Most employers request resumes and other documentation be sent by e-mail. Occasionally they use the old-fashioned method-the anonymous post office box. The huge volume of applications makes it seem difficult to respond personally to each one. However, the technology is there to reply to all.

Most e-mail programs have the ability to send an automatic response letting applicants know that their information has been received and how and when they will be notified of an interview or the lack of one. If the application is handled through postal mail, a generic letter can be generated and sent out with the same details. There is no excuse for leaving applicants in the dark.

Following an interview, employers continue their thoughtlessness. Applicants are told they will be contacted within a certain time, but it never happens. With the search narrowed, the number of calls or letters should be manageable. People who reach this level in the interview process deserve a follow-up. They need to know if the position has been filled or if the process is continuing.

Consider it public relations for the organization. The person who applies for the job and is treated shabbily by an organization has friends and acquaintances whom they are likely to tell. Furthermore, that applicant may one day be an influential businessperson with a long memory when it comes to choosing business connections.

Job seekers are customers, too, and should receive the same level of customer service as everyone else.

(c) 2006, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved. Reprint rights granted so long as article and by-line are published intact and with all links made live.