Ask the expert: You deserve a fair deal

Q. About three weeks ago I posted my CV with a covering letter in reply to an advertised position. Weeks went by and I heard nothing, not even the usual "thanks for your application, we'll be in touch".

I called the company today and was told they had employed someone for the position.

Am I crazy to expect that someone would be respectful enough to acknowledge the time, effort and energy involved in applying for a position?

You send in your personal information only to be fobbed off with that wonderful phrase "we'll keep your details on file". Well, I would prefer if they didn't. It can stay in the bin, where I'm sure it's been for some time.

It strikes me that with so many articles on how to get the right job, present yourself the right way, talk the right talk, it would be great for some of our employers to read an article on how to treat the applicant.

It's been some years since I have been through this process and I am amazed at the standard of practice out there. This is only one example of things that I've dealt with.

In the past I've been to interviews and been offered the job on the spot. Then it turns out the interviewer has no idea about what is involved to do the job or how much they are prepared to pay.

I've been phoned back three weeks after being interviewed to be left a message saying that "things are taking much longer than expected and please call back if you are not interested, otherwise we will keep your application and be in touch". I've heard nothing since.

I've sent off an application to one company and heard nothing back for more than a month - but continue to see them advertising the position.

A. Despite the tight labour market, many employers still act as if they are only selecting candidates, not understanding that candidates are also selecting them.

Although the recruitment process starts with identifying a job that needs to be filled and bringing that post to the attention of people who might be interested in applying, it doesn't end until someone is hired.

Everyone who applies is both a potential employee (for the advertised job and other jobs) and a potential customer, and managing the hiring process is an opportunity to demonstrate how well - or badly - your organisation is managed.

Corporate Leadership Council research shows that employees who are treated well in the hiring process and properly oriented to their job perform at a higher level and are more committed to staying with the organisation.

Effective management of the process requires employers to acknowledge all applications promptly and provide a timeframe for shortlisting and making an appointment.

Employers then need to honour that timeframe and let candidates know when they are no longer under consideration - and, if possible, why their candidacy has not advanced to the next stage.

Finalists who have been interviewed will want to know whether they have been successful or not within five business days, and will appreciate feedback on why they were not selected.

Careful attention to hiring is completed by thoroughly orienting new staff members to their jobs, a process that may take a month to a year, depending on the level and complexity of the job.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it's nothing when you consider the expense and effort required to upgrade an organisation's reputation in the labour market, or that required to correct poor performance, dissatisfied staff and bad hiring decisions.

* Your career questions answered by Dr Marie Wilson, an associate professor of management at the University of Auckland Business School and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business.