Carefully crafted ads could discourage unsuitable applications

Dear Editor,

The incidence of vacancy notices which carry rather rude warnings that only shortlisted applications will be acknowledged has been on the rise. I find this increasing (mal)-practice among some current colleagues (oops!) in the noble profession of Human Resource Management rather disconcerting; I believe it might even ‘turnoff’ rather than encourage good applications.

I therefore wonder about its genesis and value to the advertiser.

I joined the Human Resource Management profession in the days when the laborious typewriters and ‘gestetner’ printing machines were in vogue; yet we acknowledged every application- even the unsolicited ones! It is common courtesy, good professional practice and necessary PR.

With the convenient and cost-effective communication facilities available these days, why indulge in this off-putting practice of forewarning applicants that their applications might not be acknowledged?

Chances are that if the Ads are carefully crafted, unsuitable applications will not proliferate.

Too many Ads lazily replicate the official Job Descriptions which naturally include many incidentals; Instead, the core essentials of the job should be extracted from the Job Description to write a good advertisement that ‘markets’ the job without enticing every ‘Tom, Dick & Harry’ to apply!

A well-crafted Ad will be shorter and therefore less costly to the Company/ Office.

Yours faithfully,

Nowrang Persaud