Applying for a job but they send me this stupid card that says "we will call you" and they never did

Question

I applied for a job but instead of phone call they send me this "application process" card that besically says 'we got it, don't contact us, we will contact you'. My husband says that they usually send those cards when they are not intending to take you for an interview. What do you think?

Answer 1

At my company it is not uncommon for the process from want ad to interview to take 8 to 10 weeks. HR culls out a group of applications for the hiring manager to review, he sends them back to HR who either agress or asks why the otheres were excluded. Its a long drawnout ballet, until they agree on the applicants. Many of whom have either already found employment or (no joke) forgot they applied for it and are no longer interested. So the application ballet starts again and continues until they find enough willing candidates for the interview pool.

However, it had generally been my experience that the post card is their way of saying the application is in process but they won't be interviewing you. Its not like that in every case, but I never heard back from any company that send me the "don't call" post card.

Answer 2

Your husband is correct; they will probably not call you for an interview. It's very disheartening to receive these but frankly any job seeker should get used to these.
You might want to use this time to review, first, your actual interview and second, your interview skills. What were the early signs in the interview? Did the interviewer seem pleased with your answers? Did you watch his body language and respond to it? Did you leave with a feeling that he might hire you? If you had a positive feel about the interview, then you might try a phone call to him as a follow up. If you were unsure after the interview, then it's time to get ready for the next interview.
Although it is a sad thing, getting a job is very different from the actual job itself. In addition, interviewing techniques would take longer than we have here. However, people consistently do some things incorrectly and they are easy to fix. Allow me to list several important things to do on an interview below:
1. Show up slightly before the interview time.
2. Be properly and neatly dressed. Lots of interviews end simply with dirty or improper shoes.
3. Shake hands firmly and make eye contact. Keep that eye contact throughout the interview. Failure to do this will give the impression that you are not interested, no matter how qualified you may be. Eye contact takes practice.
3. Pay attention to the interviewer. He or she is watching how you pay attention to what other people say as well as how you relate to him or her. This tells them how you will work with others.
4. Sit or stand with good posture. After initial appearance, bad posture causes the most failed interviews.
5. Smile. Don't sit with an idiotic grin on your face, but be upbeat and positive. People are hired more on their personality than they are just their qualifications. Remember this above all things.
6. Answer his questions using good English. Keep the answers short, but watch the interviewer for signs that it may be too short. If you suspect your answers are not enough, ask, "Is that what you had in mind?" People like the fact that you are watching how they are reacting to you.
7. Always ask a few questions in the interview, even if you think you know the answers. Do not ask about salary, but product lines, equipment, expansion, growth opportunities are all positive subjects.
8. Before you leave, tell the interviewer that you want the position. This comes hard to some people. Practice until you can do it.

Doing all these things requires practice, but being able to do them well increases your ability to interview well and get the job you want. It may seem unfair that people require so much for a position which may not be all that glamorous or high paying, but they are tricks that will help you to go to the head of the line.

Lastly, make sure that your resume (everyone should have one even with minimal experience) is up to date, on GOOD quality paper (this is a real plus!) and make sure that you bring a copy of your resume with you to the interview. Make sure the interviewer has a copy of that resume in front of him when he interviews you. If you have skills, always refer to your resume. For example, "I worked as a waitress at Chilis for two years, as you will see on my resume. I did very well there and the management was sorry to see me go."
Good luck!

Answer 3

I think it takes a long time to go through all the applications. I have worked at places where it is a month before they hire someone. Or even call to start interviewing. Good luck.

Answer 4

Sometimes so many people apply that it does take awhile to go through all the applications.

I would wait awhile---depending on how long ago you applied---then call again.

There really isn't a way to know for sure. At some point, though, you may receive a form letter indicating that they appreciate your applying but that they hired somebody else.