Why submit job applications via the hard copy equivalent of the 'pony express' when electronic service is available? The answer is that applicants wouldn't if they wanted to maximize their job application opportunities.

Yet, in this high tech age of the Internet, roughly 90% of golf course superintendents are submitting hard copy job applications via the U.S. Mail. This doesn't make sense because submitting job applications electronically provides the following unique advantages:

1. Immediately upon receipt of the application package, they can be quickly transmitted electronically to each member of the search committee.

    

2. This real-time dissemination of electronically submitted job applications to members of the search committee virtually guarantees that these applications will:

• Avoid being 'stock-piled' (as hard copy applications generally are) with up to 100-plus other applications to be read hurriedly after the closing date has passed. From then on it is a "crap shoot" relative to which candidate's application gets sufficient attention within an always tight time frame. Consequently, too often well-qualified candidates are denied an interview based on merit. 
• Maximize the opportunity for search committee members to evaluate and readily digest the merits of candidates' applications with career web sites one at a time as received instead of waiting for the closing date to pass and then facing the daunting task of often having to key in over 100 web site addresses individually to gain access to and review submitted web site quality - an impossible task for search committee members that often negates applicants' candidacies because of the short time available to complete these tasks.
• Create the time candidates will need to schedule an interactive golf course tour (see June 26th post) and to request the information and data needed via cover letter (see July 2nd post) to prepare and submit plans of action electronically well before the traditional interview time. The present dominant practice of hand delivering hard copy plans of action to committee members at the beginning of each candidate's interview is  an approach that virtually guarantees that these plans of action will be put aside, not read and more importantly - not discussed during the interview.

It should be understood that submitting job applications electronically presents a candidate's job application in its best possible light - thereby significantly enhancing a candidate's opportunity to be interviewed and eventually hired.

Applicants should advise within their cover letters when submitting job applications electronically that they are also forwarding hard copy duplicate applications to the club office.

Because so few applicants are currently submitting job applications electronically -- the opportunity to do so presents judicious job candidates with the opportunity to potentially 'pre-empt' the field when applying for a job in this troublesome economy.