fact, I've
seen Taleo and other online applications screw up enough that I'm amazed they
haven't been sued.

I bit the bullet and applied. They liked what they saw enough that I got a
call from them the next day. (A pleasant of surprise, since I've sent great
applications into Taleo before that just disappeared)

The opportunity wasn't what I was looking for, but I'm sure that there are
good applicants out there that don't want to deal with BS in the application
process who just won't apply when they are treated like cattle.

~~~
bartonfink
I agree, and don't apply to places with taleo's application front end. I'd
rather deal with a headhunter than put myself through that application,
because at least with a headhunter I have the option of human communication.

~~~
PaulHoule
i know many i.t. people hate recruiters, but when you're talking with
recruiters you know they're serious about filling the job

~~~
toomuchcoffee
Or they're just throwing up their hands, being completely lacking in
imagination and/or basic knowledge about the particular labor market they're
trying to hire in.

Which is another reason to avoid companies that use recruiters altogether.

