# A pitting of stupid job applicants. The economy is in the toilet - quit being so dumb. (lame) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 3, 2011, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180 "2011-06-03T10:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/102 "2011-06-03T23:52:36Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You guys are killing me with all the typos in your posts talking about other people’s unacceptable secretarial skills. 😃 Damn it, I knew I spelled that wrong! I don’t have spell check set up on my IE right now! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/103 "2011-06-04T00:07:05Z")
> [@veronika](#): > > thnx for sharing great article buy why have not another languages support to here Suspected spammer reported. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/104 "2011-06-04T01:20:40Z")
> [@Frau\_Blucher](#): > > If only those pesky laws didn’t prevent you from including in your job posting the super secret but actual criteria: “Ideal candidate will have a vagina, and be under 24 or over 56.” > > Too bad, huh? It would make that losers-who-have-no-business-applying applicant pool far less exhausting to wade through. > > Plus, an upfront display of such a telling business practice would discourage those under-24 and over-56 vagina-sporters who “wouldn’t fit into the company culture” from applying. She never said that those were the _actual criteria_. Believe it or not, it’s fairly common for someone who has a position to fill have an idea of what his or her “ideal candidate” would be. That doesn’t mean that is the _only_ person who would ever be hired. When we were hiring for an open position in my department, we thought it would be great to have someone who was not a white female, because my coworker and I are both white females and we felt it would be better to diversify. Turns out that the most qualified of all the interviewees was a white female. We hired her. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/105 "2011-06-04T01:31:56Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > She never said that those were the _actual criteria_. Believe it or not, it’s fairly common for someone who has a position to fill have an idea of what his or her “ideal candidate” would be. That doesn’t mean that is the _only_ person who would ever be hired. > > When we were hiring for an open position in my department, we thought it would be great to have someone who was not a white female, because my coworker and I are both white females and we felt it would be better to diversify. > > Turns out that the most qualified of all the interviewees was a white female. We hired her. Well yes, but where’s the recreational outrage in that??😕😕 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frau\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@Frau\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frau_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/106 "2011-06-04T02:45:39Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > She never said that those were the _actual criteria_. Believe it or not, it’s fairly common for someone who has a position to fill have an idea of what his or her “ideal candidate” would be. That doesn’t mean that is the _only_ person who would ever be hired. Feel free to point out where I said the people in the o-post would only consider hiring their “ideal candidate.” The OP - her words, not mine - posted: _We’ve determined that ‘Ideal Candidate’ is either a young gal with limited experience, just out of secretarial college (yah, I know that’s not what they call it anymore, but you all know what I mean) or an older lady with lots of experience who’s looking to wind down her working career._ Note she wrote that they “determined” the ideal candidate “is” … not “we thought it would be great” or “we considered that” the ideal candidate “probably is,” or “could be,” or “is likely to be,” or some other thing that smacks less of “criteria” and more of “who we hope to hire.” A thousand pardons if _determined + is_ could not possibly be understood to mean “criteria.” More importantly though, a description of an ideal candidate is a description of who an employer thinks is someone they want to interview, and possibly hire. In cases where the employer has an “ideal” in mind, but that information appears no where in the job posting (often because their “ideal” reflects illegally discriminatory “determinations”), there will be applicants who believe they meet the qualifications for the position, but have no idea that they could never meet the hidden “ideal.” Hence, in situations where employers do not state who meets their “ideal” - regardless of whether the “ideal” person has mad calendaring skillz or types 90wpm a has a penis or has freckles - they will hear from “too many” people they do not consider to be “ideal.” This is not the applicants’ fault. It also ain’t rocket science. Of course people looking to fill a position often have an ideal candidate in mind. That’s how they often run afoul of employment discrimination laws. It’s also how they often shoot themselves in the foot **if** they give more weight to their preconceptions about age, gender, ethnicity, etc than they do to the skills and talents of the individuals in the applicant pool. Please note I haven’t said anything about that being the case here. I’m sure they will hire “the best” applicant. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/107 "2011-06-04T03:02:12Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > 1. Don’t detail all the ways that the company you’re applying to can help you in your career - they don’t care. Honestly, what YOU can do for the company is really the only thing we’re interested in. Ask not was the company can do for you - ask was you can do for the company. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/108 "2011-06-04T03:15:21Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > Ask not was the company can do for you - ask was you can do for the company. :rolleyes: Well, yah. Why does this get a rolleyes? Because you don’t like that employers want to choose the candidate with the most to offer? Do you not think an candidate with multiple job offers would evaluate them all and choose the one that was best? Good grief some of the comments in this thread are bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/109 "2011-06-04T06:16:47Z")
What does ‘web page experience’ mean? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/110 "2011-06-04T06:25:17Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Damn it, I knew I spelled that wrong! I don’t have spell check set up on my IE right now! {Morpheus from Matrix}You thought there was only one typo in your post? Interesting.{/MfM} 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/111 "2011-06-04T06:34:44Z")
I think it means that you have an idea of updating webpages, perhaps through Joomla or Drupal or possibly Frontpage, but it sounds like it means you’ve opened a browser once or twice. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/112 "2011-06-04T06:42:40Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I think it means that you have an idea of updating webpages, perhaps through Joomla or Drupal or possibly Frontpage, but it sounds like it means you’ve opened a browser once or twice. Yep - if the person can use the internet, that’s good. If they can tart up a webpage, that’s better. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/113 "2011-06-04T10:20:59Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > Oh wait, actually I’m not. I’m the person who worked with the company owner to get the compensation package together to include things like health care, and a wardrobe allowance, and an education package along with a very competitive starting wage in order to attract a high quality of candidate. I’m the person who **poured** over 150 applications, overlooking small errors in cover letters and resumes because I KNOW that people are applying for 40 or 50 or 60 jobs and sometimes things get missed. I’m the person who will help the owner select the right person for the job, and guess what - if you can’t do the stuff I listed, ITS NOT YOU. No one owes you a job. No one. > > . ..pored over… just sayin’ 😃 I agree completely. I’ve done many stints in HR doing just what you’re talking about. Though I have to admit, the handwritten letter from the guy in a third world country who described his life working in a shoe factory really got to us, misspellings or no we all wanted to adopt him! ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/114 "2011-06-04T10:28:15Z")
> [@DirkGntly](#): > > I’m sure alice can defend herself, but is it really impossible for people on this Board to understand generalizations?? Generally speaking, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/115 "2011-06-04T13:38:20Z")
Did anyone besides me see this: > [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > … > > 1. If a good command of written english is right in the job qualifications section, don’t submit a resume and cover letter full of errors. Have someone proof it if necessary, but just don’t do this. > … and then start counting the errors? (there were plenty, but I won’t proof it for you, after all, you won’t be paying me… Damn, I’m glad I don’t work for you.) ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/116 "2011-06-04T15:06:33Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Damn, I’m glad I don’t work for you.) Yes, me too. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/117 "2011-06-04T20:19:33Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > Yes, me too. I guess that makes two of us… ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/118 "2011-06-04T20:44:54Z")
So this flexible spending account can be used to buy pretty much anything the employee wants. How is that different from regular pay? ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/119 "2011-06-04T20:50:14Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > So this flexible spending account can be used to buy pretty much anything the employee wants. How is that different from regular pay? Regular pay folds, and fits in your pocket. And it’s Canada, so it’s colourful and pretty… (although our Merkin money is starting to look good, these days. We still have a way to go, though, 'til ours is as pretty as theirs.) ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/120 "2011-06-04T22:34:47Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Regular pay folds, and fits in your pocket. And it’s Canada, so it’s colourful and pretty… > (although our Merkin money is starting to look good, these days. We still have a way to go, though, 'til ours is as pretty as theirs.) Wait, there’s a flexible spending account AND a merkin allowance? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180/121 "2011-06-05T00:31:38Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I’ll add a tip. > Do not lie on your resume. I saw a fabulous one claiming to be the IT manager for a small amusement park I used to work at, supervising a team of 5 technicians, during the time I worked there… There was no IT department, there were like 4 computers in the whole place at the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-of-stupid-job-applicants-the-economy-is-in-the-toilet-quit-being-so-dumb-lame/584180.md?page=7)