- Feature Articles
- CodeSOD
- Error'd
- Forums
-
Other Articles
- Random Article
- Other Series
- Alex's Soapbox
- Announcements
- Best of…
- Best of Email
- Best of the Sidebar
- Bring Your Own Code
- Coded Smorgasbord
- Mandatory Fun Day
- Off Topic
- Representative Line
- News Roundup
- Editor's Soapbox
- Software on the Rocks
- Souvenir Potpourri
- Sponsor Post
- Tales from the Interview
- The Daily WTF: Live
- Virtudyne
Admin
Yes, yes, I take a job for what I can get out of it -- pay, learning opportunities, entertainment, whatever.
But I expect it to be a two-way street: I don't expect them to give me something for nothing. And in a job interview, I don't emphasize what I want them to do for me. I tell them what I can do for them.
This is marketing 101. When you're advertising a product, you don't say, "But Frambar Widgets! We need the money! The owner of the company has two kids in college, and our sales manager just bought a new house and is having trouble making the payments." Etc. The customer doesn't care. You say what the product will do for the customer.
Likewise, on a job interview, you start out telling the employer what you can do for them. Sure, at some point you make sure that they'll pay you the salary you want, etc. But you don't start off with that and you don't emphasize that. Selling the company to you is THEIR job; your job is selling yourself to the company.
If you owned a business, would you want to hire someone who comes in talking about what he wants to get with no mention of what he's willing to give?
Admin
In France the correct word is CV, too. Americans can't stop using french words upside down.
Admin
Haven't written a VC in a while, but I always used to put the jobs in reverse date order, so that that it was in order of relevance. People really shouldn't care too much about my O levels now I'm over 40....
Admin
or a CV, for that matter.... doh!
Admin
Huh? You're replying to the following comment:
"In the UK we're told our CV should be approximately two sides - the one sided resumé is an American thing."
So I'm guessing you're American? In which case that doesn't make much sense, since you're implying an abundance of trees is the reason you use less paper?
If you're not American, that still doesn't make sense, because you're agreeing with something unrelated to you...
Admin
And the WTF here is ... what?
Weird interviewer, yes, but so what?
Admin
... event if in French, "résumé" means something totally different, as we only use "CV".
Admin
Down here in the swampland we refer to it as the "What the hail's you bin doin', y'durn fool?" document. Don' need no fancy Frenchified Latinized bull flop, no we don't!
CAPTCHA: tristique - Don't git yer boxers in a tristique!
Admin
Having the interviewer ask about jail, psychiatric treatment, etc, would signify that it was time for the interview to shift from "work" to "fun" mode - as in, "OK, your question makes me realize I'm not going to work for you irregardless of the amount of money I'm offered because you're obviously useless sacks who I have no interest in associating with. Now I get to have some fun!". A penetrating, longer-than-is-comfortable-by-a-factor-of-three stare, followed by something like "And...which of those might prove to be a problem? Before you answer, let me assure you that I have been found to be completely rehabilitated, I'm current on all of my meds, I have both my therapist and my parole officer on speed dial, and that I am cleared to use all modern forms of cutlery. Speaking of cutlery, does this company object to my sharpening knives, axes, swords, cutlasses, pikes, bills, and/or halberds at my desk? I find that a knowledge of edged weapons is often quite useful, don't you? Oh, dear, the nice HR lady seems to be getting 'edgy'. A-ha. A-ha. I'm quite the funny person. Many people have commented on that - briefly. One might even say 'im-PART-ially'. A-ha. A-ha. A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!! PART-y on!!!!!! A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!! I'm completely, totally, marvellously sane! I even have a paper to prove it! Look - see? It says 'Certificate of Sanity'! Not many people have one of those! A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Really - the crazed laughter gets 'em every time. :-)
CAPTCHA - augue - Can't make it in today - I've got the augue
Admin
Usually the Daily WTF is a mixture of thought-provoking, funny observational humour that you can either nod along with because you recognise it from personal experience, or symapthise with because you're glad you didn't experience it personally. This story, however, was just boring and pointless. I'm not sure why it's here. An interviewee's perception that an interviewer was mildly curt, and made them a job offer that they accepted for a company they enjoyed working for, isn't what makes The Daily WTF a great read. Sorry - I've heard more engaging and purposeful stories from my grandmother who is 89 and has Alzheimers than was contained in this article. The Read WTF is that this non-story was deemed worthy of publication.
Admin
It is also a good idea to have Page 1/2 and Page 2/2 clearly marked at the top of the page.
Not the bottom!
MD read all of the way to the bottom before he saw Page 2/2.
Admin
(Credit to the Late Show writers)
Admin
Can you provide any tips on designing your resume and/or cover letter for resume scanners?comm
Admin
...and the French for "resume" is "CV". "résumé" is exactly "summary", and does not apply to job interviews.