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Out-of-work job applicants told unemployed need not apply
Chris Isidore, senior writer, On Wednesday June 16, 2010, 4:26 am EDT
The last thing someone who is unemployed needs to be told is that they shouldn't even apply for the limited number of job openings that are available. But some companies and recruiters are doing just that.
Employment experts say they believe companies are increasingly interested only in applicants who already have a job.
"I think it is more prevalent than it used to be," said Rich Thompson, vice president of learning and performance for Adecco Group North America, the world's largest staffing firm. "I don't have hard numbers, but three out of the last four conversations I've had about openings, this requirement was brought up."
Some job postings include restrictions such as "unemployed candidates will not be considered" or "must be currently employed." Those explicit limitations have occasionally been removed from listings when an employer or recruiter is questioned by the media though.
That's what happened with numerous listings for grocery store managers throughout the Southeast posted by a South Carolina recruiter, Latro Consulting.
After CNNMoney called seeking comments on the listings last week, the restriction against unemployed candidates being considered came down. Latro Consulting refused to comment when contacted.
Sony Ericsson, a global phone manufacturer that was hiring for a new Georgia facility, also removed a similar restriction after local reporters wrote about it. According to reports, a Sony Ericsson spokesperson said that a mistake had been made.
But even if companies don't spell out in a job listing that they won't consider someone who currently doesn't have a job, experts said that unemployed applicants are typically ruled out right off the bat.
"Most executive recruiters won't look at a candidate unless they have a job, even if they don't like to admit to it," said Lisa Chenofsky Singer, a human resources consultant from Millburn, NJ, specializing in media and publishing jobs.
She said when she proposes candidates for openings, the first question she is often asked by a recruiter is if they currently have a job. If the answer is no, she's typically told the unemployed candidate won't be interviewed.
"They think you must have been laid off for performance issues," she said, adding that this is a "myth" in a time of high unemployment.
It is not against the law for companies to exclude the unemployed when trying to fill positions, but Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project, said the practice is a bad one.
"Making that kind of automatic cut is senseless; you could be missing out on the best person of all," she said. "There are millions of people who are unemployed through no fault of their own. If an employer feels that the best qualified are the ones already working, they have no appreciation of the crisis we're in right now."
Conti added that firms that hire unemployed job seekers could also benefit from a recently-passed tax break that essentially exempts them from paying the 6.2% of the new hire's wages in Social Security taxes for the rest of this year.
Thompson said he also thinks ruling out the unemployed is a bad idea. But he said that part of the problem is that recruiters and human resource departments are being overwhelmed with applications for any job opening that is posted. So they're looking for any short-cuts to get the list of applicants to consider down to a more manageable size.
"It's a tough process to determine which unemployed applicants were laid off even though they brought value to their company and which ones had performance issues," he said. "I understand the notion. But there's the top x percent of unemployed candidates who are very viable and very valuable. You just have to do the work to find them."
Have you had trouble even applying for a job because you are out of work? If so e-mail us here to tell us your story.
The last thing someone who is unemployed needs to be told is that they shouldn't even apply for the limited number of job openings that are available. But some companies and recruiters are doing just that.
Employment experts say they believe companies are increasingly interested only in applicants who already have a job.
"I think it is more prevalent than it used to be," said Rich Thompson, vice president of learning and performance for Adecco Group North America, the world's largest staffing firm. "I don't have hard numbers, but three out of the last four conversations I've had about openings, this requirement was brought up."
Some job postings include restrictions such as "unemployed candidates will not be considered" or "must be currently employed." Those explicit limitations have occasionally been removed from listings when an employer or recruiter is questioned by the media though.
That's what happened with numerous listings for grocery store managers throughout the Southeast posted by a South Carolina recruiter, Latro Consulting.
After CNNMoney called seeking comments on the listings last week, the restriction against unemployed candidates being considered came down. Latro Consulting refused to comment when contacted.
Sony Ericsson, a global phone manufacturer that was hiring for a new Georgia facility, also removed a similar restriction after local reporters wrote about it. According to reports, a Sony Ericsson spokesperson said that a mistake had been made.
But even if companies don't spell out in a job listing that they won't consider someone who currently doesn't have a job, experts said that unemployed applicants are typically ruled out right off the bat.
"Most executive recruiters won't look at a candidate unless they have a job, even if they don't like to admit to it," said Lisa Chenofsky Singer, a human resources consultant from Millburn, NJ, specializing in media and publishing jobs.
She said when she proposes candidates for openings, the first question she is often asked by a recruiter is if they currently have a job. If the answer is no, she's typically told the unemployed candidate won't be interviewed.
"They think you must have been laid off for performance issues," she said, adding that this is a "myth" in a time of high unemployment.
It is not against the law for companies to exclude the unemployed when trying to fill positions, but Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project, said the practice is a bad one.
"Making that kind of automatic cut is senseless; you could be missing out on the best person of all," she said. "There are millions of people who are unemployed through no fault of their own. If an employer feels that the best qualified are the ones already working, they have no appreciation of the crisis we're in right now."
Conti added that firms that hire unemployed job seekers could also benefit from a recently-passed tax break that essentially exempts them from paying the 6.2% of the new hire's wages in Social Security taxes for the rest of this year.
Thompson said he also thinks ruling out the unemployed is a bad idea. But he said that part of the problem is that recruiters and human resource departments are being overwhelmed with applications for any job opening that is posted. So they're looking for any short-cuts to get the list of applicants to consider down to a more manageable size.
"It's a tough process to determine which unemployed applicants were laid off even though they brought value to their company and which ones had performance issues," he said. "I understand the notion. But there's the top x percent of unemployed candidates who are very viable and very valuable. You just have to do the work to find them."
Have you had trouble even applying for a job because you are out of work? If so e-mail us here to tell us your story.
I know, unfortunately about 50 percent of the male homeless are vets and about 70% of the female ones are.
I work with the homeless and those living in poverty. I cannot begin to tell you how many of these folks would love a decent paying job to enable them to support themselves and their families. However, employers see things like shelter address' on resumes and automatically assume they are bums. They have such a hard time exiting homelessness once they are there. I am not talking about those whose addictions have taken over their lives. Believe it or not, that is only a portion of them. There are many many people and families where that is not the case, but are now stuck in the system. It's incredibly frustrating. Most would also jump at the chance to take courses, etc. to improve their employability.
Actually it is currently easier for women to enter the workforce than men but let's neuter the argument for a moment. I personally believe we need to do several thing:
1) The GI Bill was created to decrease the amount of unemployed vet by stuffing them into school until the economy recovered and they were skilled. Let's fun schools but put caps on how much administration for public colleges get paid. I f they think they could get paid more somewhere else let them. Most of them would sink in the private sector and if they don't congratulations and they are an inspiration to us all.
2) Create a broader job corps. Younger people can join, work around the country at a really low pay while developing skills, getting to know their country , maybe helping clean and restore the environment and earn a version of the GI Bill when they are done.
3) NEVER EVER TRY bailing out these scum sucking companies again particularly if they have incorporated offshore to avoid taxes.
1) The GI Bill was created to decrease the amount of unemployed vet by stuffing them into school until the economy recovered and they were skilled. Let's fun schools but put caps on how much administration for public colleges get paid. I f they think they could get paid more somewhere else let them. Most of them would sink in the private sector and if they don't congratulations and they are an inspiration to us all.
2) Create a broader job corps. Younger people can join, work around the country at a really low pay while developing skills, getting to know their country , maybe helping clean and restore the environment and earn a version of the GI Bill when they are done.
3) NEVER EVER TRY bailing out these scum sucking companies again particularly if they have incorporated offshore to avoid taxes.
It's exactly this sort of attitude that will prevent the economy from coming back the way it could. Yeah, makes sense...let's keep the employed employed, and the unemployed down. Then we will take away social benefits and create an even worse situation. People are unemployed for so many reasons....do they not watch the news or read the papers about the mass layoffs that have taken place over the last few years? What about moms reentering the work force after raising their families, or the newly single parent that now has to work outside the home. Talk about stereotyping...this should be considered a form of discrimination...
Sounds like they believe that those still employed are the best of the best. Personally I think it's a combination of luck and hard work on the part of the still employed. Or perhaps the Peter Principal at work here. Sad commentary.
I wonder how will this will eventually affect our society. We generally seem to marginilize individuals in the United Stated.
But that having been said I wonder how this will change our society? We no longer have schools that are designed to teach boys so we have the lowest amount of men currently graduating from highschool and college with more and more men being stay at home ("Kept") men who parent etc. My state in addition has the highest percentage of it's population in prison compared to all other states (and some countries).
So... I wonder what traits will eventually be most valued in relationships as dictated by the economy?
But that having been said I wonder how this will change our society? We no longer have schools that are designed to teach boys so we have the lowest amount of men currently graduating from highschool and college with more and more men being stay at home ("Kept") men who parent etc. My state in addition has the highest percentage of it's population in prison compared to all other states (and some countries).
So... I wonder what traits will eventually be most valued in relationships as dictated by the economy?
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