Electronic Applications

My university has been using electronic job applications for a couple of years, and I confess ambivalence. As a candidate, I have steadfastly refused to apply for positions that require them, with one exception (a job I really wanted, enough to jump through annoying hoops). As a dean, I’ve seen both their advantages and disadvantages and remain unconvinced of the virtues.

Some people certainly see electronic applications as mission creep on the part of human-resources offices, and that objection makes some sense.

At my first job, the faculty-hiring process was controlled by academics from start to finish, which I view as a good thing. Every faculty application was handled in the office of the dean of the college. My current university, while much larger, nevertheless receives fewer applications for a typical job than my previous institution, yet our HR officials insist that e-applications make their lives much easier — no doubt aided by the addition of a position for managing the system. Here, all applications pass though HR on the way to academic departments.

Other people will argue that the environmental savings are significant, but in my experience people print out copies of candidates’ letters and CV’s anyway. Certainly, however, the elimination of huge back files of paper applications, as required by policy or law, is a real benefit of virtual files. The fact that application materials are always a click away is a nice feature as well.

The problem comes with glitches in the technology. Just the other day, upon my return from two weeks out of the office, we discovered that because of a software problem, the hiring process had been stalled for two candidates to whom we had verbally offered positions some weeks ago, delaying their receipt of paper offer letters. Though I believe that the two candidates will still come, I am now concerned that such a glitch may at some point cost us a hire. That would be a very bad thing.

Candidates save money on postage, but an online application process probably takes more time. In addition to tailoring one’s letter (and often CV) to the specifications of the job, now every online application requires site registration, generally the completion of an online application form, and maybe some other materials as well. The job I broke down and applied for electronically required several documents not called for in the ad.

So I am not sold on electronic applications. Are they more trouble than they’re worth? Are they a solution to a problem that did not really exist in the first place?

Editor’s Note: David R. Evans, dean of the college of arts and sciences at Oklahoma City University, has joined the On Hiring blog as a regular contributor. Welcome.