Um, hello?
August 7, 2013 4:39 AM Subscribe
I applied for a fellowship several months ago at a prestigious university that is in conjunction with another (slightly less) prestigious university and an organization that these two universities run together.
It's six months of classes between the two universities, then six months of an internship through the organization that they run together. When I hadn't heard back a week after I sent in my application, I asked for acknowledgement of receipt. This is what I got back:
It was received.
All the best
IT WASN'T EVEN FULLY PUNCTUATED.
Anyway, I didn't hear anything after that. At. All. Obviously, I figured that I didn't get it and moved on. I checked their website today, and it said that "the fellowship is now closed." I would like to e-mail someone to let them know how unprofessional I find this. I would prefer to email someone other than the person to whom I sent the application and from whom I received the poorly punctuated acknowledgement of receipt. I think that after the amount of time I (and every single other applicant) spent getting references, putting together three writing samples, a personal statement AND a cover letter, they could at least have sent out a form letter to those they rejected along the lines of "Thank you for your application. We regret that we cannot offer you placement in our fellowship at this time." Would that seriously have been so much to ask?
So I'm wondering is it a good idea for me to send this complaint letter at all? Would I be shooting myself in the foot if I ever wanted to do anything with this university (it's quite large, after all, and this fellowship isn't necessarily the only way I could be affiliated with them). Should I send it to someone at the university? The head of the department? Human resources? The person who I sent the application to? The organization that the university co-runs? Can I use the word "unprofessional" or would that be considered rude of me (even though I think their actions were pretty rude)?
It's six months of classes between the two universities, then six months of an internship through the organization that they run together. When I hadn't heard back a week after I sent in my application, I asked for acknowledgement of receipt. This is what I got back:
It was received.
All the best
IT WASN'T EVEN FULLY PUNCTUATED.
Anyway, I didn't hear anything after that. At. All. Obviously, I figured that I didn't get it and moved on. I checked their website today, and it said that "the fellowship is now closed." I would like to e-mail someone to let them know how unprofessional I find this. I would prefer to email someone other than the person to whom I sent the application and from whom I received the poorly punctuated acknowledgement of receipt. I think that after the amount of time I (and every single other applicant) spent getting references, putting together three writing samples, a personal statement AND a cover letter, they could at least have sent out a form letter to those they rejected along the lines of "Thank you for your application. We regret that we cannot offer you placement in our fellowship at this time." Would that seriously have been so much to ask?
So I'm wondering is it a good idea for me to send this complaint letter at all? Would I be shooting myself in the foot if I ever wanted to do anything with this university (it's quite large, after all, and this fellowship isn't necessarily the only way I could be affiliated with them). Should I send it to someone at the university? The head of the department? Human resources? The person who I sent the application to? The organization that the university co-runs? Can I use the word "unprofessional" or would that be considered rude of me (even though I think their actions were pretty rude)?
How long has it been since the deadline? If not several months, I would assume that you are still under consideration.
posted by katrielalex at 4:44 AM on August 7, 2013
posted by katrielalex at 4:44 AM on August 7, 2013
Response by poster: The application was due back in April and it's starting in a couple of weeks. I'm 100% certain that it's closed and that I am no longer under consideration.
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 4:46 AM on August 7, 2013
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 4:46 AM on August 7, 2013
We can't say for sure, but is venting your displeasure to the university (who likely doesn't care what your opinion is) worth the risk? That's an email or letter that will get forwarded around and gossiped about. If even one person in your field sees your name at some point and says ah, Enchanting Grasshopper, she sent that letter, she's the worst! then I doubt it was worth it.
posted by KAS at 5:02 AM on August 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by KAS at 5:02 AM on August 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
Don't do it. Yes, you could be shooting yourself in the foot. Also, while not getting an official rejection is annoying, it is not particularly uncommon. Vent a little to your friends and move on. Do not, do not put your frustration into writing.
posted by pie_seven at 5:04 AM on August 7, 2013
posted by pie_seven at 5:04 AM on August 7, 2013
Do not send the email. Yes, they should have responded, but it's possible that they were more swamped with applicants this year than past years, or that something else impacted their ability to handle the project. I admit, I send out emails and I work in a college and sometimes they aren't perfect. I hate it, but the admin assistant or project manager or whomever did not mean the lack of punctuation as an insult to you.
posted by jetlagaddict at 5:08 AM on August 7, 2013
posted by jetlagaddict at 5:08 AM on August 7, 2013
Yes, it's awful and inconsiderate, but as pie seven says, it's sadly not uncommon. I've interviewed for jobs and gotten no further response. I don't even expect a reply for a mere application (although it's always nice to hear something).
The references and writing samples are presumably things that you'll have to have for other applications, so be glad you've gotten those taken care of already and move on.
posted by Kriesa at 5:10 AM on August 7, 2013
The references and writing samples are presumably things that you'll have to have for other applications, so be glad you've gotten those taken care of already and move on.
posted by Kriesa at 5:10 AM on August 7, 2013
I checked their website today, and it said that "the fellowship is now closed." I would like to e-mail someone to let them know how unprofessional I find this.
Yeah. No. Don't do that. There is absolutely NO upside to you, and the potential downside of looking like a complete dick in front of someone in the relatively small world of academia.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:16 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yeah. No. Don't do that. There is absolutely NO upside to you, and the potential downside of looking like a complete dick in front of someone in the relatively small world of academia.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:16 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
There's very little chance that writing to them will change their attitude to future applicants, and a not unreasonable chance that you might make an enemy. Don't make enemies of people when you don't need to.
posted by Cannon Fodder at 5:28 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Cannon Fodder at 5:28 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Definitely no to the complaint letter.
You could send them another message to ask about the deliberations on the fellowship, and when they respond to say that it's all over, you could respond with something like "Thank you for this notification, I hadn't heard back from you and wasn't sure what the status of my application was." I wouldn't say anything more direct than that about it.
The thing is, they have what you want (the fellowship program) and they don't have to be nice about how they decide who receives it. This isn't a customer service thing. They don't need your approval or your 'business', so to speak.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 5:48 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
You could send them another message to ask about the deliberations on the fellowship, and when they respond to say that it's all over, you could respond with something like "Thank you for this notification, I hadn't heard back from you and wasn't sure what the status of my application was." I wouldn't say anything more direct than that about it.
The thing is, they have what you want (the fellowship program) and they don't have to be nice about how they decide who receives it. This isn't a customer service thing. They don't need your approval or your 'business', so to speak.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 5:48 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
I will nth the opinion that you do not say anything. It is very annoying, but not uncommon, unfortunately. In fact, I would suggest that it's often the norm, rather than the outlier. If it makes you feel better, I once got a rejection letter from a VERY prestigious writing program that read:
"We had many good applicants this year. You were not one of them. We hope you made other plans for next year."
The best thing to do is be aware that academics (and especially prestigious academic departments) are not so good at human relations. I'm guessing the culprit here is not the fellowship administrators themselves, but rather a lowly admin assistant who probably makes about $20,000 a year and is expected to do one million things at all times. Writing to them will not change anything and will, as others have suggested, make people aware of you in an unflattering way.
I suggest you seethe for another day, then think about how to tell this as a funny story ("Then they sent a one line email without any punctuation! BWAHAHAHAH!"). It's not worth your rage.
posted by mrfuga0 at 5:49 AM on August 7, 2013 [4 favorites]
"We had many good applicants this year. You were not one of them. We hope you made other plans for next year."
The best thing to do is be aware that academics (and especially prestigious academic departments) are not so good at human relations. I'm guessing the culprit here is not the fellowship administrators themselves, but rather a lowly admin assistant who probably makes about $20,000 a year and is expected to do one million things at all times. Writing to them will not change anything and will, as others have suggested, make people aware of you in an unflattering way.
I suggest you seethe for another day, then think about how to tell this as a funny story ("Then they sent a one line email without any punctuation! BWAHAHAHAH!"). It's not worth your rage.
posted by mrfuga0 at 5:49 AM on August 7, 2013 [4 favorites]
A student trying to school administration on appropriate behavior is not going to go over well. The very best you can hope for is for them to say "Oh, look, sour grapes" and toss the thing without reading or remembering your name. I don't see how an admin person replying promptly and concisely to your question is unprofessional; typos are typos, and they are doing a favor for you, not the other way around.
(I have had job and academic applications that went unacknowledged until literally days before the program was to start, at which point I got an acceptance, which I was not always able to accept. Call or write to confirm the status of your application. Do not burn bridges; you may be in charge of that admin person someday and the academic world is small.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:02 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
(I have had job and academic applications that went unacknowledged until literally days before the program was to start, at which point I got an acceptance, which I was not always able to accept. Call or write to confirm the status of your application. Do not burn bridges; you may be in charge of that admin person someday and the academic world is small.)
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:02 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You should just write and enquire as to your application status. This will likely result in receiving the polite apology you're hankering for.
posted by u2604ab at 6:03 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by u2604ab at 6:03 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
I would like to e-mail someone to let them know how unprofessional I find this.
I'll join the chorus telling you that this is a terrible idea.
You know that daydream you're entertaining wherein you'll send this letter and someone will respond with a contrite, heart-felt apology or the one in which they feel so badly that they offer you a fellowship? Neither of those are likely going to happen.
The one that will likely happen is that your email will become a gossip point and your name will be attached to it. To the extent that this affects you at all, it will be in the sense that people will think you're unprofessional, entitled, and a little unhinged. It won't matter if that's not true -- it fits the narrative of your "crazy" email too well.
posted by toomuchpete at 6:07 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'll join the chorus telling you that this is a terrible idea.
You know that daydream you're entertaining wherein you'll send this letter and someone will respond with a contrite, heart-felt apology or the one in which they feel so badly that they offer you a fellowship? Neither of those are likely going to happen.
The one that will likely happen is that your email will become a gossip point and your name will be attached to it. To the extent that this affects you at all, it will be in the sense that people will think you're unprofessional, entitled, and a little unhinged. It won't matter if that's not true -- it fits the narrative of your "crazy" email too well.
posted by toomuchpete at 6:07 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
One of my responsibilities at my job involves running a contest. The deadline was about a week ago. I've been putting in 10 hour days over the last month just to keep up with the work from the contest in addition to my other responsibilities. I brought on a temporary worker to help me keep up and I'm still struggling. Next year, we will move the contest online which I am looking forward to but that that I have to start planning for that now.
This year, we received around 500 entries for the contest. I am psyched that we received that many entries but of those, maybe 10% were submitted incorrectly so I have to fix them. I've done work on weekends. I took two days off recently and stayed at work until 8 p.m. the night before I went out of town and 7 p.m. the night after I returned. Now that the entries are in, I have to organize roughly 75 judges and judging sessions, including reserving rooms, ordering meals, making sure everyone shows up, mailing packages in advance to the judges, etc. For the most part, none of this is hard work but it is a lot of work on top of what I already do.
I don't send confirmation emails acknowledging that I received entries because I asked my manager if he thought I should do that and he said no. However, when asked, I do try to confirm it for people on an individual basis. We also don't send emails to those who did not win though we email all of the entrants with a list of the winners at the end of the judging period.
I'm sure you worked hard on your application but I am dealing with about 500 people who worked hard on their applications and I really really really do not have time to hold hands with all of them and tell them what a special snowflake they are. If I received an email similar to the one that you are thinking of sending, it would probably make me feel really mad momentarily and then I would get back to doing my job. If kicking me makes you feel better about yourself, I'm not going to stop you but for what it's worth, that makes you a shitty person in my eyes.
posted by kat518 at 6:20 AM on August 7, 2013 [11 favorites]
This year, we received around 500 entries for the contest. I am psyched that we received that many entries but of those, maybe 10% were submitted incorrectly so I have to fix them. I've done work on weekends. I took two days off recently and stayed at work until 8 p.m. the night before I went out of town and 7 p.m. the night after I returned. Now that the entries are in, I have to organize roughly 75 judges and judging sessions, including reserving rooms, ordering meals, making sure everyone shows up, mailing packages in advance to the judges, etc. For the most part, none of this is hard work but it is a lot of work on top of what I already do.
I don't send confirmation emails acknowledging that I received entries because I asked my manager if he thought I should do that and he said no. However, when asked, I do try to confirm it for people on an individual basis. We also don't send emails to those who did not win though we email all of the entrants with a list of the winners at the end of the judging period.
I'm sure you worked hard on your application but I am dealing with about 500 people who worked hard on their applications and I really really really do not have time to hold hands with all of them and tell them what a special snowflake they are. If I received an email similar to the one that you are thinking of sending, it would probably make me feel really mad momentarily and then I would get back to doing my job. If kicking me makes you feel better about yourself, I'm not going to stop you but for what it's worth, that makes you a shitty person in my eyes.
posted by kat518 at 6:20 AM on August 7, 2013 [11 favorites]
If you are planning an academic career, and this upsets you this much, you might want to consider a career change. Was there anything in the announcement that led you to believe that you would receive notification on the status of your application? Otherwise, no news until the announcement of the Fellow is the typical process, i.e., you don't find out that your didn't get the fellowship, teaching award, scholarship, etc. until the person who did receive it is actually announced.
posted by hworth at 6:31 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by hworth at 6:31 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Just in terms of shooting yourself in the foot, it's surprising how well people remember names from applications. I've had a conversation with my adviser about me applying to a summer program he ran when I was an undergrad, three or four years after the fact. (We disagreed about whether they'd let me in and I'd turned them down or whether they never responded. What probably happened is that they were going to let me in, but I withdrew to go somewhere else right before they accepted me.)
Programs not responding is about par for the course. Absolute silence for months applying to grad school (after everyone else you encounter has heard from the school) usually means you're at the top of the second choice list and will get an acceptance or rejection at the last minute.
posted by hoyland at 6:51 AM on August 7, 2013
Programs not responding is about par for the course. Absolute silence for months applying to grad school (after everyone else you encounter has heard from the school) usually means you're at the top of the second choice list and will get an acceptance or rejection at the last minute.
posted by hoyland at 6:51 AM on August 7, 2013
Oh yeah, this is typical. I once had a second round interview, complete with teaching demonstration and meeting the VPs, followed by silence. No contact whatsoever. Then a month later I got a form email telling me I didn't get the job (no, really???)
Horribly unprofessional. But me telling them so would have had NO EFFECT on their future behavior.
posted by chainsofreedom at 6:55 AM on August 7, 2013
Horribly unprofessional. But me telling them so would have had NO EFFECT on their future behavior.
posted by chainsofreedom at 6:55 AM on August 7, 2013
I once went for a CEO job of a small firm and after initial interview and shortlist interview... heard nothing from either the owner of the company or the headhunter until I read in the trade press that someone else had been hired.
It's a small world I work in. I recommend people away from the big name headhunter whenever my opinion is sought, but venting my feelings on the unprofessionalism of some shiny suited partner in a headhunter firm felt like a waste of energy to me.
posted by MuffinMan at 7:04 AM on August 7, 2013
It's a small world I work in. I recommend people away from the big name headhunter whenever my opinion is sought, but venting my feelings on the unprofessionalism of some shiny suited partner in a headhunter firm felt like a waste of energy to me.
posted by MuffinMan at 7:04 AM on August 7, 2013
Best answer: Stuff like this happens.
I had an interview at a large locally headquartered airlne. The HR recruiter was up my butt, he even asked me to write an essay expounding on my skills and experience. He called frequently. He linked me on LinkedIn. Then I interviewed with the hiring manager. She was one of those people who has a flat affect. Could not read her, but didn't get a warm fuzzy.
I was told that by X date, they'd be notifying candidates and beginning round 2 of the interviews. At Y date I emailed the recruiter back asking about the position, I expected to be told, "you didn't make the short list." Instead he said, "Hiring Manager has an emergency project, but we'll be getting back to you, please be patient."
After that, I've heard nothing. NOTHING.
I'm tempted to send a letter just asking, "So, what ever happened with that opening?" But I haven't.
Even typing this out, I got all pissed off again.
But, you never know, I might want to apply there again, and no matter what I write to whom, it won't change anything.
I did leave a review on GlassDoor.com.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:29 AM on August 7, 2013
I had an interview at a large locally headquartered airlne. The HR recruiter was up my butt, he even asked me to write an essay expounding on my skills and experience. He called frequently. He linked me on LinkedIn. Then I interviewed with the hiring manager. She was one of those people who has a flat affect. Could not read her, but didn't get a warm fuzzy.
I was told that by X date, they'd be notifying candidates and beginning round 2 of the interviews. At Y date I emailed the recruiter back asking about the position, I expected to be told, "you didn't make the short list." Instead he said, "Hiring Manager has an emergency project, but we'll be getting back to you, please be patient."
After that, I've heard nothing. NOTHING.
I'm tempted to send a letter just asking, "So, what ever happened with that opening?" But I haven't.
Even typing this out, I got all pissed off again.
But, you never know, I might want to apply there again, and no matter what I write to whom, it won't change anything.
I did leave a review on GlassDoor.com.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:29 AM on August 7, 2013
OH ALSO I applied for a PhD program and never heard back one way or the other for MONTHS until I finally emailed them and they told me that I should have heard by then. A week later I got the rejection letter and I am sure they didn't even read my application - they had already filled their spots and my application had gotten lost, so they had no choice but to reject me.
I am still a little angry about that one!
Anyway, just reiterating, don't email them back anything other than "I would like to know the status of my application".
posted by chainsofreedom at 7:37 AM on August 7, 2013
I am still a little angry about that one!
Anyway, just reiterating, don't email them back anything other than "I would like to know the status of my application".
posted by chainsofreedom at 7:37 AM on August 7, 2013
Best answer: An applicant hectoring an organization for their unprofessionalism will likely be received in much the same way as a lecture from a teenager criticizing her parents' immaturity.
posted by scody at 8:20 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by scody at 8:20 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yeah, academia is the worst at this. I have had campus visit interviews for tenure-track professor jobs, in which I spent 48 hours with folks from the department with only brief breaks for sleeping, after which I did not get a rejection letter. I assume 3 years later they're not planning to suddenly offer me the job. It sucks, but that's how they operate.
posted by hydropsyche at 8:27 AM on August 7, 2013
posted by hydropsyche at 8:27 AM on August 7, 2013
This is a valuable learning experience in the event you find yourself interacting with recruiters in the future.
posted by rhizome at 9:23 AM on August 7, 2013
posted by rhizome at 9:23 AM on August 7, 2013
Professionalism can be lacking in these things. I'm afraid you have to move on. (I received an email rejection from one grad school. It was clearly a reply to a reply, because at the bottom there was an entire conversation about whether or not to admit me, including one person's extremely strong opinion that I sucked. :| Years later, I have begun to think that I might apply for a different program there, so I'm glad I didn't tell them what I thought about their ... shortcomings.)
posted by wintersweet at 10:05 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by wintersweet at 10:05 AM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
I would write, very politely, to ask about the status of your application as u2604ab suggests. Do not give any indication you think their process to date has been rude or unprofessional, just state the facts and ask. Something along the lines of "Dear department administrator, I submitted an application for [fellowship] on [date]. I haven't yet been informed of the outcome of my application. Can you please let me know if the fellowship has been awarded? Many thanks, Enchanted Grasshopper".
At least then you will know for certain.
posted by goo at 11:10 AM on August 7, 2013
At least then you will know for certain.
posted by goo at 11:10 AM on August 7, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks for all the answers; I will e-mail to ask about the status of my application.
FWIW I have no interest in being in academia, this is a career-building fellowship for an entire class.
I'm sure you worked hard on your application but I am dealing with about 500 people who worked hard on their applications and I really really really do not have time to hold hands with all of them and tell them what a special snowflake they are. If I received an email similar to the one that you are thinking of sending, it would probably make me feel really mad momentarily and then I would get back to doing my job. If kicking me makes you feel better about yourself, I'm not going to stop you but for what it's worth, that makes you a shitty person in my eyes.
I just want to clarify that this is not even remotely about having anyone hold my hand and it's not about "kicking" anyone. It wasn't a contest application. I've never, ever sent in application for something like this (training/course/workshop/what-have-you) and not received a response. I know everyone here is saying it's not uncommon, but I found it baffling.
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 1:30 PM on August 7, 2013
FWIW I have no interest in being in academia, this is a career-building fellowship for an entire class.
I'm sure you worked hard on your application but I am dealing with about 500 people who worked hard on their applications and I really really really do not have time to hold hands with all of them and tell them what a special snowflake they are. If I received an email similar to the one that you are thinking of sending, it would probably make me feel really mad momentarily and then I would get back to doing my job. If kicking me makes you feel better about yourself, I'm not going to stop you but for what it's worth, that makes you a shitty person in my eyes.
I just want to clarify that this is not even remotely about having anyone hold my hand and it's not about "kicking" anyone. It wasn't a contest application. I've never, ever sent in application for something like this (training/course/workshop/what-have-you) and not received a response. I know everyone here is saying it's not uncommon, but I found it baffling.
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 1:30 PM on August 7, 2013
Enchanting Grasshopper, perhaps you're missing the point about kat518's comment. They're similar circumstances. Find the commonality there and realize that the person you are contacting is probably drowning in applications and related work.
Also, a larger question needs to be answered: Should you ever send a message asking about the status of your application?
For me as someone who hires other people, the answer is always firmly no. Do not send a letter asking. If you do not hear anything from a company, move on. I am not impressed by inquiries or persistence. I eventually do contact ALL applicants to tell them that they were not chosen, but their arbitrary timelines and ideas of how long it should take do not bind me or compel me in any way. What I hear in some of the comments above is engorged entitlement and ego.
It's particularly frustrating to hear from applicants when I have explicitly and specifically told them "This is a slow-moving operation. It will take quite a bit of time but you will eventually hear back from us one way or another." And then they still call or write to inquire!
While we are here: we are now at the point in modern communication where a phone call is considered an inconvenience in these situations. Do not call! If you must, send an email. But for me, it's better than you not inquire at all.
posted by Mo Nickels at 2:56 PM on August 7, 2013
Also, a larger question needs to be answered: Should you ever send a message asking about the status of your application?
For me as someone who hires other people, the answer is always firmly no. Do not send a letter asking. If you do not hear anything from a company, move on. I am not impressed by inquiries or persistence. I eventually do contact ALL applicants to tell them that they were not chosen, but their arbitrary timelines and ideas of how long it should take do not bind me or compel me in any way. What I hear in some of the comments above is engorged entitlement and ego.
It's particularly frustrating to hear from applicants when I have explicitly and specifically told them "This is a slow-moving operation. It will take quite a bit of time but you will eventually hear back from us one way or another." And then they still call or write to inquire!
While we are here: we are now at the point in modern communication where a phone call is considered an inconvenience in these situations. Do not call! If you must, send an email. But for me, it's better than you not inquire at all.
posted by Mo Nickels at 2:56 PM on August 7, 2013
"I would like to e-mail someone to let them know how unprofessional I find this. I would prefer to email someone other than the person to whom I sent the application and from whom I received the poorly punctuated acknowledgement of receipt. I think that after the amount of time I (and every single other applicant) spent getting references, putting together three writing samples, a personal statement AND a cover letter, they could at least have sent out a form letter to those they rejected along the lines of 'Thank you for your application. We regret that we cannot offer you placement in our fellowship at this time.'"
You want to email someone's manager to tell the manager that their subordinate behaved in an unprofessional way on behalf of yourself and the countless other poor applicants whose collections of references, writing samples, personal statements and cover letters were inadequately acknowledged. How would that go over at your job? What would happen if your manager or supervisor received an email from someone outside of your organization criticizing your performance?
Even if you send the most heartfelt, genuine email in the world politely offering constructive criticism, the best case scenario for the subject of your criticism is that their manager ignores it. It's possible that they will be reprimanded and maybe even fired. If that's what you want to happen to someone just because they didn't adequately reject your application, go for it.
posted by kat518 at 3:21 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
You want to email someone's manager to tell the manager that their subordinate behaved in an unprofessional way on behalf of yourself and the countless other poor applicants whose collections of references, writing samples, personal statements and cover letters were inadequately acknowledged. How would that go over at your job? What would happen if your manager or supervisor received an email from someone outside of your organization criticizing your performance?
Even if you send the most heartfelt, genuine email in the world politely offering constructive criticism, the best case scenario for the subject of your criticism is that their manager ignores it. It's possible that they will be reprimanded and maybe even fired. If that's what you want to happen to someone just because they didn't adequately reject your application, go for it.
posted by kat518 at 3:21 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
You asked for an acknowledgment of receipt. They sent you one. Yes, it may have been short, but it was polite and it completely answered the question you asked. They didn't have time to type out a half page of flowery prose.
Question asked, answer given, done.
You got what you asked for; your application arrived, but in the end, they went with someone else out of the scores/hundreds of applications they received. If you had gotten the position would you go in on your first day and complain about their 6-word-email? Or do you just want to complain because you weren't picked? If you want to paint yourself as a complaining busy-body and eliminate any future there, then by all means, send them an email critiquing their perfectly fine answer to your inquiry.
posted by blueberry at 4:38 PM on August 7, 2013
Question asked, answer given, done.
You got what you asked for; your application arrived, but in the end, they went with someone else out of the scores/hundreds of applications they received. If you had gotten the position would you go in on your first day and complain about their 6-word-email? Or do you just want to complain because you weren't picked? If you want to paint yourself as a complaining busy-body and eliminate any future there, then by all means, send them an email critiquing their perfectly fine answer to your inquiry.
posted by blueberry at 4:38 PM on August 7, 2013
I think you are justified in your bafflement, but unfortunately, yes, many institutions (academic, government, non-government, and even private), behave this way. One thing to remember is that while you might be thinking about this a lot, for the staff dealing with the applications, this is probably just one of many responsibilities they have. Whereas you are thinking about this daily, they might only be thinking about it once a week, or less.
For this reason, I disagree with Mo Nickels in that I think it's fine to ask politely about the status of an application. You're wondering, and it shows me that you care, and who knows--maybe I sent an email to a wrong address or my mail ended up in your spam folder. I don't want daily emails or phone calls, but one or the other periodically is not at all going to bug me.
posted by gubenuj at 8:04 AM on August 8, 2013
For this reason, I disagree with Mo Nickels in that I think it's fine to ask politely about the status of an application. You're wondering, and it shows me that you care, and who knows--maybe I sent an email to a wrong address or my mail ended up in your spam folder. I don't want daily emails or phone calls, but one or the other periodically is not at all going to bug me.
posted by gubenuj at 8:04 AM on August 8, 2013
I've never, ever sent in application for something like this and not received a response.
Then be a human of valour and assume an unusual outcome is due to an unusual circumstance about which you know nothing. Maybe the administrator responsible died, or is ill, or is on compassionate leave. More fun: perhaps she was fired after a scandalous coke-fuelled undergraduate sex party. Use your imagination and choose your own adventure!
posted by DarlingBri at 12:55 PM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Then be a human of valour and assume an unusual outcome is due to an unusual circumstance about which you know nothing. Maybe the administrator responsible died, or is ill, or is on compassionate leave. More fun: perhaps she was fired after a scandalous coke-fuelled undergraduate sex party. Use your imagination and choose your own adventure!
posted by DarlingBri at 12:55 PM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
« Older WordPress plugin filter: is there a plugin that... | You're Most Certainly Not Getting a BB Gun, Ya... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, don't send an email calling them unprofessional no matter how nicely you word it.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 4:41 AM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]