Sarah Q Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I applied for a job today which I felt I had a lot of relelvant experience and qualifications for. It was for my "second job" in building maintenance, but I transfer a lot of my skills from tech theatre across (so hopefully my post can lurk on this forum!) Within a minute of sending across my CV, and my carefully crafted covering letter, I had this response: "Sarah Thank you for your e-mail. I am looking for someone to undertake maintenance... Regards" They had no time to read the CV or my experience before responding, and I had outlined the relevant experience I had relating to the position in my covering letter, as well as my additional skills. I obviously would not have applied if I hadn't appreciated that I was applying to do maintenance!!! It makes me very angry to think I might have been rejected immediately because I am female, and if it weren't for the fact I need the work at the moment, I am not sure whether it would be a company I would want to work for. Any advice on how to proceed? Should I send a polite email back saying that I realised what role I was applying for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Forget being polite. Make sure you keep a copy of the emails, including headers showing times and get on the phone to ACAS. Discrimination has absolutely no place in any industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w/robe Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 If you need the work then an email back pointing out your abitilies to carry out the work not just admin of maintenance may be better for you though not for the world in the long run. You are at least already having a conversation with them, obviously keep all copies incase their attitude continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Ross Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Send them your CV again but use a male name and send it from an appropriate email address. If you don’t get the same reply then kick off. I have worked with a number of female technicians and just like their male counterparts some are good and some are bad, the location of your reproductive organs has no relevance to your ability to do the job IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Q Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 Thanks for the replies... I know it can be a grey area, and I have had no real proof that it was because of my gender that the guy didn't even bother looking at my CV. I sent this as a reply to him... Dear ......., Thank you for your quick reply. A large part of my previous experience in working in building maintenance/facilities management since 2007 was hands on, practical maintenance on a daily basis, as described on my CV. I have skills in plumbing, electrics, carpentry, decorating, and any other general maintenance. Whilst working for Debenhams I was solely responsible for the maintenance of the large retail store, and also its Health & Safety for staff and customers alike. Prior to that, I worked as a stage lighting technician for ten years, again in a very practical, physically demanding role, which entailed working long, anti-social hours. Apologies if there has been any misunderstanding, but I was led to believe by the Jobcentre that these were the skills you required for your vacancy. Best regards, So far I have had no response.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Need Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 It is extremely easy to jump to conclusions when you receive an e-mail back so quickly rejecting your application. Have you considered any one of the following? -1- They have already filled the post-2- They have someone in mind for the post but have to advertise the job anyway.-3- The Carefully crafted letter did not "grab the attention" of the reader so they assumed you were unsuitable?-4- The person had already received 200 emails about the job and was getting very stressed about it all? It would be worth contacting them again and asking for reasons for the speedy rejection - any decent possible employee would provide a useful reply if you approached it asking for advice for future applications elswhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Q Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 The job was only advertised this morning, but it is fairly credible to believe that they had 200 emails including mine... It was the speed at which I got a response saying that I had obviously misunderstood the job I was applying for (see above post) that led me to believe that he had taken one look at my covering letter and rejected me out of hand. In my covering letter I describe quite carefully my skills and experience relevant to the position, including two years of working in building maintenance and facilities management. The gentleman in question obviously could not have read my covering letter accurately, or even looked at my CV which details the types of work I have been doing. I do not really want to believe that there is this attitude out there in this day and age, when it is an area becoming more and more a thing of the past in the theatre industry (in my experience anyway). When I first started with lighting ten years ago, I was in the minority, but am delighted that more and more girls are becoming lampies and sparkies... I know everyone is struggling to find work at the moment, but there should be an equal and fair process in selecting people for interview, rather than being dismissed out of hand. I would rather have not had a reply at all than be treated like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 As Paul says, there could be MANY reasons why yours was rejected so swiftly - som valid, others maybe not so.What I'd take great care with, though, is how you continue with this. Stand up and cry 'discrimination' without actual evidence of such will potentially brand you with a reactionary 'label' - one that WILL stick to you. That said, I would say your follow-up e-mail is in fact quite a good one, and keeps the tone where it needs to be - polite and direct. Keep us informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davethsparky Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Is it possible that it was an automated reply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Q Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Had a reply! Sarah Thank you for your follow up e-mail, please contact me to discuss your cv. Regards Do I contact him? Like I say, I could do with the work really.... but does it demonstrate that he had just rejected my CV out of hand and if I hadn't contacted him he never would have read it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Maybe he doesn't think your CV shows what you think it does, he has asked you to contact him so do so. There are lots of things you don't know about his decisions and jumping to conclusions is not the way to go about it, he has asked you to contact him so do so. He may well have read your CV and think you are not right for him, simple as that, he may think you are under or over qualified and experienced, you wont know unless you contact him and talk to him. Good luck with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary Watts Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Do I contact him? Yes, certainly you should contact him. As others have pointed out, his initial response could have been for a myriad of reasons. Give him the benefit of the doubt at this stage and use this as an opportunity to sell your skills & experience. Keep copies of all emails and correspondence and perhaps short notes of any conversations or interviews and then if you feel at a later stage that you have been unfairly discriminated against you will have evidence to back up a possible claim. Hilary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Q Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Thanks Ben for the different viewpoint - the advice on here has been invaluable for giving me an alternative way of seeing the situation - I genuinely don't want to believe I am being discriminated against, because I think the world is generally better than that these days, and I certainly have no intention of getting a reputation for being one of those girls who shouts discrimination at a moment's notice.... I have been offered a free CV update service recently, so think I will take up their offer and get the professional opinion on whether my CV is working for me the way I want it to. Taking all the help and advice into consideration, it would be daft to not at least contact him and have a conversation one way or another about it. Thanks to everyone again, and I will post an update when I have spoken to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Another vote for 'Heck, yes!' - call the guy and have the conversation.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Q Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 Just a quick update.... Had a phone call from the company, just as I was about to ring them. I didn't speak to the gentleman I had been dealing with, but a woman. She apologised for the gentleman initially dismissing my application as she admitted it was so unusual for a girl to apply for a maintenance job that he had assumed that I was unsuitable without reading my CV. By sending the email reply shown earlier in the thread, I had really impressed the guy, and therefore made the shortlist for a telephone interview. We then proceeded with a telephone interview, which I feel went well, and I have made the shortlist for a real interview on Friday, having survived the initial cull of applications. Thanks again for the advice Sarah Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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