Hi,
I would like to find out the main reason we would include a closing date on job applications, as I feel I am being made to do something that doesn't fit with fair and equal (but am willing to fold if I am wrong).
We put a closing date on our job applications with a note saying "if you haven't heard from us within 2 weeks of this closing date, please consider yourself unsuccessful at this time" - we also add it for a timeline, for candidates and us.
Where do we stand in interviewing candidates before the closing date and potentially offering someone the position?
Help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Replies
Hi Olenka,
Am also happy to offer my opinion. An article on www.govcareers.about.com suggests that by not having a closing date on a vacancy, may suggest it is a role that the company is having difficulties in filling or even attracting potential candidates to. I would agree with this. I would also argue that there is a standard to set when a closing date is set, because the candidate has a set amount of time to prepare their application for the best chance of being short-listed.
The same article states that some organisations do leave out showing a closing date so that over time they can create a good pool of candidates. My argument with that is if they are strong candidates, they are not likely to wait that long for a response to their application. From my point of view also as the person who looks after the recruitment, I much prefer to have a closing date as it provides a timeline to the recruitment piece of work, and planning can be done surrounding it.
Regards
Debbie
Hi Oleka,
I'm happy to offer you my opinion in the hope that it's of some help! Including a closing date supports the objective of finding the best person for the job. It sets the rules of engagement and lets candidates know exactly how much time they have to spend on their application. This should in turn allow anyone seriously interested in the job and who is actively looking for a position to make the strongest possible application.
The main problem with operating on a first come, first served basis is that you might not be getting the best person available for the job, but it could also lead to disappointment on the part of other would-have-been-interested parties, and possibly a challenge in terms of equal opportunities, depending on how much of a reach your advert had in the period during which it was live