Very Weird Applicant

[IndianInlaw]

Why did he need to make a copy of his resume on your copier? (Rhetorical question).

He should have plenty of copies on hand.

You handled this very well.

Would you want this guy in your workplace every day?

[audrey1962]

I wonder if he could read and write? 

Getting to take the app out of the building, would be one way to get someone else fill it out for him.

That's exactly what i was thinking.

I agree with this as well.

[Lauren]

2) You should check that all information you are putting in your paperwork is correct ahead of time and bring it with you along with fresh copies of your resume to the place of employment when you go there the first time.  If you have to take it home to double check it, that says something not positive about your preparedness for applying for jobs and your professionalism.

Actully, the way I've *always* been taught to do resumes, is to tailor it to the job that I'm applying for.  Same with the cover letter. Its tailored to each job and each job description. I don't have a stock standard resume that I hand out. In my current job its not really relevant that I have extensive playing and coaching abilities for softball, but if I was applying for a team leader's position it would be appropriate to include the coaching as that's an example of leadership experience I've had.

I don't think it was rude to ask to speak to HR, but I do think it was rude not to make an appointment. That's where he crossed the line.

[HogwartsAlum]

I guess if I were to apply at your company, you would think I was weird too.

I would also want to see if an HR person was available to speak with because I'd want to ask more than just about the production jobs.  I'd have some specific questions about the company, how often a position matching my skills actually comes available, etc.   I'd want to get a feel for the working environment and to see how people are treated when speaking to a company hiring representative.

I would also prefer to fill out the app at home so I could double check phone numbers, use my best handwriting, attach a fresh copy of my resume, etc.

If I was denied both these very normal requests (in my opinion), I would leave and not come back too.   The only concession I can see is that he should have made an appointment with HR as opposed to expecting someone to be available whenever he decided to stop by.

(As an aside, what is so special about your apps that they can't leave the building?  

Its not so much that they're abnormal requests its the way/time they were made. I am the HR person at my work place (as well as the accountant, I do all hiring/selection/etc activities) and I would be more then annoyed if some person just walked in from the street and wanted to talk to me about possible jobs.

We don't have an application so I cannot speak to that.

Yes, our HR here is also the accountant.  It's end of the year; she just didn't have time to come out and talk to the guy.

As for the apps, they aren't anything really "special," just ordinary forms like you'd see at a dozen places.  My guess is that they had some trouble with people taking a bunch of them or something weird like that and that's why they decided not to let people take them. 

[HogwartsAlum]

Would you want this guy in your workplace every day?

No I wouldn't! And the way he kept staring at me was annoying!!

[Yarnspinner]

Don't know if this applies: Maybe he was on unemployment and wanted the application to prove he was looking for work prior to collecting his unemployment check?  At the library we are often asked for the applications by people who cheerfully admit they are looking for jobs but don't want to find one just yet--so they apply where they know no one is hiring, but want the applications to show they are looking.

just a thought....

[Secret]

Finally, he asked me if we had a copier so he could make an extra copy of his resume(FLAG #3 - he looked as though he wanted to come around the counter). 

When I read this entire post, I was thinking crime. trying to scope out the office, trying to get into offices, photocoping would give him time to look around a bit more etc.

but i'm just paranoid.

[HogwartsAlum]

Don't know if this applies: Maybe he was on unemployment and wanted the application to prove he was looking for work prior to collecting his unemployment check?  At the library we are often asked for the applications by people who cheerfully admit they are looking for jobs but don't want to find one just yet--so they apply where they know no one is hiring, but want the applications to show they are looking.

just a thought....

It's possible.  He actually said that he was looking on his day off, but he could have been making it up.  I could be wrong, but I got the impression, from the way that he would say something and just wait, that he expected me to change the policy for him, and I wasn't about to do that!

[Slartibartfast]

Don't know if this applies: Maybe he was on unemployment and wanted the application to prove he was looking for work prior to collecting his unemployment check?  At the library we are often asked for the applications by people who cheerfully admit they are looking for jobs but don't want to find one just yet--so they apply where they know no one is hiring, but want the applications to show they are looking.

just a thought....

At least in my state, you just have to call the unemployment office once a week, and they send you a check.  You answer questions like "Have you been paid this week," "Have you done work for which you will be paid this week," "Have you done any jobs, legal or illegal, for which you will be paid," and "Oh yeah, are you still looking for work?"  Seriously, there's about a dozen variations on "have you been working," and one "are you still looking" question (requiring no proof).  My DH is on unemployment at the moment (his former company didn't have their contract renewed and just kind of folded), and it's driving me nuts because he calls every week saying he's "looking," but he hasn't actually sent an application anywhere since at least November.

[HogwartsAlum]

Finally, he asked me if we had a copier so he could make an extra copy of his resume(FLAG #3 - he looked as though he wanted to come around the counter). 

When I read this entire post, I was thinking crime. trying to scope out the office, trying to get into offices, photocoping would give him time to look around a bit more etc.

but i'm just paranoid.

LOL I think that about everybody!!  Before I was an English major, I was a criminology major!

[HogwartsAlum]

Don't know if this applies: Maybe he was on unemployment and wanted the application to prove he was looking for work prior to collecting his unemployment check?  At the library we are often asked for the applications by people who cheerfully admit they are looking for jobs but don't want to find one just yet--so they apply where they know no one is hiring, but want the applications to show they are looking.

just a thought....

At least in my state, you just have to call the unemployment office once a week, and they send you a check.  You answer questions like "Have you been paid this week," "Have you done work for which you will be paid this week," "Have you done any jobs, legal or illegal, for which you will be paid," and "Oh yeah, are you still looking for work?"  Seriously, there's about a dozen variations on "have you been working," and one "are you still looking" question (requiring no proof).  My DH is on unemployment at the moment (his former company didn't have their contract renewed and just kind of folded), and it's driving me nuts because he calls every week saying he's "looking," but he hasn't actually sent an application anywhere since at least November.

Here you can do it online...I did that when I was unemployed.  You get a form to fill out and once a month you go in to the office.  I kept a log of everyone I sent apps to (with notes) in case the unemployment lady needed to see it (also for my own use).  I was out of work for over a year and it got to be 40 pages long!

[JudiAU]

There are lots of possible explanations for his behavior but my immediate assumption is that he was functionally illiterate and needed help completing the application. It is really very common...

[nonesuch4]

I worked for a convenience store, twice actually.  The second time I asked the manager why the applications had to be filled out at the store. "To make sure the applicant can read and write," he said. 

[Gwywnnydd]

At least in my state, you just have to call the unemployment office once a week, and they send you a check.  You answer questions like "Have you been paid this week," "Have you done work for which you will be paid this week," "Have you done any jobs, legal or illegal, for which you will be paid," and "Oh yeah, are you still looking for work?"  Seriously, there's about a dozen variations on "have you been working," and one "are you still looking" question (requiring no proof).  My DH is on unemployment at the moment (his former company didn't have their contract renewed and just kind of folded), and it's driving me nuts because he calls every week saying he's "looking," but he hasn't actually sent an application anywhere since at least November.

Here you can do it online...I did that when I was unemployed.  You get a form to fill out and once a month you go in to the office.  I kept a log of everyone I sent apps to (with notes) in case the unemployment lady needed to see it (also for my own use).  I was out of work for over a year and it got to be 40 pages long!

In my state, you can call in or file online, and they ask the series of 'Are you working'/ 'are you looking for work' questions. They give you a form to fill out with your 'contacts' (email, application, phone interview, in-person interview) and you have to have at least three per week. Then they randomly audit you. If you don't have the form filled out, with all those contacts, they make you pay back all the benefits you've recieved. Done by garnishing from future benefits (i.e. you file next week, they say "Yes, you're eligible, you recieve $X, which we are garnishing to pay your back debt"). They check up on your listed contacts, as well. It's part of the audit.

[IndianInlaw]

I remember some guy in Iowa applied at some place far away from his home.  He was going on vacation and did it on the way to his destination.   Imagine his horror when they hired him!   His unemployment benefits would stop, whether he took it or not.  He appealed on the basis that it was too far from home.  Nope, he knew how far it was when he applied.