Companies ignore more than 43 per cent of the job applications they receive, according to a new survey.

Recruitment firms say that because good talent is in short supply, firms that give suitable candidates the cold shoulder do so at their own peril.

About 44 per cent of private companies and 35 per cent of public firms do not acknowledge job applications, the results of the survey, carried out by recruiter Candidate Manager, shows.

"Many companies do not yet have the processes in place to deal with hiring new people," said Ken Fitzpatrick, chief executive of Candidate Manager, which hires staff for the software industry.

"Applicants remember a bad experience and will be put off applying to that company again."

Companies that ignore applications may find it difficult at a later stage to fill vacancies, particularly when job seekers have so many other options.

Employment rose by 4.6 per cent in the Republic last year, the highest rate of growth since 2000. Rachel O'Donnell (25) is one of many Irish job seekers who did not receive any response when she applied for a job, despite her qualifications.

With a business degree and three years of experience under her belt, Ms O'Donnell was certain she stood a chance of winning an interview for a sales position at a technology firm.

"I waited a month to hear back from them and nothing happened," she said.

Candidate Manager's survey revealed that 100 per cent of job seekers who felt they had a "very good experience" with applying for a position said their application was acknowledged by the company, while 60 per cent of those surveyed said that they had received a response within 24 hours.

However, 53 per cent who described their application as a "terrible experience" had waited up to one week or more before getting a response.