Disturbing Job Ads: 'The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered'

[bbgun]

Out of a job? Tough luck!


Disturbing Job Ads: 'The Unemployed Will Not Be Considered'

by Laura Bassett
Huffington Post


Still waiting for a response to the 300 resumés you sent out last month? Bad news: Some companies are ignoring all unemployed applicants.

In a current job posting on The People Place, a job recruiting website for the telecommunications, aerospace/defense and engineering industries, an anonymous electronics company in Angleton, Texas, advertises for a "Quality Engineer." Qualifications for the job are the usual: computer skills, oral and written communication skills, light to moderate lifting. But red print at the bottom of the ad says, "Client will not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed regardless of the reason."

In a nearly identical job posting for the same position on the Benchmark Electronics website, the red print is missing. But a human resources representative for the company confirmed to HuffPost that the The People Place ad accurately reflects the company's recruitment policies.

"It's our preference that they currently be employed," he said. "We typically go after people that are happy where they are and then tell them about the opportunities here. We do get a lot of applications blindly from people who are currently unemployed -- with the economy being what it is, we've had a lot of people contact us that don't have the skill sets we want, so we try to minimize the amount of time we spent on that and try to rifle-shoot the folks we're interested in."

There are about 5.5 people looking for work for every job available, according to the latest data from the Labor Department.

Sony Ericsson, a global phone manufacturer that recently announced that it would be bringing 180 new jobs to the Buckhead, Ga. area, also recently posted an ad for a marketing position on The People Place. The add specified: "NO UNEMPLOYED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT ALL." When asked about the ad, a spokeswoman said, "This was a mistake, and once it was noticed it was removed."

Ads asking the unemployed not to apply are easy to find. A Craigslist ad for assistant restaurant managers in Edgewater, N.J. specifies, "Must be currently employed." Another job posting for a tax manager at an unnamed "top 25 CPA firm" in New York City contains the same line in all caps.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

It makes sense. They don't want desperate people.

 

[daschoo]

hopefully doesn't spread to this side of the pond. i'm leaving my job in august because i'm going to india for a month and moving city as soon as i get back so will be unemployed and looking for a job come october unless i can get something sorted through there before i go.

 

[tomson75]

That should be illegal.

Not all unemployed people are "desperate".

 

[bbgun]

It makes sense. They don't want desperate people.

How the hell are people supposed to get back on their feet? Are you ready for mass armies of homeless people?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Personally, if they are going to do that. They shouldn't exclude all unemployed people. Say if you were layed off because your company ****ed up the books.

 

[daschoo]

Personally, if they are going to do that. They shouldn't exclude all unemployed people. Say if you were layed off because your company ****ed up the books.

i shouldn't be allowed to apply for a job?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

i shouldn't be allowed to apply for a job?

You, no.

BTW we're talking about aerospace engineering and the like here. How many of those guys are without jobs?

 

[peplaw06]

That should be illegal.

Not all unemployed people are "desperate".

Right...

But I think there's also a difference between someone who is unemployed because they were expendable and someone who is unemployed because the company was forced to lay everyone off.

 

[vta]

Right...

But I think there's also a difference between someone who is unemployed because they were expendable and someone who is unemployed because the company was forced to lay everyone off.

True, but it does state 'regardless of reason'
Meaning you don't even get to tell why you're out of a job. It sounds pretty wretched really, but maybe they are trying to discourage the under skilled from swamping them with resumes.

Some people just kind of carpet bomb with the resumes hoping anything will stick and it's a lot crap for a company to have to weed through. The truly qualified might get lost in the mess. If you're still working, you're obviously qualified and prepared to hit the ground running.

I'm not condoning or condemning, just unsure.

 

[bbgun]

Right...

But I think there's also a difference between someone who is unemployed because they were expendable and someone who is unemployed because the company was forced to lay everyone off.

There are plenty of hard working people who are rendered "expendable" through no fault of their own. Now, if they were fired for cause, that's a different matter entirely.

 

[peplaw06]

There are plenty of hard working people who are rendered "expendable" through no fault of their own. Now, if they were fired for cause, that's a different matter entirely.

No doubt...

However, I get the feeling from this ad that they're looking for the best of the best. If someone was truly "expendable" (which may not be the best choice of words), then that generally means to me that they didn't make their employer feel like they HAD to have them work there, or that there was someone better in that office. I think this employer wants the people who they can't do without.

 

[peplaw06]

True, but it does state 'regardless of reason'
Meaning you don't even get to tell why you're out of a job. It sounds pretty wretched really, but maybe they are trying to discourage the under skilled from swamping them with resumes.

Some people just kind of carpet bomb with the resumes hoping anything will stick and it's a lot crap for a company to have to weed through. The truly qualified might get lost in the mess. If you're still working, you're obviously qualified and prepared to hit the ground running.

I'm not condoning or condemning, just unsure.

I don't fault an employer for being picky. As long as they have the time and the resources to be picky, more power to them. Of course, it's a little easier to swallow when it's a premium job.

 

[daschoo]

You, no.

BTW we're talking about aerospace engineering and the like here. How many of those guys are without jobs?

there will be some jobs where its going to be so specific that you're highly unlikely to be qualified and not in work, however from the original article it reads to me that some companies have just decided that refusing to accept applications from unemployed people to save having to sift through so many applications.
people can be unemployed for many reasons other than they're unemployable. also why would being desperate for a job mean you wouldn't be good at it if you got it?

 

[bbgun]

No doubt...

However, I get the feeling from this ad that they're looking for the best of the best. If someone was truly "expendable" (which may not be the best choice of words), then that generally means to me that they didn't make their employer feel like they HAD to have them work there, or that there was someone better in that office. I think this employer wants the people who they can't do without.

That might make sense if we had a 5% unemployment rate, but they have to know that a ****load of talent is in the bread line these days.

 

[Jon88]

Makes me even more glad to have a job.

 

[peplaw06]

That might make sense if we had a 5% unemployment rate, but they have to know that a ****load of talent is in the bread line these days.

I would agree that there is definitely talent. Not so sure I'd call it a "****load," but certainly tons more than are typically unemployed. The problem becomes weeding the talent out of the rest who believe that they have/can do...

computer skills, oral and written communication skills, light to moderate lifting.

Pretty weak job description. Everyone is gonna send a resume in with that.

 

[WoodysGirl]

You, no.

BTW we're talking about aerospace engineering and the like here. How many of those guys are without jobs?

Soon to be NASA contractors, maybe?

I know quite a few people who work there who are waiting for pink slips.

 

[big dog cowboy]

There are plenty of hard working people who are rendered "expendable" through no fault of their own.

There are a lot them out there. I'm sure we have all seen them the last couple of years. It's been sad to see the way some companies have been forced to cut back.

 

[Kevinicus]

That should be illegal.

Not all unemployed people are "desperate".

No, it should be legal. And it should be legal to hire/not hire, or fire/not fire anyone you want for any reason you want.