the unexpected challenges of applying for a job

Subject: the unexpected challenges of applying for a job
From: "Erica Sullivan" <docudiva -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 17:09:04 +0000

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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