It doesn't cost a lot of people to reply (From Warrington Guardian)

It doesn't cost a lot of people to reply

I AM writing to your column about the ignorance shown by prospective employers on job applicants. You may think this sounds a very trivial matter but to me it is not.

What does it cost to send a letter or to make a quick phone call? The answer is 19p for a second class stamp or 5 -10p for a phone call. Surely if the job applicant can be bothered to spend his Job Seekers Allowance on a stamp to post an application form or to send a letter with his or her C.V., then common courtesy should make employer's write or phone to let them know if they haven't been successful.

I am not only having a go at employers, I have registered with all the agencies around Warrington town centre and what happens... nothing. They expect you to ring them every day or call in and when you do you are met with the reply, "sorry there's nothing in at the moment."

So why then are they advertising jobs in their windows, in the job centre and in the press? Answer, so they can build a client database to pick and choose whom they want to employ and where.

I wouldn't say I am brilliant but I can turn my hand to most things and am not afraid to have a go. I am only 35 years old but I have a broad spectrum of employment and have done quite a lot of jobs including security, retail, driving, fork lift driving, warehouse, fitting, etc.

I also have a City and Guilds in IT and not one agency has rung to offer any form of employment, not for even a day. All I can say to people at the top is - take a look at yourselves, no wonder people lose heart, give up and have no respect when employers and agencies aren't bothered to phone or write to an applicant.

PETER NEWTON

Morris Avenue

Latchford

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.