Websites. What are they good for? Absolutely nothing! Say it again.

Websites, wave of the future! Be part of the 21ist century work force and apply on-line today!

Really though, there is noting worse then to be judged by people who can’t even proofread their own sites. Take this excerpt from T-Moblie’s website:

Skills’ testing is part our application process and the testing can be completed at home or at our state of the art center in Springfield, Mo.

Other hazard’s of companies that recruit on-line are things like being told “Goto the website to apply.” However once you get there, “No opening found in your area.”

In case you haven’t guessed I’m taking today to follow up on the websites of places at the job fair. Mainly because I didn’t sleep well at all last night and don’t want to look like a zombie when I go apply for a job. Also the fact that gas is over 20 cents higher then it was last Friday, doesn’t encourage me to go burn it. Unlike working people, I don’t have to buy gas, I can stay home.

Do you RGIS?

Ok so maybe that isn’t a great slogan… I had called in response to an ad in the paper last week. They told me that there was an open group interview Friday. I went and listened to the info, passed the test and filled out the forms they gave me. All of which took almost three hours to complete, mainly waiting for the other applicants to test.

First was a series of 40 diagrams depicting stacked shapes. You had to count how many “items” there were in each diagram, and manage to get at least a score of 21 in five minutes. Your score was how many you got right, minus how many you got wrong. I scored 40, I was also the only person in the room to finish the whole test in the time given. Although at least two others said they were on the next to last question.

Next they brought out their scanners, gave you six sheets of numbers to enter and after explaining which buttons to push let you practice before the second test. The second test was two billboards that depicted supermarket shelves. Your task was to inventory both in 9 minutes. You even got to practice before hand. After two hours I was quite ready to get it over with and didn’t take advantage of the fact that the practice billboards were the same was the test ones, so you could just enter all the numbers from memory.

Still I entered everything in 6 minutes and only missed one item. At this point they handed each person who completed and passed both tests an application and several forms to fill out. And believe it or not some people didn’t pass both tests. A few got frustrated by the scanners and just left, others couldn’t enter the right numbers no matter how hard they tried. One girl even failed and they let her practice again and retake the second test.

I wanted to mention two things that struck me as odd. First would be the tax forms, I don’t remember the form number but there was one that said “Write your date of birth if you are over 18 but under 40″. Now as you may or may not know, it’s against the law to ask a job applicant their age. You may have to require someone be over 18, and yes it’s not hard to find out since it’ll be in any background check run on that person. It just seemed like a sneaky way to pre-screen older workers out. I also found this form at Gordman’s, which as anyone who has been there knows is a very “young” store.

The second thing that bothered me was the fact that one girl was told in-front of the rest of us they’d call her tomorrow for training. The rest of us were told “we’ll contact you”. I don’t claim to understand the hiring process but if someone can’t even work the equipment, shows up late for the interview, and has to retake the test. Why prefer them over the rest?

Job Fair?

First let me point out that this is the 7th anniversary of 9/11, I’m sure it doesn’t need to be said but it still should be.

Despite some light rain I made it to the job fair today. There were about 20 companies there, I didn’t get an exact count.

I spent a few hours going from booth to booth, talking with different company reps. The most busy booths seemed to be St John’s, Cox, and of course Chase. Most were friendly but a few were not, like Express Employment Professionals. They seemed most eager to get the day over with, I got very impatient responses to my questions. Also Cox’s response to my even being there was to simply hand me a post-it pad and say goto the website, refusing to tell me much more then that. And I waited until they weren’t busy just so I could talk to them too.

On the flip side was another staffing service there, WillStaff Worldwide, they were friendly and polite and didn’t try to rush me through.

Most offered very limited information, but some went the extra mile to describe the positions and details about the company, like BuckHorn. The St. John’s rep even gave some advice to myself and other job seekers about on-line applications and resumes, at least for St. John’s. Things like filling out the application is better then just uploading a resume, they’d prefer to get info they ask for more then what you want to give them. Also to go into detail about experience when it applies to the job you’re applying for but not to tell them your life story. Basic advice perhaps but still good.

As far as applications go, BuckHorn gets the best in show award, lot’s of room to write and well laid out. Worst goes to Grand Crown Resorts, their application was TERRIBLE! No space at all, not even enough room to write a phone number without the area code! Also if you’re applying to Redneck Trailer Supplies be warned, their application is very confusing, the layout will play tricks on you. I had the same problem when I applied there some months ago, the layout is prone to skipping fields. I hung around their booth for a few minutes and heard the same thing over and over “You just need to fill out this part here.” Which was the same field for every person.

I was impressed by a few of the reps, like from T-Mobile and Enterprise, they were upfront about what their requirements were. After I informed them I didn’t have enough experience but was still interested in learning more, they gladly explained what they do and how their hiring works.

All in all, it was quite a bit to process, and after a few hours my throat was getting quite dry. So I filled out my pile of applications and turned them in to the booths that wanted them back. Made a neat pile of my “loot” (or post-its and business cards and pens) and took my leave, free NewLeader in hand.

Hope you all had a good lead from there, only time will tell.

Keep up the fight.