Missed a community job application deadline by 5 Hours, c**ts

[tim]

Also even if someone else does get it, things might not work out with them, and you want the people there to say "oh remember that nice person who called up and was so enthusiastic, let's call them up now". (Make sure you send an email to follow up after you call them, with something easily searchable as the subject and all your details in it; so they can actually find your details a few months later if they want to get in touch). (Or yeh just email rather than call in the first place tbh; most people find it less intrusive).

Subtle horticultural sabotage could help increase the chance of the job not working out for whoever gets it.

 

[Ted Striker]

The letter you receive will be a systematic autoresponse that is part of their HR software. It's unlikely a human had anything to do beyond setting up the rule. At the end of the day there needs to be a line in the sand (deadline), and a policy of (appearing even giving consideration to late entries (it's happened to me before)) - that said, that sort of policy and rigid enforcement would be appropriate for a large org with lots of jobs advertised at any given point.

I'd be amazed if a polite call doesn't resolve this, and if it didn't, then that would be a whopping red flag that they are not only bureaucratic and impersonal but also idiots (which I suspect they are - midday deadline is a fucking stupid idea - end of (well, technically start of) should always be used). Operational (i.e. how you do things) stupidity or ineffectiveness is typically very cultural (i.e. the whole org is over-officious, or casual). If they can't accommodate this late entry, there will be a shitload of other crappy stuff that would drive me personally bonkers.

You did fuck up though, and need to own it, but the downside you will face is not worthy of the simple mistake. I'm not quite buying that it indicates you can't timekeep, but you have (more importantly, I'm afraid) can't read detail of instructions (which you are guilty of).

One thing I would say, is to think how you want to come across in the call. Write it down before you call. In your OP you sound pretty aggrieved (totally understandable, and as would I), and there's a fuckton of, essentially 'dog at my homework'. You will need to be absolutely contrite in your mistake (but NOT make a big deal if it), and the level detail may be offputting for someone, but remember that you are appealing to their better nature, and emphasise that you'd only do this due to how excited and positive you felt about the job.

Don't email - it will be ignored or batted back with an easier response to say no, and the personal touch is more appropriate for a request to flex the rules. Obvs don't go to the office, or stand outside with a sandwichboard for the lols

Do you have the HR contacts number? They aren't always publicly available due to recruitment consultants pestering them. Just think about that, and prepare what you need to say to the receptionist/switchboard if you have to go through that.

One last thing - HR people are generally not these days, office monsters dealing with rules and procedures (of the past) - there's a lot of softening (albeit commercially or legislatively driven) in their approach, especially in hiring. and, again, if they aren't then that's another bellwether of the type of place it is (full of dickheads).

 

[nogojones]

The OP ain't been back. I do hope they're busy digging bulbs into the lawn outside the offices, that will grow and flower into "that was my job. Cunts!"

 

[splonkydoo]

Sorry for not getting back on here sooner, and sincere thanks for all the feedback.

I rang them up soon after and got the polite refusal. I have to be honest, i was gutted and extremely annoyed with myself and it gave me a bit of a blow, more so than I'd like to admit. As I've said, I've been mostly unemployed and feeling useless for a while now and I thought this job would have been a great fit for me - and I felt/feel like I fucked up an opportunity for myself.

But as people have rightly said, there's no point in getting attached to it, and I've learned a bit of a lesson from it. Timing is obviously a part of that, but it was also due to a lack of my own self-confidence that I was so late with the application. So I just need to be more gung-ho in the future...

I will try work away on the guerilla stuff in the meantime and put it up the c*nts

 

[splonkydoo]

The letter you receive will be a systematic autoresponse that is part of their HR software. It's unlikely a human had anything to do beyond setting up the rule. At the end of the day there needs to be a line in the sand (deadline), and a policy of (appearing even giving consideration to late entries (it's happened to me before)) - that said, that sort of policy and rigid enforcement would be appropriate for a large org with lots of jobs advertised at any given point.

I'd be amazed if a polite call doesn't resolve this, and if it didn't, then that would be a whopping red flag that they are not only bureaucratic and impersonal but also idiots (which I suspect they are - midday deadline is a fucking stupid idea - end of (well, technically start of) should always be used). Operational (i.e. how you do things) stupidity or ineffectiveness is typically very cultural (i.e. the whole org is over-officious, or casual). If they can't accommodate this late entry, there will be a shitload of other crappy stuff that would drive me personally bonkers.

You did fuck up though, and need to own it, but the downside you will face is not worthy of the simple mistake. I'm not quite buying that it indicates you can't timekeep, but you have (more importantly, I'm afraid) can't read detail of instructions (which you are guilty of).

One thing I would say, is to think how you want to come across in the call. Write it down before you call. In your OP you sound pretty aggrieved (totally understandable, and as would I), and there's a fuckton of, essentially 'dog at my homework'. You will need to be absolutely contrite in your mistake (but NOT make a big deal if it), and the level detail may be offputting for someone, but remember that you are appealing to their better nature, and emphasise that you'd only do this due to how excited and positive you felt about the job.

Don't email - it will be ignored or batted back with an easier response to say no, and the personal touch is more appropriate for a request to flex the rules. Obvs don't go to the office, or stand outside with a sandwichboard for the lols

Do you have the HR contacts number? They aren't always publicly available due to recruitment consultants pestering them. Just think about that, and prepare what you need to say to the receptionist/switchboard if you have to go through that.

One last thing - HR people are generally not these days, office monsters dealing with rules and procedures (of the past) - there's a lot of softening (albeit commercially or legislatively driven) in their approach, especially in hiring. and, again, if they aren't then that's another bellwether of the type of place it is (full of dickheads).

Only seeing this now, but nice one for that Ted. It was funny because they are a small community group, linked in with gov funding. There was no HR, the refusal email was done by the manager at 10pm and was a one-line copy pasta. I was late, and I hold my hands up - but they are not a massive corporation and their work is human focused. Manager is a former banker tho, so yeah, also an element of bringing the corporate world over to the community sector.

 

[tim]

They may also have had someone lined up for the job and were going through the necessary motions. Anyway, go and sow tares!