So, I was looking for a more local job today due to me starting junior college soon and not being able to work in Nashville due to the pure distance of it, and tried K-Mart. Back when I was first applying back in early 2000, no places in Clarksville had these machines. When I went up to the front desk to ask about any job openings, the lady pointed to a small corner of the store and said that all applications are done by machine now. I've done machine applications before, but it just feels weird now. Kroger (The local grocery store) had a horrible one that crashed twice on me. The Wal-Mart one is pretty bad and hard to type on, although the Target one was better (it did crash on me once, but managed to get it working the second time). The K-Mart one was pretty good, since it didn't have the exact same questions Kroger and Target had. I don't know, I just think that the machine ones don't work quite as well as paper applications most of the time. That, and everyone just sort of points to the machines when you ask them about it and doesn't even mention the available jobs.
Sometimes it makes things easier. If there are several stores in the area, at least one store can get the application as they are hiring. The only one I have to complain about (so far) is Best Buy. When using it, it kept erroring on me, causing me to either use the "continue id and password" or start over. Sadly, ShopKo uses the same system as Best Buy (right down to the questions) and ShopKo's application kiosks ran just fine...a bit or irony for an electronics store I guess.
It does raise the question however: Wouldn't it make more sense to have online application forms on their web site rather than wasting their money on duff software and hardware that doesn't work effectively?
Never seen these, does this mean you need to think of answers to questions (The normal "How have you worked successfully in a team" rubbish) on the fly or can you take the questions away or anything?
I'm glad they dont have these things in the UK & really hope they dont introduce them. Seems quite a bizzare concept to be honest!
These things have been appearing in numbers over this side of pond, mostly in big corporate shops, like Walmart/Safeways & the like. Thankfully, I've never had to use one - I don't really like the idea of typing my info into some box in a corner with who knows what security. And, yes - I prefer to think up the bull^h^h^h^h, er, appropriate answers to questions like the one you mentioned in the comfort of my own home, thank you very much.;-)
In this day and age one should be able to apply for jobs without the need of leaving the house, what do they think we're aiming to do, work?! Seriously though, not seen these but don't think they'd last long over here without being trashed anyway.
Um, for most stores, especially Best Buy, Office Max, etc. you can apply online at home instead of driving to the store. These allow other local stores to view the application if those stores are in need of someone. Less paperwork and text is easier to read than handwriting.
Please don't work at Wal-mart. But anyway, yeah I see these things in pretty much every department store I go to, even most grocery stores too (Raphs, Albertsons, etc.) I guess it's some improvement, back in the day I tried to get a job at a Kinkos, and they have you take this rediculous hour long phone test, with lunatic questions about thievery and such. So now at least you can take the stupid test on a computer instead.
