The following Wednesday came and went. No word. She called on Thursday, and was told that they would get back to her by Monday. Monday came, and she called again. Once more, they would get back to her.

That was last July. It is now late August, and she hasn't heard from them. Of course, she's written them off, but she went through several "manic-depressive" weeks. Great expectations led to highs and lows: in neither period was she terribly productive, nor did she pursue other openings for which she qualified.

"What's your point?" some of you may ask. It is to those of you who don't see the point that I address this.

It is not simply a matter of professionalism to drop a note to a candidate. It is a matter of simple courtesy, consideration, and maybe even a little compassion. I would not be so presumptuous as to think of teaching compassion, but I would like those who dismiss applicants (even the least-qualified) without even a xeroxed card, to think of being on the other side of the fence.

Even when an individual is quite certain that he or she didn't make a great impression in an interview, and probably will not get the job, hope springs eternal. "Eternity" is relative, of course; a wait of one week can be psychologically endless.

During that time, the individual asks, "Do I call? If I call, is that too pushy? Will they think I'm desperate? If they do want me, will I appear to be in such dire straits as to accept less money than what they were willing to offer? If I don't call, will they think I don't really care about the job?"

It is simply not fair to place the individual in such a position. Further, it does not enhance the perceived image of either a particular organization or its Personnel Department.

A form letter or a card can be sent; it doesn't have to be individually typed or addressed. Reasons don't even have to be given. A clichi will do nicely, believe it or not. All the recipient wants is to know where he or she stands, and then to get on with life.

I've had the following note sitting in my desk since February, 1984. The Chief Financial Officer and Personnel Director for a mammoth international corporation, had been "pestered" by an applicant who wrote him the following:

Dear Bob:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
When am I
going to work for you?

Belated Valentine greetings, Joan

To which the executive replied:

Dear Joan:

Roses are red,
it is true,
but you can't work for us
'till there's a job for you.

Violets are blue,
as you have said,
but our training program
appears to be dead.

So thanks very much for your valentine.
We can always hope things will change with time.

But if roses stay red
and violets stay blue,
I wouldn't count on it
if I were you.

Bob (Feb. 17, 1984)

You've got to like both their styles. She humorously asks when the company will hire her. He, in as gentle a rejection as I can recall, tells her not to hold her breath. Not bad for a high-level corporate type!

It is hoped that the issue is trite to most of our readers. To some of us, who get hundreds of responses to help wanted ads, it's a chore. I am not suggesting letters to applicants who do not get an interview. However, do send a card.

Last year, one California company sent cards to the more than 2,000 people who sent resumes. It read: "The response to our ad for a Director of Administration has been overwhelming. With this card, we acknowledge the receipt of your resume and letter. If you do not hear from us within the next two weeks, you may assume that we are interviewing others whose qualifications better suit our needs and specifications. We do sincerely appreciate your efforts, but it is not possible for us to individually respond."

If ever there was one corporate arena in which the Golden Rule can and should be applied, it's HR. Remember, what goes 'round, comes 'round. Let's keep that in mind the next time we're interviewing.