Regarding job applications: when hiring people the first applications we send to the bin are generic ones. I really despise them because we get so many of them. We spend so much of time reading applications that if an applicant can't have the courtesy of writing a personal email it really leaves a sour taste.
So to actually answer your question - when applying, write why you are interested in the job. Make it at least sound like you know what the company you're applying to does. Ask questions about the job. If it's just some generic "I'm good at this and that" we'll just throw it in the bin even if you seem to have the skills.
I understand and appreciate that -- plus I always write personalized messages. It's a very worthy time investment!
That being said, many firms don't have enough information on their websites -- and even in their job application info page! -- about what do they do technically and what is their current need.
That makes it hard to make a proper addressing to them while doing a sales pitch of your abilities and profile. And I refuse to engage in vague guess-work, too.
Thank you, I realize some people might not have responded because I didn't have enough info to go on to try and tell them why would I like working with them.
That's some good feedback! I will try to think about making sure that our job ads contain enough information about the role. Hadn't thought about that. Thanks!
Depends on your point of view. In terms of amount of applications, no. Loads of people apply, but in terms of finding the right person, yes I think it's very hard. It takes a huge amount of time, and all the generic/automatic applications certainly don't speed up the process.
Everyone has difficulty hiring people. The most popular companies, like Google, may have a glut of applicants, but it's still incredibly difficult to know whom to choose.
For almost everyone else, there are two problems: not enough applicants and no infallible way to screen them.
Hiring is (and should be) the most difficult thing a company does. It's the most important thing a company does for sure.
I'm not interested in the generic "everybody." I'm intersted in accatyyc's experience specifically. Not every company bins generic applications. It would be interesting to see if accatyyc's company can afford to do so because they have a glut of qualified applicants or if they're artificially limiting their candidate pool for some other reason.
To expand on my other answer in regards to this - I wouldn't say we have a glut of qualified applicants. It's pretty hard to find the great developers, and the reason we bin the generic ones is that we have never found a fit through one of those. Also it simply takes too much time to move further with those applications. I'd rather be programming :)
So to actually answer your question - when applying, write why you are interested in the job. Make it at least sound like you know what the company you're applying to does. Ask questions about the job. If it's just some generic "I'm good at this and that" we'll just throw it in the bin even if you seem to have the skills.