Is it normal not to hear back from job applications?

Sneebly

Over the last couple of weeks, i have been applying for a few positions in my area, which is Information Technology. So i am looking for work, with something like Desk Top Support to something laid back like Data Entry, just to tide me over during my stay in Brisbane.

I have found quite a few positions that seem like they would be of interest to me, so i have applied for in and around 20-25 jobs over the last couple weeks. Since then, i have only really received 3-5 E-Mails back which tell me as to why the position isn't available etc.

I just heard from a friend of mine that this is common in Australia, if you don't get through he process then you probably won't hear back from them. Anybody else get this?

Side Note: Bit off topic, but does anybody know an Irish pub in Brisbane that will be showing the All Ireland Final? Considering i'm a Mayo lad, we'll wan't somewhere serving alcohol...!!

zweton

My advice would be to get out of Brisbane asap if looking for support roles,i.t is pretty dead there up there and i know because i spent the month of august there looking for i.t jobs. The government there slashed something like 800 i.t jobs recently so there is alot of competition plus factor in how slow they are in brisbane(even slower than most cities).
Saying that theres alot of luck involved.

mandrake04

Sneebly wrote: »

Over the last couple of weeks, i have been applying for a few positions in my area, which is Information Technology. So i am looking for work, with something like Desk Top Support to something laid back like Data Entry, just to tide me over during my stay in Brisbane.

I have found quite a few positions that seem like they would be of interest to me, so i have applied for in and around 20-25 jobs over the last couple weeks. Since then, i have only really received 3-5 E-Mails back which tell me as to why the position isn't available etc.

I just heard from a friend of mine that this is common in Australia, if you don't get through he process then you probably won't hear back from them. Anybody else get this?

Yeah that's the way it is, even if you get a reply its often some generic automated response.

It sounds like bad form but honestly its not really viable to send an individual response to every application especially in the IT sector considering that for every position they would have a lot of applications maybe even hundreds and for example most of those could be from India seeking sponsorship etc.

Its bad business sense to waste valuable time contacting those who are unsuccessful, from a moralistic sense its bad form but business is business.

The Aussie

It might help if you were actually in the country to start with, did you mention this in your job application.
And if your putting down any sort of contact number starting with 00353*** your application is scrap to them.

c0rk3r

Yeah its standard enough. I found it worse in Ireland though at least here you generally get a phone call back. I applied for 30-ish jobs, got 6 phone calls back and 1 job

catbear

Not related to IT but i'm starting to responses now for jobs i applied for back in jan/feb in Perth, nuts!

Sneebly

Appreciate the replies guys. Well we are flying into Brisbane anyway on the 20th, so we're at least there for a couple of weeks. We'll see what the scene is like and if we need to move on, we can. We have no major ties there, so a flight to Melbourne/Perth/Sydney can always be got and start again.

With my qualification, i would feel i have certainly a fair shot at at least getting an interview. The experience (just finished college) and the WHV will probably go against me slightly. But like i said, i'm not looking for the world. Just something to tide me over, basically if i got 6-8 weeks of work, that will help living expenses to no end.

BOF666

I know they can be a pain to deal with, but just see if you can find any Brisbane based recruitment agencies that deal specifically with IT.

Good luck, and enjoy Brisbane!

Zambia

Sneebly wrote: »

Over the last couple of weeks, i have been applying for a few positions in my area, which is Information Technology. So i am looking for work, with something like Desk Top Support to something laid back like Data Entry, just to tide me over during my stay in Brisbane.

Here is where you are going wrong you need to start having a specific skill. Or at least claiming to. If you came on her saying you wanted to Java Program chances are you could have an interview lined up by now from that alone. A classic IT mistake is trying to be all things to all employers it just does not work IMO.

Sneebly

Zambia wrote: »

Sneebly wrote: »

Over the last couple of weeks, i have been applying for a few positions in my area, which is Information Technology. So i am looking for work, with something like Desk Top Support to something laid back like Data Entry, just to tide me over during my stay in Brisbane.

Here is where you are going wrong you need to start having a specific skill. Or at least claiming to. If you came on her saying you wanted to Java Program chances are you could have an interview lined up by now from that alone. A classic IT mistake is trying to be all things to all employers it just does not work IMO.

Absolutely. Clearly in any cover letter, I haven't been putting that down. This is a forum, where I was looking for help on the matter, I wasn't expecting an interview out of it.

Claiming to be into a particular area of IT is fine, but would you not imagine that if I got an interview out of it, and somehow blabbed my way through that, then once I arrive to fill the role, I could be found out within an hour on the job?

Coming out of college, it's difficult to say what you will and won't like. As a subject I disliked application programming, but liked the idea of it....so who knows whether I'd like it to be my speciality