Respect is a two way street - or - Why don't employers respond to applicants?

Why do many employers not give the common courtesy of acknowledging the receipt of resumes from candidates?
This reflects poorly on their company and what they really think of their employees.

Some may argue that they receive such a huge amount of resumes and couldn't possibly respond to them all. I'd say, at least in my field, that is absolutely ridiculous. It doesn't take a lot to create an auto-responder (preferably one that indicates a time frame in which you can expect a decision).

Here is what appears to be the recipe for these employers:

1) Define opportunity to attract qualified applicants.
2) Make sure to indicate that your employees are "your most important asset".
3) FAIL to treat applicants with enough respect to let them know that you received the resume and appreciate their interest.
4) Most certainly don't commit to giving the candidate a time frame in which they can expect to hear from you (regardless of the decision).


Item four may just be too much to ask of many of these companies but item three can be automated!!

Letting a candidate know that their application was received and is appreciated is the RIGHT thing to do.

If I am ever in a hiring position, I will try to do better.