An audit of job application forms in response to adverts in the British Medical Journal

The aim of this study was to examine the speed of response of human resources departments to requests for job application forms for posts advertised in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Of particular interest was the closing date for applications, postage cost, and the period to reply.

Twenty posts were randomly selected and application forms requested by telephone and then 20 by letter on two separate dates from the BMJ Classified (issues of 21 July 2001 and 28 July 2001). During the first week the forms were requested by telephone on receipt of the BMJ (Friday afternoon). During the second week the forms were requested by first class post. All letters were sent out on Saturday morning.

The date of receipt of the application form/information pack, the cost of postage, and the closing date for application were recorded for each position.

Fifteen forms were received after the telephone application and 18 forms after the letter applications. One trust sent two replies spaced one week apart for the same job and two replies contained job application forms for the wrong job. The response rates to telephone requests varied from four to 10 days and by letter from three to 12 days. The minimum time between the reply being received and the closing date was one day, and the maximum 21 days. The time between the closing date for applications and the start date of the job varied from minus one week (closing date before advertisement) to three months. Thirteen replies gave no indication of the start date of the job. The cost of postage varied from 27p to pound 1.90. Thirty one trusts used first class postage.

There is very limited scope to return job application forms on time, and significant delays in sending out application forms and information packs compound this problem. It is recommended that trust human resources departments place advertisements early and respond promptly to requests for application forms.