I’ve been applying for jobs since I decided to leave mine back in October, and because I’m probably one of the five cheaper people on the planet I’ve been sending the majority of my resumes and cover letters via e-mail, always careful to blind carbon-copy myself to make sure that the e-mail does, in fact, go out.
Now, anyone who has dealt with e-mail that comes into an e-mail server, as most corporate (ie: non-personal) e-mail does, knows that it is quite easy to set up an auto-reply on any given e-mail address. The whole process takes about 10 minutes even if you include the time it takes to write a generic reply such as:
Thank you very much for your interest in working at [insert company name here]. We have received your documents. If, after reviewing your qualifications, we determine that you might meet our needs you will be contacted for an interview.
Simple, right? Doesn’t promise anything. Let’s you know that yes, they got your documents. You’ve been acknowledged; you are validated as existing and having been heard rather than just shouting into the void.
Care to venture a guess how many of the 28 e-mails I’ve sent in the past two months have received auto replies? Two. Two companies have taken the small, and totally free, step to acknowledge resume submissions.
I’m not saying that I want to go back to the days of Emily Post, white gloves and suits and ties and getting “dressed” for dinner at home but what does it say about our society that we’ve become so callous that something that costs a company no money and at most ten minutes of personnel resources isn’t put into place? What does it say that even if it isn’t callousness that is motivating the lack of response but a simple lack of thought at all?