The Black Hole?

By Joyce LeMay, SPHR 

Technology has impacted all areas of our lives.  Many times we appreciate
how technology has made our life easier but other times we get frustrated
with the technology.  When applying for a job in today's high tech world,
most applicants can tell horror stories of their frustration of dealing with
online application systems.   

Online Application Systems

Employers have gone to online application systems in order to streamline the
application process, reduce overhead cost of accepting and reviewing
applications, and because of a belief that the technology can better handle
the application flow of information.  However, reality has shown there can
be problems with the technology.  Some systems are highly effective but many
times the company isn't even aware of the many "bugs" that plague their
systems. 

Pros and Cons

Companies have invested a great deal of money into these online systems and
they count on the systems to "read" the initial information and "pick" the
correct applicants to be called in for an interview.  The problem comes in
when the technology is required to make decisions that trained recruiters
used to make.  If the software is high quality and the applicant's
information is in the correct format, then the system can be very effective.
However, in many instances there can be a problem with the software or a way
in which the applicant submitted the information.  When that happens, the
employer and applicant both lose out!  These systems are here to stay, so
applicants need to learn the best way to interact with the systems to get
their information to the hiring decision maker.

The next newsletter will focus on how to deal effectively with online
application systems. 

Joyce LeMay, SPHR, MBA, is an Associate Professor in the Business & Economic
Department at Bethel University.  She has over 20 years of Human Resource
and Management experience. She can be contacted at jlemay@bethel.edu.