Submitted by jdbrown1998 on
in
Forums
Hello,
BLUF: Do companies post job advertisements on various online sites (trade specific and linked in) that they have already hired someone for? Is it worth applying for these jobs (assuming that they are recent posts?)
Background:
So I am working on PhD right now in chemistry and there is someone who is finishing right now and looking for a job. He is searching for openings in industry (as opposed to a post doc position and Academia.) As he looks for jobs he keeps saying it is pointless to put in a resume for the jobs at the well known companies because any job they post online they have already filled and his resume won't even get read?
This doesn't make any sense to me. What company would pay someone to post a job search online knowing who they were already going to hire? And then pay someone to deal with all the inquiries that would be associated with that search?
When I tried to point this out to him he just acted like I was naive. I told him that I would still be applying to those jobs and following up with the people. Any insight from someone at a big company like Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, GSK, or J&J would be appreciated?
-JDB
Short Answer?
Yes, we do. Now the longer answer:
It happens a lot because the organisation prescribes that all vacancies have to be advertised externally even when Functional, Resourcing and hiring managers have already identified their preferred candidate. It's the difference between what the rules say and how they are applied on the ground.
Additionally, he may be confusing rumour and reality. We all have a friend who told us X,Y and Z. You cannot identify which of these jobs is open competition and which have an internal or external anointed candidate, therefore, you have to apply regardless.
I suspect he is having a hard time getting past resume screens and has latched on to this as a comfort blanket. Maybe point him in the direction of this forum?
Tim
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