Hopeless Hope

While trying to obtain a job that will help me to better support my family, I applied for a position within my town.  I was very excited because the location was just a few blocks from my house.  I could actually walk to work!  Not only would this help me further my goal to stay healthy, but it would greatly conserve on gas as well.

I read the posting in the newspaper and followed the instructions.  A phone number was listed to call if you were interested in the position.  So, I called the day after I read the post and left a voice mail.  I waited until the beginning of the next week before calling again and leaving yet another message.  I still have not received a response.  Figuring the person might be busy (possibly sifting through applications), I decided to put together the usual packet:  cover letter, resume, list of references, letter of recommendation and college transcripts.  Since I work and my mom is off during the summer months, I asked if she could drop the packet by the office.  She did and I have still heard nothing a week later.  When I was discussing this with my mom, she said, "Maybe they have someone in mind, but are obligated to post the opening anyway."

Can I just say that I hate this idea!  "Having someone in mind" is not fair.  If you are going to promote from within, don't bother to post that you have an opening.  Posting the opening when you know that you are going to give the position to someone else is not what I would call "fair."  In fact, it is an injustice.  It creates a false sense of hope for those of us that are trying to find a better career.  The playing field for interviews is not level.  And the most frustrating fact is that this is not the first time this has happened to me.  While I am by no means perfect, I do meet all of the qualifications for the jobs that I have applied for.  I am not trying to be a brain surgeon with my BS in Mass Communications.  Still, it seems that career advancement is sadly coming down to who you know, not the skills and talents that you posess.

My plea is for businesses to actually take a look at a least a few external candidates, even if there appears to be a "chosen one" within the company.  If that candidate is truly the best, he/she will get the job.  But do not place a job opening in the newspaper or on careerbuilder.com if you are simply doing it as a "policy."  Besides, how will anyone know that you have hired a new employee if you didn't post the opening?