Response Times

Continuing on from the last post about jobs and stuff, it reminded me about something that has affected me quite a bit while searching and applying for jobs.

How long do you expect to wait for a response to a job application?

Within a day? Week? Month? Ever?

How long should you wait for a response to a job application?

I have sent many many applications out over the past few years, some to "big" companies, some to small independent businesses. Who do you think is more likely to respond promptly? If you said the small independent businesses, you'd be in the right ball park.

It is an unfortunate side-effect of the jobs market that when one sends an application, either as a speculative inquiry or in answer to an advert, that one expects no answer.

Well, personally, I think this is extremely unprofessional, bordering on rude of the prospective employers.

You may send out, in one frenzy of applying, ten applications. In the current way of things, I'd expect perhaps two responses back.

It is drilled into us that we must respond to a correspondence (e-mail/snail mail/phone/etc.) as soon as possible. Preferably within 24 hours. Otherwise, we as potential employees could be seen as unreliable, someone who can't complete things on time, or any number of things if we do not.

So how is it acceptable that those potential employers do the very thing we are told not to do?
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