Be Aware of Fake Mailers

I am reposting a recent press release from Attorney General Tom Horne to Small Businesses and Consumers in Arizona.  Here it is:

Phoenix, AZ (November 26, 2013)  --  Attorney General Tom Horne is today warning Arizona consumers and small businesses to be wary of solicitations that appear to be an official notification from a government agency.

There is currently an official looking mailer being sent out by the “Labor Standards Compliance Office” requesting a fee (generally $295) from consumers in return for providing up-to-date notices for businesses to post to comply with the State of Arizona and the Federal Government. This sender is not affiliated in any way with the government, but is instead a private non-governmental business.  Small businesses are not required to purchase these posters and should be wary of the “FINAL NOTICE” and “DUE NOW” claims stated on the mailer.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office advises consumers to read all fine print, do research on companies that are listed on mailers, and be cautious about the authenticity of mailings that appear to be from a government agency.

If you believe you have been a victim of consumer fraud, please contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602-542-5763, in Tucson at 520-628-6504, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro area at 1-800-352-8431. Consumers can also file complaints online by visiting the Attorney General’s Office Web site at www.azag.gov.

What to do with ALL those applications!

A new manager recently asked me after he interviews someone if they aren't going to be hired, what should they do with the applications and what if anything should he communicate to them. My response was: First of all you need to keep the application on file for one year. I recommend making a hanging file for each month and file them by month. Then each month you shred last year’s from that month and have an empty file to start filing them in for this month. This also helps if you have someone you didn’t hire call up and say I put in an application last month – you can quickly find their application and see if you would consider them or not. A better suggestion is to have a file folder for “Strong Possibilities” these are applicants that you didn’t hire but WOULD consider them in the future. That way when you have another opening you can quickly find a person that looked pretty good. 

For the second part of your question – if you have interviewed them – I say definitely communicate back to them “yes” or “no”. If you don’t hire them, a quick e-mail or postcard that says:

Thank you for your interest in working at our store and meeting with me last week. We enjoyed meeting you and we appreciate your time. We had many applicants with varying experiences, skills and schedule availability. We have offered the position to someone that more closely fits our ideal candidate. We do keep applications on file for one year so we may contact you in the future if the need arises.

Best of luck in your job search and we truly appreciate your interest.

It is important to keep applications in an organized fashion for future recruiting and to stay compliant with the law.

Happy Hiring!