What companies forget: job candidates are potential customers, so treat them right!

Having been conducting a job search for over five months now, I've come to the conclusion that most companies are missing a very important point:  the way they treat their candidates who apply for their jobs reflects on the organization as a whole.

Remember back in August when I complaining about how one company had asked me to do a 45-minute mock training session on "How to sell an iPad."  And in addition to presenting the content, I had to design the curriculum?  And the job was not even an instructional designer job--it was strictly training presentation.  So I did it, and believe me, my presentation was much more involved than simply demo-ing an iPad.

And guess what?

After spending friggin' hours writing up an agenda, identifying training objectives, preparing a competitive analysis and a features/benefits matrix... in addition to creating a couple of exercises to measure training effectiveness...

Over two months later...

I've heard NOTHING.

Nothing.  After putting in all that work, not to mention all work it takes for me to get dolled up for an interview, I didn't even get the courtesy of a "Sorry, Linda, you suck" rejection letter.  

NOTHING.

The job was at CenturyLink, "reliable local provider of high speed internet, phone and TV services." And I can tell you, the next time someone shows up at my door asking me to change my current provider to CenturyLink, I'm gonna tell them they can kiss my big black ass. ("Big" and "black" in there for emphasis only.)

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with companies?  Are they so fucking stupid they don't realize that job candidates are also potential customers?  That their HR departments also include an aspect of PR?  I realize companies can't possibly acknowledge every single resume that comes their way, but if you're going to make candidates jump through hoops and spend hours on their friggin' "exercises," then at least have the common courtesy to throw them a bone of communication now and then.

Last week I told you I had two good employment possibilities on the radar.  I had a couple of phone interviews with a company out of Canada for a local contract position.  Those people were fantastic about keeping in touch; I'd get a phone call or email every few days with a report on their client's progress.  Unfortunately, today I got a very nice email saying that regrettably, their client has decided the project will not come to fruition, but said they "highly value your skill set and are honored to consider you for other roles with our clients."  Nice.  Figures they're Canadians. There's a reason I love Canadians so much.

The other opportunity is with another one of those companies that gave out homework as part of the selection process.  We had a phone interview and then I spent a few hours doing an editing project before we had another interview, this time via Skype, and with another manager brought in.  I thought it went really well--there was lots of laughter and they said they'd get back to me at the end of the week or early the following week.  

That was on October 2.  I've called to follow up several times and sent a couple of "just checking in" emails.

Nothing.

There are a few humorous parallels between the job search and dating. But I'm telling you, my mother wouldn't let me go out with a boy who said he'd call and never did.

There's a maybe happy ending, though.  Earlier this week a company contacted me about a WORK AT HOME (!!!) instructional designer job and we had a nice interview the next day.  Fingers crossed. And so far, no friggin' exercises to do.