What's next? A DNA test? (job hunting stuff)

I just filled out an online application for a company... it took two hours.

Now, I'm a fast typer so you know this wasn't just me being a two-finger-hunt-and-peck typist. This was a two hour long application and included such wonderful ditties as listing my social security number as a *required* field! Over the internet? I don't think so. They got all 1's and thats all.

But is it just me or are some of these job applications getting a little ridiculous? I have never had to give out this much personal information for a job before.. yes, I've had to give out my SS#... but I mean they want references out the wazoo and every school I've ever attended since birth and every job I've ever held since my first part time job in high school - and they say this right on the job input field. And then theres the assessment test that I swear no one can ever pass (I actually had a recruiter tell me that they were dumb because no one ever scores well on them... which I can see... I mean there is a lot of grey area in some of the questions they ask...) And then the MATH! Ok, I'm not bad at math or anything... but really, how long has it been since you had to calculate the surface area of a cube?! Good god that made me realize just how long I've been out of high school.

Don't get me wrong, I want a job... but I swear these applications are getting crazy. And no place for a cover letter or just a spot to say "listen, I would be perfect for this job and here's why..." Every time I fill one out I feel like there will be a nurse knocking at my door any minute for a blood and urine sample.

I guess I just wish companies treated people like... I don't know... PEOPLE!

Lol. That all seems a bit ridiculous. Whatever happened to writing a great cover letter, knocking their socks off with your resume and then getting to meet them in person at an interview?? I don't think they have any right to ask you for your social security number.

I didn't get an interview for a job once because they asked me what salary I was after and I told them the truth. I got another, better job (with a much higher salary!) but it peeved me that they decided whether or not I was worthy of interviewing based upon how much I thought I was worth paying. And I didn't say anything outrageous, either. Silly.

In time yea, I can see it coming,
compines will requie a DNA test to see what your chance of heart attack, or cancer or whatever.. then if you test high , to keep there health cost down they will not hire you based on the DNA test.

Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

I didn't get an interview for a job once because they asked me what salary I was after and I told them the truth. I got another, better job (with a much higher salary!) but it peeved me that they decided whether or not I was worthy of interviewing based upon how much I thought I was worth paying. And I didn't say anything outrageous, either. Silly.

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Ugh I hate that! I just had that... erm I guess about a month ago. I was such a great candidate for the job... I mean the listing itself could have been a copy of my resume. So I applied and the woman interviewing me was just over the moon.. telling me how impressed she was with my skills and blahblah.. So she asks me how much I made at my last job... I tell her. Doesn't seem to phase her. So then she asks if thats the amount I'm looking to stay with.. I said it would be nice, but I'm willing to negotiate. Everything seems to end wonderfully.

Never hear from her. Finally I get sick of it and email her... nothing. Call her... voicemail. Finally three days later she emails me back to tell me the position was only paying ($x) - a *significant* decrease in salary for me - and that she didn't think I would be willing to take that. Darn straight! I mean sure, I need a job... but I don't know anyone on earth willing to take that job for the amount she was willing to pay. Ugh, frustrating!

Originally Posted by theimp98

In time yea, I can see it coming,
compines will requie a DNA test to see what your chance of heart attack, or cancer or whatever.. then if you test high , to keep there health cost down they will not hire you based on the DNA test.

Click to expand...

Well that's just nice and depressing. But eh, just another reason for me to open another business

The company I work for does that, especially with the grey area questions, not for an answer but to see how you handle not being able to answer correctly. They do the math questions for one reason only, they ask for every job since high school to work out how old you are... if you have been out of highschool less than 5 years, they expect you to know those answers, if it has been more than 5 they concentrate more on your job experience.

We have a set intake time of the year, if someone leaves they don't replace them (interns), so everyone has to fill out the application. However, in the majority of cases, most people are more successful in obtaining a job at a company by walking in with their resume and cover letter around 3:30pm and asking if there are positions open and if there is a manager they can talk to about the position (people tend to be winding down at 3:30 but not in that 'got to get everything finished' rush closer to 5pm)

One thing that I have learned from job hunting is those applications are there to weed out the lazy people. A recruiter once told me similar to your recruiter that the tests and such do not mean much. In order to "pass" -if you will- you just need to complete the application. If you can't finish the application or you leave several fields blank, then they're not going to call you back.

I understand though, it does stink...especially IF they never call you back. Typically with those apps they do though. Good luck!