barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
I didn't.Whisperfoot said:
I won't tell you WHAT I did with it, but it won't burn very well now...
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Asking Me For A Job
- Thread starter barsoomcore
- Start date
I won't tell you WHAT I did with it, but it won't burn very well now...
MaxKaladin
First Post
I just thought I'd mention that #'s 1,3,4 and 5 are all things I've had HR types and experienced job-finders (as opposed to perpetual job seekers...) specifically tell to do at one point or another when trying to get a job.
#1: Any number of companies told me not to bother putting anything descriptive in the email subject line because it all went into a scanning system anyway and that would match me to jobs I was qualified for.
#3: I've been told that it is 'unprofessional' to not include a cover letter even when emailing. It supposedly makes it look like you're not that interested in the job because you aren't willing to put forth the effort to write a cover letter. It should be in word processor format for reasons mentioned below.
#4: A lot of hiring folks have told me that they like to see this sort of summary. Among other things, it supposedly helps them decide if they're going to bother reading the rest of the resume.
#5: I've also been told that sending resumes and attachments in word format is preferred to plain text and that has certainly been my experience when actually having my resume requested. I think one reason is that so many companies use programs that strip the attachments out and scan them into a resume system to match with jobs. Also, I've had a lot of people stress having a unique look (without being confusing) to make my resume stand out from the others and that's tough to do with plain text.
I'm not saying these things are good things. I'm just pointing out that they are commonly given advice to job seekers. In reality, it seems everyone doing hiring has their own preferences and the carefully crafted resume and letter you built using all the advice you got may well just rub the person the wrong way and get trashed. It's really random whether you're going to get far enough to get someone who matters to look at your resume or not.
Personally, I hate how much things not having anything to do with your technical qualifications have so much to do with the job seeking process.
#1: Any number of companies told me not to bother putting anything descriptive in the email subject line because it all went into a scanning system anyway and that would match me to jobs I was qualified for.
#3: I've been told that it is 'unprofessional' to not include a cover letter even when emailing. It supposedly makes it look like you're not that interested in the job because you aren't willing to put forth the effort to write a cover letter. It should be in word processor format for reasons mentioned below.
#4: A lot of hiring folks have told me that they like to see this sort of summary. Among other things, it supposedly helps them decide if they're going to bother reading the rest of the resume.
#5: I've also been told that sending resumes and attachments in word format is preferred to plain text and that has certainly been my experience when actually having my resume requested. I think one reason is that so many companies use programs that strip the attachments out and scan them into a resume system to match with jobs. Also, I've had a lot of people stress having a unique look (without being confusing) to make my resume stand out from the others and that's tough to do with plain text.
I'm not saying these things are good things. I'm just pointing out that they are commonly given advice to job seekers. In reality, it seems everyone doing hiring has their own preferences and the carefully crafted resume and letter you built using all the advice you got may well just rub the person the wrong way and get trashed. It's really random whether you're going to get far enough to get someone who matters to look at your resume or not.
Personally, I hate how much things not having anything to do with your technical qualifications have so much to do with the job seeking process.
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
In most cases, that's because very few jobs have much to do with technical qualifications. I don't care how mad somebody's skills are if everyone else on my team hates him. I better like you or I'm not hiring you.MaxKaladin said:
And good point about needing to tailor every application to the company and/or position applied for. Absolutely. That's what you need to do.
Teflon Billy
Explorer
barsoomcore said:I'm a software project manager at a Vancouver high-tech firm. We're growing fast and it's sunny out today. Things are good.
The Vancouver industry is SO volatile. Companies rise and fall with spectacular rapidity. July I got fired, October I got hired with a 15% increase in salary. Such is life hereabouts. This company will probably crash and burn in another couple of years.
Torm: When YOU'RE the boss, you can complain about MY writing.
Let me know if you are looking for a Technical Writer.
The_lurkeR
First Post
BC, now I know you're just venting here, but as Max Kaladin brought up many of those people are probably just doing as they've been instructed by someone else.
You're likely tossing aside a number of great workers, in your search for what you consider great "job applicationists". If you really want the best person for the job, it's probably worth your time to sort through some of those you've so casually rejected.
There are plenty of great snake oil salesmen who I've seen give the slickest most polished resume's and interviews. Whom then promptly proceeded to fail or turn apathetic at their given position.
You're likely tossing aside a number of great workers, in your search for what you consider great "job applicationists". If you really want the best person for the job, it's probably worth your time to sort through some of those you've so casually rejected.
There are plenty of great snake oil salesmen who I've seen give the slickest most polished resume's and interviews. Whom then promptly proceeded to fail or turn apathetic at their given position.
MonsterMash
First Post
Okay,
Looks like I'm doing pretty much the right stuff with my applications these days, though I seem to do much better lately with Government job where you have to fill out their standardised application form rather than submit a resume (CV to us brits).
BC got to admit the covering letter is something I've usually been told to include with the CV, though I do sometimes make it the email content.
One thing I do tend to stress in my CV is the non-technical skills - there are plenty of people with the same programming skills, but I know that my client/user facing skills a far better than the average techie.
Looks like I'm doing pretty much the right stuff with my applications these days, though I seem to do much better lately with Government job where you have to fill out their standardised application form rather than submit a resume (CV to us brits).
BC got to admit the covering letter is something I've usually been told to include with the CV, though I do sometimes make it the email content.
One thing I do tend to stress in my CV is the non-technical skills - there are plenty of people with the same programming skills, but I know that my client/user facing skills a far better than the average techie.
Berandor
lunatic
my first thought was "WTF is he talking about? Why shouldn't I mention the specific position?" before I understood what you were sayingbarsoomcore said:
That's just bad. Shouldn't happen. Happened to me once. Didn't get the job
Actually, I might include a note in the email text "In case you want to print this letter, I attached a seperate copy of it" or somesuch. But I'm a completionist.
I always think a little "fluff" can do no harm. You just have to amke sure it's not too much.
Depends *totally* on the job in question (and on the reviewer, of course). Graphic Designer - give it your best shot (to name just one example)
Totally agree. Especially with bullet points like "refilled copy machine".
I hate it with my buddies and their mails, as well. Without text, how am I to know that it's not a virus mail that slipped through?
I know I've sent some unsolicited submissions to companies I'd like to work with, without knowing whether they even had a free spot in a fitting department. I even got to an interview once.
That's just ... stupid.
Food for thought when you get to the job interview stage:
In TB's old superhero game a few years ago, one of our players had to do that next stage in hiring and conduct job interviews of applicants. He asked around the gaming table what we felt the ideal question would be to ask during a job interview. A consensus quickly emerged: the ideal question, regardless of the job you are hiring for is: "Do you speak Bachi?" But obviously, this question is especially useful for jobs where computer language knowledge is actually a qualification.
In TB's old superhero game a few years ago, one of our players had to do that next stage in hiring and conduct job interviews of applicants. He asked around the gaming table what we felt the ideal question would be to ask during a job interview. A consensus quickly emerged: the ideal question, regardless of the job you are hiring for is: "Do you speak Bachi?" But obviously, this question is especially useful for jobs where computer language knowledge is actually a qualification.
Thornir Alekeg
Albatross!
Heh! I've made a few of these mistakes over the years and have learned the hard way. A classic mistake I made was, just after graduating from college, sending a resume to the New England Journal of Medicine for a job as a proofreader. A week after sending it I discovered a spelling error. Gee, I wonder why I didn't hear back from them? :\
When the last company I worked for was closing, my boss sent out her resume to another company before we had a chance to look it over (English is her second language, so we always tried to give her a hand). We discovered that she misspelled the word troubleshooting. She had the -ooting typed as -itting. It has become an ongoing joke for us now.
When the last company I worked for was closing, my boss sent out her resume to another company before we had a chance to look it over (English is her second language, so we always tried to give her a hand). We discovered that she misspelled the word troubleshooting. She had the -ooting typed as -itting. It has become an ongoing joke for us now.
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