Too much?

I am looking for employment and have been for some time.  I haven't been in the job market for nearly six years and a lot has changed since the last time.

First of all, nobody seems to want physical resumes and/or cover letters.  Everything is electronic.  Sometimes applying for an open position is as simple as emailing a resume.  If I'm lucky it is a matter of uploading a resume and filling out a brief application form.  More than likely applying for an open position involves uploading a resume, basically typing out the resume into the company HRIS software, and then never hearing back.

Usually there is a confirmatory email and that is the last I'll ever hear.  If I'm lucky I get an automated, "thanks, but no thanks" email, and if I'm real fortunate there is an interview offer.

One position I applied for was a a company called Sorenson Communications.  The position I applied for was as the VRS Ops Coordinator.  The important details were that I applied for the position on July 11th.

This was the confirmatory email:

To reply to this e-mail, reply to: recruiting@sorenson.com.

Dear Christopher,

Thank you for your interest in employment with Sorenson Communications. Your application for the position of VRS Ops Coordinator has been received and will automatically be forwarded to the appropriate hiring manager for review. If the manager determines your qualifications and experience meet the requirements of this position and are a good fit for Sorenson Communications, you will be contacted directly. Once again, thank you for your interest in Sorenson Communications.

Sincerely,

Human Resources

Decent enough, eh?  I was lucky this time and I got a phone call for an interview and a follow-up email when I wasn't able to take the call:

Christopher,

Thank you for your interest in the operations coordinator position with Sorenson Communications. I received your resume and would like to meet over the phone. Please call me at your earliest convenience.

Thank you,

XXXXXXXX

District Operations Manager

Western Region

Sorenson Communications

P 866-###-####

C 619.###.####

F 619.###.####

E  XXXX@sorenson.com

W www.sorensonvrs.com

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE. This e-mail transmission, and any documents, files or previous e-mail messages attached to it, may contain confidential and proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of any of the information contained in or attached to this message is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify me by reply e-mail at XXXX@sorenson.com and destroy the original transmission and its attachments without reading them or saving them to disk.

These opportunities don't come along everyday, so of course I emailed and called back immediately after getting this.  The problem was, I was never contacted back that day.  No problem.....I'll call the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that......

OK, I called everyday, well every business day after that for a week.  No returned calls.  Seriously?

I figure if they don't call me back then they didn't need me or I'll have to assume it isn't a good place to work.

Today I got another email out of the blue, one of the "thanks, but no thanks" kind:

To reply to this e-mail, reply to: recruiting@sorenson.com.

9/1/2011

Dear Christopher Stogdill,

Thank you for applying to the Sorenson Communications VRS Ops Coordinator position.  After careful consideration we have chosen another candidate to fill the position.

We invite you to check back with us at any time for possible openings.  You may also check our employment website at www.sorenson.com for current open positions.

Sincerely,

Sorenson Communications

Human Resources

It was nice that they let me know about a job that I was forced to write off more than a month ago.  Normally I would have just hit the old delete button, but this bothered me for some reason.  Does the HR department know that their district managers are so thoroughly dropping the ball?  I did just graduate with my HR degree and I know that sometimes the HR folks get blamed if there are problems hiring folks.  Should I reach out, should I just write it off as a too many applicants for too few positions?  Am I just being a little sensitive this morning?  Who knows, but I went ahead and did the best I could do and sent recruiting@sorenson.com an email of my own:

Thank you for letting me know via email that this position has been filled.  Normally I am not extended such a courtesy.

I would like to inform you of my experience during the application process that soured me on any prospect of being able to join Sorenson Communications.  Shortly after my application I received an email and phone call from XXXX XXXX.  Both the email and phone call were on the afternoon of July 25th.  Despite replying by email and phone later that afternoon, and following up with phone calls every business day for a week, this was the only contact I received regarding this position outside of the automated messages.  If this level of attention to detail and follow-through is indicative of Sorenson Communications, then it is readily apparent to me that I would not be a good fit for your company.

I wish you luck with your Boise Operation.

-Christopher Stogdill

Too much?