Back at the end of February, I wrote about how I got a credit card with very little effort, while the process for applying for even part-time, contract employment was long and included very little feedback.
As an update on the continuing hunt for employment, a few weeks ago I got an e-Mail saying that I was accepted for employment. That is good news, right?! Well, it would be, besides they didn't go way out on a limb and actually hire me, they just approved me for employment. The reader might be wondering what exactly that means. I am wondering as well. When I e-Mailed back to inquire, the response was that I should wait to be contacted by a department head. I have no idea if they have specific plans for me, or have just decided to keep my name on file in case something opens up. While it was somewhat heartening that an institution would at least theoretically agree to hire me, it is difficult to be in employment limbo. I am not going to make plans to relocate for a job based on theoretical employment.
I guess one of the bottom lines to me is that I believe that human resources should have a customer service attitude. I know it isn't a direct comparison: being a customer of an organization or business, and giving them money, is quite a different matter than becoming a part of that organization and getting money from them. But potential employees are also potential customers and potential supporters, and the word of mouth of someone who has a negative experience in an organization can reverberate . In other words, human resource departments should remember that they are part of an organization's image projection, and act accordingly.
As with my other anecdotal descriptions of employment seeking and dealing with bureaucracies, please disregard this if you have reason to.