Advice on job application

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Hazemyster

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Hazel
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I applied for a photography job doing event style photography. I sent off my CV and cover letter. They sent me back an email with their own application form in it so im guessing they arnt going to look at my CV and want me to fill in their form. Ok that a pain but I thought I will do it if thats what they want.

Anyway, I start looking at it and it asks for my weight and hight and also if im married or have any kids. It asks if you have any health issues and to describe your state of health which is fair enough as you would need to be fit an healthy but isnt asking for your weight and height a bit weird? It doesnt seem they kind of thing they should even be allowed to ask really. Am i wrong?
 
yes you're wrong

loadsa jobs ask you to undertake a medical where they record all that stuff

If you don't want to work for an employer that would ask then bin the form ;)

At events I would take a tall athletic person over a short fat person (me) because they would be better at it and get shots over peoples heads, and get around faster. I stand on my peli and think ahead instead :D
 
I'm not sure on the legality side, but I wouldn't care about answering the questions. If you want the job enough why is it an issue for you?
 
I just find it strange and a little unfair. Being thin doesnt make you fit! I think it would be better to judge once you meet someone in an interview rather than asking them. Also their application form kinda sucks beacuse it doesnt give me the oppertunity to sell myself as a photographer like i could on my CV. Its also one of those jobs where "full training is provided" so i think they will just take some tall thin person over someone who would actually be really good at that job.

It also asks if you have kids or are married. Whats that got to do with it either?

Im gonna do it as I would like the job but I felt really confident when i sent them my CV and cover letter but i just dont see how I would stand out when i have to just fill in a few details in the boxes provided.
 
Hazemyster said:
I just find it strange and a little unfair. Being thin doesnt make you fit! I think it would be better to judge once you meet someone in an interview rather than asking them. Also their application form kinda sucks beacuse it doesnt give me the oppertunity to sell myself as a photographer like i could on my CV. Its also one of those jobs where "full training is provided" so i think they will just take some tall thin person over someone who would actually be really good at that job.

It also asks if you have kids or are married. Whats that got to do with it either?

Im gonna do it as I would like the job but I felt really confident when i sent them my CV and cover letter but i just dont see how I would stand out when i have to just fill in a few details in the boxes provided.
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It could be that they provide you with a uniform for the job, and want your height and weight to work out sizes?!

Of course, it could just be that they were short of questions to put on the form...in my previous life I used to design questionnaires for a local council, and the amount of pointless data that was collected and never even used was astounding. I had a real struggle to get them to stop asking stupid questions on surveys...mainly because it ends up in the same position you're in...wondering whether to bother even filling it out. :cuckoo:
 
Even if it was for uniforms (which would probably be a shirt or something simple anyway) most companies would wait till you got the job and then ask what size you are for uniforms.

Its just very offputting when i feel like i cant actually explain why im good for this job, but they waste space on their form with random questions like that, instead of asking what experiance you have, or giving you more than 4 lines to explain why you want the job.
 
Hazemyster said:
It also asks if you have kids or are married. Whats that got to do with it either?

.
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Politically correct answer - So we know whether you are married or have children.

Unpolitically correct answer - so we know how much of a risk it is that you may b****r off and have kids/more kids:shrug:

Not saying in any way that is what any company would do because that is illegal:rules:
 
yeah exactly. I just feel like I will be turned down for this job as im a woman (who must desperatly want kids), and because im not that tall.
 
Hazemyster said:
Even if it was for uniforms (which would probably be a shirt or something simple anyway) most companies would wait till you got the job and then ask what size you are for uniforms.

Its just very offputting when i feel like i cant actually explain why im good for this job, but they waste space on their form with random questions like that, instead of asking what experiance you have, or giving you more than 4 lines to explain why you want the job.
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Yes, MOST companies would, but say you got offered the job and they wanted you to start the next day. They might not have your uniform ready but if you're going to be at an event, you need to be recognisable.

Regarding the 4 lines thing, short, concise is what they want then. Can you imagine how many people are going to apply for this job? They're not going to want to traipse through hundreds of 2-page 'why I'm good at this job' blurbs. Unfortunately.
 
There's nothing wrong with them asking questions about your height and weight. Job applications can ask for anything including sex, race and medical information. The law lies in how that information is used, and that we can only speculate about. Realistically though it's unlikely that they're doing anything wrong and those questions are probably legitimate. Ultimately though if you don't feel comfortable with the application don't fill it out.
 
One of the problems employers face is the threat of discrimination, therefore they have to be extremely careful what they ask! We send out application forms that are worthless IMHO other than as a record of the persons name, address and previous employment. Regarding the height and weight question, I've no idea whatsoever.
 
thanks for your advice. im still going to apply as i would like this job but i really feel like i will just get turned down for a silly reason like my height when i know i would be really good at this job and have loads of experiance.
 
Hazemyster said:
thanks for your advice. im still going to apply as i would like this job but i really feel like i will just get turned down for a silly reason like my height when i know i would be really good at this job and have loads of experiance.
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I got turned down for a recent photography job because my CV was too strong according to them.
 
aligibbs said:
I thought it was against the law to ask these kind of questions in an application form/interview?
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It's not against the law to ask. The candidate is entitled not to answer and the information can only be used for certain purposes that are non-discriminatory.
 
TriggerHappy said:
It's not against the law to ask. The candidate is entitled not to answer and the information can only be used for certain purposes that are non-discriminatory.
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So why are they asking about kids/marriage etc? Surely this should be a separate form (or last page) which is totally optional? I really hate forms like this, where its none of their business really.
 
Weight is a useless statistic without height. 14 stone would be very different on a 3'5 person compared to a 7'2 person.
 
OP: Has the questions asked been starred / astrix beside them to make them mandatory to answer?
 
Just a thought

As an employer going through tons of applications etc would you chose someone to see who has filled all the form in over one who has not?
 
aligibbs said:
So why are they asking about kids/marriage etc? Surely this should be a separate form (or last page) which is totally optional? I really hate forms like this, where its none of their business really.
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Conventionally questions such as age, DOB, gender, marital status etc. should all be marked as non-compulsory. The trouble is with smaller employers people are less clear on employment law and use much looser templates when recruiting.
 
no the questions arent mandetory but then i feel like if i put nothing then they will probably just assume the worst and not hire you anyway!
 
Hazemyster said:
no the questions arent mandetory but then i feel like if i put nothing then they will probably just assume the worst and not hire you anyway!
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No offence but you're probably making a bit too much of this than needs be, it sounds like you've talked yourself out of the job before you've even applied !!

I've been involved in interviews from both sides and often the application forms make no real sense - they're usually just a way of making it easy for the HR department to process the paperwork and select candidates for interview based on their "checklist".

Send off your application & see how you get on !!

Simon
 
Hazemyster said:
no the questions arent mandetory but then i feel like if i put nothing then they will probably just assume the worst and not hire you anyway!
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I think this is the problem. You are making to many assumptions.
if you want the job, complete the application. If you don't or you feel you don't want to give them the information then throw it away.

I've never met you, but it kinda sounds like you have a complex and are passing blame already.
 
:lol: I'm afraid you're going to get no sympathy from us! BE grateful there's a job to apply for. The last two I applied for I didn't get (One for my Cv 'being too strong) I wish there were more jobs about for me to apply for.
 
yes i hate being turned down for jobs for being overqualified. its rubbish! Especially when you just need something to get some money in, decide to not be picky and apply as a cleaner or to work in macdonalds or something and still dont get it. I hope you find something soon Squizza.
 
Hazemyster,

As I took voluntary redundancy from my job as an HR manager and have interviewed hundreds of people and read literally thousands of CV's I can confirm that no employer should ask you for details of whether you have children it is completely and utterly irrelevant and is only ever asked by small companies who are naive about employment law and want to shortlist those with the least baggage and yes, Women come with more baggage, we are more expensive because of Maternity Leave and we put our children before our jobs (heaven help us!)

They can however ask about sex, race, age, disabilities but should only do so as part of a policy to ensure they employ a diverse workforce and not to restrict the diversity.

It is fair for them to ask about your general health, however you do not have any obligation to tell them anything and if you did then they would have to tread very carefully as so many underlying health conditions fall within the disability discrimination laws.

My advice.... tell them as few facts as you can get away with.
 
david1701 said:
At events I would take a tall athletic person over a short fat person (me) because they would be better at it and get shots over peoples heads, and get around faster.
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The above example makes a lot of sense, you really have to look at things the way an employer would, and ask yourself who would you choose if it was your business, their could also be advantages in choosing a married/cohabitating person in preference to a single person, ie wife and children to feed, mortgage, bills etc etc, as opposed to young/older free and single with no commitments, hence could take time off/walk out of a job at the drop of a hat and leave the employer in the lurch, whether it's right or ethical is a different matter ;)

squizza said:
The last two I applied for I didn't get (One for my Cv 'being too strong)
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Sarah i assume you mean you were over qualified ? i know a couple of people this has happened to in the past, often referred to as "a victim of your own success" :shrug:
 
TG. said:
Sarah i assume you mean you were over qualified ? i know a couple of people this has happened to in the past, often referred to as "a victim of your own success" :shrug:
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Yes. Sorry I should have explained what I meant. I do find it bizarre how one can be overqualified. I got turned down by Tesco once for the same reason. All I want for the moment is a blooooomin job!
 
squizza said:
Yes. Sorry I should have explained what I meant. I do find it bizarre how one can be overqualified. I got turned down by Tesco once for the same reason. All I want for the moment is a blooooomin job!
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LOL I have a mate in morrisons with 2 degrees :p

they don't like smart people because being a till tart is sooo soul destroying the non tards tend to go a bit nuts


A problem with being well qualified/over qualified is the manager hiring you will start to worry you want there job.
 
squizza said:
Yes. Sorry I should have explained what I meant. I do find it bizarre how one can be overqualified. I got turned down by Tesco once for the same reason. All I want for the moment is a blooooomin job!
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The reason they don't employ graduates to stack shelves or scan barcodes is because as soon as they start they will already be looking for a way out of the door for more money or better prospects whereas if they take someone with no skills or qualifications who is perfectly suited to the job then they know there's a reasonable chance they're going to stay. Recruiting people costs a lot of money so what's the point in recruiting someone who is going to b****r off at the first opportunity leaving the employer with another large recruitment bill.
 
squizza said:
All I want for the moment is a blooooomin job!
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It's ironic how life is sometimes, all you want is a job, and all i want to do is leave mine i hate it with a capital H, well it's not so much the job as the morons i work with, it's becoming more and more of a struggle to work there, and i'm finding myself getting more depressed about it, i know i must be as i rarely mention things like that here lol, unfortunately my age and lack of qualifications to just walk out is against me, mind you from what i'm hearing lately from here and elsewhere, people with mega qualifications aren't having to much joy ethier :|
 
I think that any job that needs this level of detail before you even get an interview is not a company that you would want to work for.
Who knows what will happen to the information ?

They should be hiring on experience, qualifications and merit not on your BMI !
 
Basically you want the job you fill in the details. A lot of employers ask much more specific questions about health now. Legally they may not be able to discriminate on grounds of any health issues but they would argue that they are asking the questions to ensure they make "reasonable adjustments" should they appoint you with health problems to help you do the job. Of course the cynic might say that a totally honest, unhealthy applicant might not make ti to appointment with some interviewers.
 
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