what I wish I could tell them
After months of looking for the right job, I’m finding the tables turned: I’m hiring.
That’s right: my company has given me the power to place job ads, filter applications and choose whomever I’d like to fill freelancing positions. When things are slow, I pour over job histories; when busy, I click in and out. The experience has already taught me a few things, things I wish I could tell these faceless job applicants but instead that push their resumes into my “not to use” folder.
Things like these:
1. There’s such a thing as a resume format.
In an information design class I took, the professor talked about the genre of resumes. What does a resume *have* to have, he asked. Your name, I remember saying.
Well, believe it or not, that rhetorical question wasn’t so rhetorical. I’ve actually received resumes that were nothing more than a Word doc. with a paragraph of “here’s some random info” text, without so much as a name or phone number. People sometimes don’t even give their address or contact info. I’m amazed.
2. Be choosy with writing samples.
If you’re applying for a freelancing opportunity at a funeral home, let’s say, or even at a circus, your favorite piece of erotica fiction probably isn’t appropriate info. ‘Nough said.
3. Please proofread.
I feel bad, I really do. When someone sends me a cover letter riddled with errors, I empathize. We’ve all been there. But the thing is: if you’re applying for a WRITING job, you kinda’ gotta’ check your stuff. This is simple logic.
4. Aim to impress.
One applicant checked my company’s materials before sending a sample. He wanted to get a feel for our style. Though he didn’t even mention this in his application, I could tell. He went above and beyond. You can bet we’ll use him.
Filed under 9-5, how to get published |
5 Responses to “what I wish I could tell them”
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My god, I HATE typos/grammatical/other errors in applications! When I worked at a theatre, I was in the literary department, sifting through tons of play submissions…if you’re submitting a piece of writing to a professional theatre, make sure your cover letter doesn’t look like it was written by a toddler! Jeez!
Cool opportunity!
Rather scary about people not realizing they need to include their contact info when submitting for a job.
I just did my first set of hires a few weeks ago and I was amazed at some of the stuff people gave me. Some resumes were horrendous!
Yes, yes and yes. It’s really amazing!
I didn’t have the responsibility of hiring like you, but at a previous job people would turn in the resumes to me and I would pass them on to my supervisor. I got a kick out of reading them.
If you get any that you have to share with somebody, PLEASE share on here. Not asking for names, just the part that gets you or that is funny.
Thanks!