Filling applications & resumes

jbanda · May 2002

Is my understanding that we have to keep applications and resumes(even unsolicited)for at least 1 year, but I'm wondering how do most of you all keep applications and resumes?(by position applying for, in chronological or in alfabetical order) or is there a better way.
We are a Manufacturing company in TX.

Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance for your response.

Don D · May 2002

>Is my understanding that we have to keep applications and resumes(even
>unsolicited)for at least 1 year, but I'm wondering how do most of you
>all keep applications and resumes?(by position applying for, in
>chronological or in alfabetical order) or is there a better way.
>We are a Manufacturing company in TX.
>
>Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance for your response.

If your company has a policy of not accepting unsolicited resumes, you don't have to accept or retain them at all. We keep applications for a full year after the year in which submitted no matter what day during the year they are submitted to us, which means some are retained for 12 months plus one day and some might be retained for almost 24 months. This way we don't have to purge the files or archive anything each month, only each January at record destruction time. As far as filing them, in my opinion documents are FILED for one reason only: RETRIEVAL. If you need to retrieve them later by job applied for, then file them that way. If you need them retrieved by name, set up your file alphabetically. I can't think of a reason to file them chronologically unless you have no hiring criteria and hire the first applying. Or, unless you're setting up your file for use by the EEOC somewhere down the road. Contrary to their own opinion, that's not why employer files exist. You may also want to have a policy of accepting applications only for positions being recruited. And don't accept applications with 'Position Applied For' shown as 'ANY', unless, again, you have no hiring criteria other than fogging a mirror.

Holly · June 2002

Hey!

Some of us actually need mirror foggers.

Squishypig · June 2002

I file my resumes and applications in a folder by month and then in subfolders by position. Using my system I am able to purge at the end of every month keeping only 12 months worth on file, yet I am still able to retrieve resumes and applications by position if need be. Of course, since I work for a small company and I just have a banker's box worth to worry about.

Johnette
[email]johnette@deangelospizzeria.com[/email]

B_Jackson · June 2002

Within the State of Michigan it is mandatory to retain solicited applications for 90 days. If you have an affirmative action plan, or company policy regarding how long you retain a person's application as active, then you should keep it for whatever that time is even if it exceeds the State's mandatory limit. If you do not have any openings, and you receive a lot of inquiries, it is better not to accept resumes unless you have an opening. Unsolicited applications you would retain. Now with the acceptance of resumes on-line, it is easier to retain files for longer periods, and to purge the files without a lot of work.

HRMaiden · June 2002

We file them by department. Because we get a lot of applications in some of our departments, I purchased an alphabetical accordian file and file those applications alphabetically so that it is easier to retrieve them so that if a supervisor comes to me asking for a particular individual's application it is easier for me to retrieve it.

Filling applications & resumes

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