No jobless need apply?

The 'Net, the blogosphere, and even the news media have been abuzz over the past few months with talk of the latest insult being thrown at unemployed job-seekers: Employers are stating that they will not consider job applications from unemployed candidates.

Job seekers in various locations have reported that companies have been posting position openings featuring announcements like, "Applicants must be currently employed" or "No unemployed candidates will be considered." While most of the reports of this practice have been anecdotal, one Florida TV station documented an example of such a posting by a large telecommunications firm earlier this year.

A quick-and-dirty search of some Philadelphia job listings turned up none that bore such warnings, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened here. The reports have been widespread and persistent enough that in February, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission held hearings on the issue.

There is something of a Catch-22 quality to this practice. By ruling out unemployed candidates, employers increase the number of long-term unemployed, who then may become even less employable (that is, if they're not doing things to stay engaged and keep their skills sharp). It also suggests that these employers are making a prejudiced and unfair assumption about the unemployed: namely, that there's something wrong with them and they somehow deserved their fate.

Employers who do screen out unemployed applicants do themselves a disservice on several fronts. For starters, they needlessly limit the pool of qualified candidates from which they can fill positions. For another, they ignore the likelihood that these candidates will save them money in several ways - by reducing training costs, for instance, or by saving on salary costs relative to similarly experienced workers still employed.

Fernan R. Caparo of the Society for Human Resource Management told the EEOC at the hearing that in her organization's view, "screening out the unemployed is not an effective practice." Of course it isn't. Any employer who wants to get the best possible candidates for a job should cast as wide a net as possible, and these days, one's current employment status is no proxy for one's suitability for employment.

The EEOC may not be able to do anything about this practice, as employment status is not a protected category. But wise employers can. All they need to do is just say no to screening based on current employment.

Have you encountered job openings where an employer refused to consider unemployed candidates? What do you think about this practice? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Then head on over to PhillyJobs.com, where there are plenty of employers who want to hear from you.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.