Have you ever filled out a job application only to find that there are weird questions on it? I'm talking about things that make absolutely no sense. Now when I filled out an application for Michaels craft store, I can see why they would ask me what crafts I am passionate about and why I like to do crafts. It is a craft store after all. So obviously they are going to want to hire people who like to do crafts and who can help out people who might not know just what they want or need to do a project. Perfectly understandable.
But I filled out an application for a store that asked if I knew how to use a barcode scanner. Considering as a general rule, they're pretty easy to operate and I used one at Walmart when I worked there to print labels, yes I do know how to use one but still. Why ask me that? I'd never used one when I started at Walmart and that didn't stop them from hiring me. Sometimes I just wonder about the things they ask on these applications.
It almost seems to me like some people just don't want to have to take the time to train their employees. Then again - after being told by one of my employers what the cost to train an employee was, I can imagine why. Employers spend a huge amount of money whether you realize it or not, on training new hires - most of whom don't last more than a month or two once they're out of training. That's pretty bad. Because that means a company has just spent thousands of dollars on each of those employees. Yes, each of the employees that were trained had thousands of dollars spent on them for their training - and now they've left. Some get fired for not being able to do the jobs or willing to do the jobs. Some quit because they don't like the job. But still. They spent all that money and now the employees are gone and they have to do it all over again. Not cool.
But really? Asking questions like that as though you won't train a person. Really not cool. :/
Good thing I haven't encountered that kind of question when I applied for a call center Philippines agent.
Posted by: arthur | 06/10/2010 at 11:09 PM