Job Application Experiences

The last role I applied for,  although I was not actively job searching at the time, was for a strategic HR management role in the healthcare industry.

I remember reading the job posting and thinking to myself, “ I can see myself with this organization in this particular job.” It was a weekday and late at night after a long day at work and I thought the whole process would take no more than 15 minutes. I did the normal application online providing my personal information, work experience, education and references, at that point I thought I was done but to my surprise, the application process did not end there. I was asked to complete a 110 item questionnaire that included Wonderlic items as well as job specific questions such as shift availability. Mid-way through the questionnaire, I remember wondering if the application instructions mentioned having to complete this portion and also providing the applicant an estimated time it would take to complete from start to finish. Its a nice courtesy to know what someone is getting themselves into from a time commitment standpoint. Once I completed the application, I was exhausted and feeling very different about the job I applied to than when I first got started with the process.

This experience further reaffirmed how as a society we are have limited time, patience and we want to complete a task and move onto the next thing instead of being caught up with too much all at once. Being mindful of the applicants is important as the application process is designed to ensure they continue to be engaged and excited about the position. Some individuals may become disengaged mid-application and may select themselves out of the process altogether.

By Nicte Chandler