My love, or lack there of, with job applications

I may be Miss peppy and positive but applications are ridiculous, no ifs ands or buts. Seriously, why in the world would I spend time on a resume highlighting my relevant work and experiences when I have to then spend two hours filling out an online application in addition to my resume and cover letter?

Things on applications I will never understand.

(I reluctantly understand the online application is a tool for HR to see things in a pretty format where they can easily search the document and verify a person’s background thereby eliminating a large pool of applicants from the interview phase.)

1. List your educational background, starting with high school. – You don’t actually care what I did before college, why start now? Not to mention that oh say, I have it typed in my resume, mentioned in my cover letter and per your request, I uploaded my transcript.
2. List your work experience in the last 10 years starting with the most recent. – This is a two-part annoyance. First, TEN YEARS?!?!?! Yes, spelling the 10 out for emphasis on this one people. (Sorry AP stylebook.) Unless I’m applying for a federal position with super secret clearance, I’m not sure why this is needed. Honestly, you’re going to do a background check anyways, why waste your time? Plus, as much as I’ve loved everywhere I’ve worked, I don’t keep up with each and every person to know their current title or even if they still work at the same place. I can list a few at the top of my head that don’t. Secondly, you ask for my job, title and a description of what I did. Um, hello?!?! I wrote that in my resume, thank you for looking.

Okay so maybe I don’t completely hate the online system. It’s nice to be able to go back and apply for more positions at a place that keeps your application on file. I may not enjoy the time it takes for even the lowest on the totem pole position but the questions the application asks are relevant. But please, narrow the selection down with your questionnaires and background info. To be honest, I’m interviewing you and the culture of the place just as much as you’re interviewing me for the position. If you still like me, yes, I would love to sit for additional hours filling all this out. God knows if I’m hired I’m going to be handwriting everything all over again in the new-hire paperwork.

Keep your algorithms and neatly typed documents but keep it like a (well written) survey: short, sweet and to the point in the most unbiased way possible.

Thank you,

A girl who hopes she didn’t just shoot herself in the foot with this post.