When job posts say "No phone calls, please," does no really mean no?

The last time I hired, I received nearly 100 resumes. I started off trying to email everyone to let them know I received their application and that we'd contact candidates we wanted to interview. But it was a busy part of the year, we were shorthanded (obviously) and I couldn't keep up with them.

One applicant who evidently didn't get a response from me called the head of our HR department. The ad said no calls, so not only did he ignore that, he went over my head. The HR director -- who had no role in the hiring process (the resumes came directly to me) and had no idea how many people had applied -- emailed, copying my boss and asking about the status of this applicant. So now, in addition to being at the height of basketball season, down a reporter, and having 100 resumes to sift through, I've got to tap dance for the HR director.

This applicant wasn't any better or worse than any of the others, but totally removed himself from the running by going to HR. I will say that I'll do my best to acknowledge all applicants by email the next time I have an opening, if for no other reason than to head off people who take it upon themselves to call.

 

Simply not a realistic view of things. When I used to run a three-man shop, I often spent the first three hours of the day reporting and writing, then spent an hour budgeting the section, then spent the rest of the night editing copy and designing 3-5 pages. My "free time" came usually at around 11-1130, when I was waiting for the last of the West Coast MLB/NHL/NBA agate.

That's why I put "no calls" on job openings. But I never said no e-mails, and whenever someone e-mailed, I was sure to get back to them about where we were in the hiring process.

 

Well you're sure a lot more courteous than the folks I'm e-mailing.

 

I can't believe this isn't a troll thread.

If anyone decides they're going to call because they think "no calls" is wrong, they probably don't want to work for us and I certainly don't want them.

 

The only time I called when they said no calls was an AP job I figured I had no shot at anyway, so I figured, what the hell?

To my surprise, they were impressed that I took the initiative to call them. I ended up being a finalist for the job which someone else eventually got. I would not have been a finalist otherwise.

I'm not blind to the fact, however, that my case is a very definite exception to the rule. As someone who has done plenty of hiring, I don't look kindly on it myself.

 

I think I've heard from this same lady
Similar situation and the office shared a good laugh when I read her cover letter, which came from the school of "what not to do"

 

Yeah, I'm usually not putting "please don't call" to be an asshole, I'm putting that down because I have a product to write/edit/produce, assignments to fill while short staffed, staffers to mentor to, readers to call back, e-mails to answer, and on top of that resumes to wade through. I'm doing it because I don't have time and you're not going to force me to make a decision talking to me on the phone for five minutes, which I hope is the most you'd keep me.

Last time I hired, I got calls and those people were eliminated. One works in our market now and she and I get along great when we're covering the same stories, but it's a simple direction. What if I send you to court and you don't follow a simple direction from a judge, etc?

E-mail is fine, I answer those and I like the idea of e-mailing everyone a form e-mail when the search is over and the candidate hired. I may adopt that one.

 

As an aside, and despite the thoughts of many here who I know and respect greatly, I have never and would never put, "No phone calls please," on a job posting. Here's why: 1) Just because it's not on there doesn't mean every single person is going to call; 2) I agree with whoever posted above that sometimes you just want to know if your stuff arrived, and it takes all of 10 seconds for me to say that it did, and if I'm busy, I just tell the caller, "Hey, would love to talk to you about this but now's not a good time"; 3) Most people these days are smart enough to try e-mail first anyway; and 4) If you really, really don't want phone calls, just post it through a service like journalismjobs.com to make them dig to get the number/contact -- and if they do, more power to 'em.

We're all busy; not one of us is so busy that we can't take 30 seconds to say, "Yes, I got your stuff, but I'm going to have to talk to you about it at another time" or, much more important, "Gee, no, I didn't get anything from you. Can you send it to ..."

I've always been struck as "No phone calls, please" as having an unfriendly, unwelcoming tone, frankly.

 

It is true that most people who post a job that says "No calls" -- myself included -- do it because they do not have time to take calls. I receive 50 resumes a week when there is NOT a job opening on my staff. When there is a job opening, I have to set up an auxiliary email account just so my inbox doesn't get flooded with resumes. If people started calling, I'd get no work done.

There are ways around this - ways that are much better than email or snail mail letters - and in a forum full of journalists, I'm shocked that I haven't read a post with this advice ... USE YOUR NETWORK TO CONTACT DECISION MAKERS.

The veterans of this industry have an extensive network filled with former co-workers, former bosses, or just friends they've met while covering stories or stringing ... Use these people. Call them and ask them if they've heard anything about the opening. See if they know anyone involved with the decision making or if they know anyone who knows anyone involved.

...Before college kids start complaining about their limited network ... Odds are good that if your network can't extend to the job you're hunting for, then you're a long shot at best for the job anyway.

 

Cubby, that's sort of what I was getting at in my earlier somewhat snarky comment (If it says no calls, you aren't getting the job anyway).

Seriously, if you are totally cold for a job opening (ie, no connections at the paper), and it says no calls, you might as well send your stuff and then forget it, because you aren't getting the job. If you are honestly so great, then someone at the paper ought to know you. Or someone ought to know someone that you know.

I have a feeling that the vast majority of people who get hired for any jobs have some sort of in, even if it's just a friend-of-a-friend.

 

I really used to not think this was true. But my last three jobs have come because I've known people inside the joints I wanted to work at, or at least people who used to work there who were still close with the bosses. Probably wasn't the ONLY factor, but I'd be stupid to say it didn't matter. My resume's not THAT great.

 

Wow. With all of those duties, when do you find time to actually call a candidate and tell them they're hired?
If you do e-mail people back, that's great. And if it's in the job posting, "No calls; please contact us via e-mail," then that's OK too. You're going about this the right way. But spending two minutes on the phone with someone who wants to work with you (and help with your short staffing problem, in an indirect way) is really too much?
How much time in a given week do we give to idiots calling and wanting a high school football score from six counties away? How much time do we give to soccer parents ranting and raving that Little Johnny didn't get his name in the paper? And a two-minute phone call from a prospective employee is too much of an annoyance to bother with?