the unexpected challenges of applying for a job

["Erica Sullivan" <docudiva -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

So, I see this great job.  It's nearby.  It's right up my alley in terms of 
product and tools.  So, I'm off to apply.  Of course, when they "suggest" 
that I use their resume builder, I do.  Because, after all, it is their 
"preferred method" for recieving resumes and I want to increase my odds 
right?  Of course, it doesn't have the fields I'd like.  But I make do with 
what they have.

Then they have these two block fields where that they call "skills" and 
"comments" where you can put anything you want.  The fields are only about 
20-characters wide and I don't know how long.  So, I use one to put my 
technology skills and the other to put my bullet-point "why you should hire 
me" summary/strengths section.  I check everything and then hit submit.  
LUCKILY, it gives me a chance to review and modify it before I submit it for 
good.  Good thing too because when I look at it, those two block fields have 
rolled each line into the previous.  No line breaks.  Just lots of asterisks 
(can't use bullets just in case) Great.  Now, mind you I'm not being anal.  
It's not that I just want it to format it pretty.  But if a word wraps to 
the next line, it's inserting a blank space.  So I end up with "documentatio 
n" and "e -mail" and I end up looking like a moron.  Who's going to hire a 
senior writer who can't put words together (literally).  So I modify.  I try 
two carriage returns... nothing.  Out of pure frustration on the third 
attempt to modify it, I try <p> AH!  It works.  So, I submitted it with HTML 
codes.  Will it look right when they print it out at their end?  I have no 
idea.  But if they give me the option to review and modify it, I have to 
hope that it'll look that way when they see it, right?

Anyway, I just wondered how many other people gave up long before that.  
Especailly people applying for other types of jobs like accounting, or 
admin, or customer service who don't even know that HTML code exists.  And I 
wanted to complain and vent just a little.  If I gather at least one pat on 
the back for figuring it out and MAKING IT WORK DAMMIT, that would be good 
too.

Am I alone in this?  Do you find it getting more and more difficult to 
submit your resume?  I mean if they're going to have a "preferred method" 
shouldn't someone try it out?  UGH!

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