First Gruop application 'Keywords'.

[Clip]

So i fancied a change of TOC and have uploaded my CV to first for a few jobs that show i can do it and also the application process where they ask you stuff online..

Failed every time - once within an hour of putting it up on line on a friday evening.. So i asked a recruitment consultant that i use and he says the application process is automated online and searches for keywords in the questions they ask.. Is this true?

 

[The 158 Man]

Yes it is.

 

[Wyvern]

I've read somwhere that the site includes a checking facility for "inappropriate" words and they can be quite unexpected,

 

[jimrbrobinson]

I would say it's probably a two-stage system. I don't doubt there's some form of automated system which will score based on pre-defined keywords and key-phrases. Below a certain score and the 'system' may well automatically reject some applications. This would make sense as the technology is there, and would certainly streamline the shortlisting process given the high volume of application TOCs generally get for jobs. However I very much doubt that the automatic score is the sole key to getting through to the next stage. Rather, I think there will then still be a manual papersort - where each application will be further reviewed and 're-scored' and evaluated in comparison to the scores of applications. The top so-many will be the ones passed to the next stage, and these individual scores may vary from post to post, depending on the overall quality of the applications. A similar situation (without the automatic scoring) is used by my present employer for the paper-sort.

 

[Clip]

I would say it's probably a two-stage system. I don't doubt there's some form of automated system which will score based on pre-defined keywords and key-phrases. Below a certain score and the 'system' may well automatically reject some applications. This would make sense as the technology is there, and would certainly streamline the shortlisting process given the high volume of application TOCs generally get for jobs. However I very much doubt that the automatic score is the sole key to getting through to the next stage. Rather, I think there will then still be a manual papersort - where each application will be further reviewed and 're-scored' and evaluated in comparison to the scores of applications. The top so-many will be the ones passed to the next stage, and these individual scores may vary from post to post, depending on the overall quality of the applications. A similar situation (without the automatic scoring) is used by my present employer for the paper-sort.

Fair enough but as i have said above, I applied late on the friday afternoon very close to when most HR depts are going home and within the hour it was failed. Yet i knew that the bloke who was dealing with the recruitment for the position liked my CV and wanted to see me but his hands were tied and had advised me to do the online bit first..

If it was a paper sort then i wouldve thought monday evening at the earliest would be when i got a reply.


Will have to start thinking about how much blagging ill do the next time i apply for them.

 

[jimrbrobinson]

The online application does seem pretty fixed from I've heard. I know First's recruitment website states they cannot accept CVs, and that CV's cannot be taken into consideration. They also don't appear to offer any alternative method of application other than on-line, so hard luck anyone who doesn't have internet access! I don't know how true this is but I was told that on the application system for "safety critical worker" and "driver" jobs they state that you must either live within a certain distance (travelling time) of the depot or to indicate how you would meet this if successful. I was told that there are just six keywords for this - "live", "within", "move", "relocate", "closer", and "nearer". If you don't use at least two of these keywords in that box, your application will be rejected. To me that sounds very strict, all things considered, but with the sheer volume of applications they receive, they have to do something to whittle down the numbers otherwise it would take months to do a manual papersort for every single application. We have debated going to on-line application and automatic filtering at my present employer and so far we have managed to dissuade it on the grounds that we feel that online only would be discriminatory against applicants who either don't have internet access of their own or who don't like putting that much personal information across on-line (secure servers or otherwise!). Plus, as I said at a recent meeting, as far as I believe no computer can beat the "Mk. 1 eyeball" for analysing the literacy of the candidate. (Plus I prefer hand-written applications anyway!)