With the economy of Michigan in the tank, many people have had to look for alternative sources of income. Many have had to wait in long lines and fill our countless job applications. Many are under employed but have a commitment to support their families so they have decided to do the right thing and possibly find a different line of employment that would not be their normal line of work.

That is where a big problem exists. Many companies have moved to online job applications or even have kiosks in their stores that require a person to sit near an entrance way for an hour filling out the application and then answering countless scenario questions to test their aptitude for an available job.

I know people who have filled out a 100 applications and sent out countless resumes. They have made phone calls, left messages and sent emails.

So what is this blog about, you might ask? It is about the lack of responsiveness people receive from most companies. I have personally filled out many applications and have not had the courtesy of a response. Not even a "Thanks for your recent application." The problem is that these companies lack ethics of old.

Today's youth, the ME generation, who are in key personnel positions at many of today's companies, seem to lack some basic communication manners. I am sure they have the education to hold these positions, their parents made sure of that. But they are so used to immediate gratification, i.e.: Blackberries, iPhones, Facebook, etc... that they don't realize that the person on the other end of the application, email, resume, letter, is a human being in need of a job. Many times they are looking for a little respect to get them through tough days. To give them some hope of survival.

I am not talking about Mom and Pop companies, I am talking about some major players, like Home Depot, Lowe's Home Improvement, Costco, to name a few.

A simple automated, "Thank you for your interest in our company, your applcation will be reviewed and a representative from our company will be in contact with you in the near future." would be, at times, a heartening response. Wow, someone is actually listening. It is not a big thing to generate such a response, it is simply good etiquette. Something that is lacking in business today.

I know times are tough these days and that companies are running lean and mean but the basics of good business still require the human touch. When I personally hear about such companies, I make an effort to stay away and shop elsewhere.