This is part 2 in an arc on Sweetness' ongoing research into how job hunting has changed in the internet age. Sweetness, one of my correspondents, was pleasantly surprised to learn that her thoughts on resumes going the way of the dinosaur got some good interest in the blogosphere.I shared that people were commenting on what she wrote and she asked if I wanted to share more of her research. I answered "Yes, definitely!"
By the way, Sweetness is available for presentations on the topics of job hunting online and resume submission.
Part 1 in this arc described the story of FG, one of Sweetness' research subjects. A company didn't hire FG and suggested FG continue to look on their website for more postings, then confided that they didn't update their website with new postings for...uh...interesting reasons.
"Let’s not forget how frustrating job hunting is to begin with. Then to be told that most of the jobs listed on the company’s web site are already filled and they haven’t been removed because of….?
"Another interviewee, JC, applied to two positions requiring a background in Biotech and Marketing, JC has over 10 years experience in both. After many discussions with a recruiter, who was on JC’s side, it finally came out that this particular company wanted some one with about 30 years of experience, was on a board of directors some where and now just wanted to “sit around thinking up new products”.
"I’m over simplifying here of course. The recruiter and JC tried to convince the company that some one with that much experience would either be retired, near retiring, or would have started they’re own company by now. Either way they wouldn’t want to step down from the board to take a Marketing Management position."
I know I should offer some comment to what Sweetness is writing and about all I can come up with is a heavy sigh and shrug.
I remember, mumbledy-mumbledy years ago and long before the internet was what we know it as today, looking for jobs. We had to look in newspapers back then. One company asked applicants to solve a problem as their cover letter.
I wrote the company that the problem as defined was unsolvable and explained why (improperly framed). Needless to say I never heard from that company...
...until several years later and in a backwards kind of way.
I was talking with an recruiter about what people write on their resumes. The recruiter shared that their worst experience was from several years back when they received a letter from some kid, fresh out of college, explaining how they'd screwed up in their job posting.
I wasn't sure what they were talking about but it seemed like a good story so I asked them to continue.
The company they were working for at the time had posted a job offer in several newspapers. The job offer was in the form of a problem to be solved. They got lots of responses, some solved it, some didn't. One response explained that the problem wasn't posed properly.
"Oh?"
Yes, and the kicker was that they sent this letter to the engineer who had written the problem, thinking the fellow would get a kick out of it.
"Well," the recruiter told me, "this engineer took the letter and halfway glanced at it. Then he glanced at it again and swallowed. Then he took his cigar out of his mouth and said, 'Oh, C....t'."
I've learnt not to cry over spilt milk. If you leave it on the floor long enough the cat will lick it up.
More from Sweetness to follow...
Links for this post:
- Sweetness' Research on Job Hunting, Part 1
- Sweetness' Findings: Resumes Going the Way of the Dinosaur, Part 1
- Sweetness' Findings: Resumes Going the Way of the Dinosaur, Part 2
- Sweetness' Findings: Resumes Going the Way of the Dinosaur, Finale
- Resumes as Dinosaurs got some notice
- NewsVines discussion on these posts
» Sweetness' Research on Job Hunting, Part 4 from BizMediaScience
More From Sweetness on Job Hunting Online, Part 4 [Read More]
Tracked on: April 10, 2007 12:00 PM | Permalink to Trackback