# How not to get a job with me **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 5, 2014, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098 "2014-06-05T05:43:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/61 "2014-06-05T21:47:17Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > There are literally hundreds of people in the United States with my name. Many hundreds. No. No I can’t. Not and have anything that’s remotely easy to use. So you’re saying you had to go with FluffyBunny18 or SnookumsOfFrank, then? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/62 "2014-06-05T21:50:42Z")
Want to winnow the field? Here is what to do: 1. Take the first half of the resumes and throw them out. These people are obviously unlucky and not good for your practice. 2. Of the remaining 50%, reject any that are on paper that is coloured: Hot pink paper, for example, screams attention seeking and they will likely sue you later for harassment. 3. Resume longer than two pages? Toss. Obviously padding thier skills to look better or massively overqualified for the position. That should get you down to a reasonable amount, in your case about 5-6. Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/63 "2014-06-05T21:56:00Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > So you’re saying you had to go with FluffyBunny18 or SnookumsOfFrank, then? I still have trouble believing that all possible addresses MarySmith0000001 through MarySmith9999999 are taken. Add a middle initial in there or a number in between the names and you’re golden. Sure, you have to remember a random number, but for a burner account used only for job applications, it seems pretty easy. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/64 "2014-06-05T22:01:04Z")
> [@Miss\_Woodhouse](#): > > There are literally hundreds of people in the United States with my name. Many hundreds. No. No I can’t. Not and have anything that’s remotely easy to use. Get a domain. I think we own three domain names in our house. Then you can be [JaneSmith@yourdomainnamehere.com](mailto:JaneSmith@yourdomainnamehere.com) (I suspect that one is taken - but there are lots of untaken professional sounding domain names. My husband and I just set up an S Corp for consulting purposes and domain names were easy). ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/65 "2014-06-05T22:23:40Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > …Since I was very specific about requirements, I have been able to minimize the submissions from those who are either under- or overqualified… Is it possible to overcome overqualification with you? For example, if someone says, “I’m an RN, but I have found that the lifestyle associated with that line of work is not ideal for me at this point in my life. I am qualified to be an MA and am willing to commit at least two years of employment at your company as an MA.”, is that enough? What if they really do want a lower level of responsibility, or they found that they couldn’t hack it well enough at the higher level and now want to do something they are really good at? ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/66 "2014-06-06T00:40:03Z")
Day 2 update: Only about 9 more responses, but Ms. “Pick me” has sent another one. Just to clarify, as I said upthread, I do actually read all submissions before rejecting them. Today’s nonos are: -More than two responses to the same posting within 24 hours. I understand that sometimes you’re not sure if it sent or your computer crashes or you forgot to attach your resume (I won’t count it against you if you resend your email with it attached although adding a note “sorry-forgot the resume” is a nice touch). Sending three or more separate responses in 24 hours tells me you are not organized enough to keep track of your job searches. -Not sending a resume at all. -Sending a resume with the title “Medical Assistant Resume Sample” in which the applicant has apparently substituted in some, but not all of his/her information (unless they do indeed live on Sample Place in Idaho and intend to commute daily here to Virginia to work). Things that don’t make me as angry: -an email consisting of “Hi!” (not the most professional but at least you’re cheerful) -as email saying “I know I don’t have skill “X” that you specifically requested but I’m willing to learn.” > [@](#): > > Is it possible to overcome overqualification with you? For example, if someone says, “I’m an RN, but I have found that the lifestyle associated with that line of work is not ideal for me at this point in my life. I am qualified to be an MA and am willing to commit at least two years of employment at your company as an MA.”, is that enough? What if they really do want a lower level of responsibility, or they found that they couldn’t hack it well enough at the higher level and now want to do something they are really good at? I’ve never seen this so I wouldn’t know. Most overqualified people are looking for a job where they can “advance into management” or “further my career”. Unfortunately, this is a 3-4 person operation. Currently, there’s me, my office manager (who has been with me about 7 years) and then you. I’m not sure how easy it is to advance much. Others want more that my office manager makes. Going rate is $13-16/hr. If you’re already making $25/hr you won’t be able to advance much. I don’t want to seem ungrateful. I know I’m in a good position where I have 35 applicants for one job all with the exact qualifications I need. I’m just burnt out and I hate wading through all these responses and only being able to hire one. I’m dreading the weekend, because I fear I’ll be slammed with responses. That doesn’t even take into account the career placement offices at the MA schools. Usually at least one of them sees my ad and forwards me every resume they have on file. I really don’t know where else to post an ad. In the olden days we posted in the newspaper but the local paper has folded and if I go with the big city paper I’ll have responses from 50 miles away. The employees I’m hiring don’t usually have linked-in profiles. How else do people post jobs nowadays? (To be honest, somebody told me once to try craigslist and I seem to have good luck getting qualified applicants.) For all of you correcting my posts-please feel free to continue. I majored in chemistry which does not really require complete sentences. Besides, I know if I criticize others I have to be able to take the criticism myself. However, I would never send out a CV that I had not proofread 3-4 times and sent through both spellcheck and grammarcheck. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/67 "2014-06-06T00:58:01Z")
The way you’re fretting about this you sound more like a lady with many suitors in a Jane Austin novel instead of someone trying to fill a $13 an hour job with no advancement potential. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/68 "2014-06-06T01:20:50Z")
Gee, it’s too bad you don’t live in the PNW. I could use the extra $$. 😃 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/69 "2014-06-06T01:21:41Z")
Well, I like hearing your updates. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/70 "2014-06-06T02:08:57Z")
And people opposed to googling candidates - how do you feel knowing there are companies that specialise in doing social media background checks for hiring companies? This is beyond simple searching, these companies will look up people on Facebook, Twitter and more for you. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/71 "2014-06-06T03:07:38Z")
To Madame **Psychobunny** and anyone else who googles prospective employees: Is there something you are looking to find, or only things you are looking to NOT find (like nude selfies from the drunken frat parties)? If your prospect seems to have little or no on-line presence at all (at least, little or none under his real name), is that a good sign or a dealbreaker? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/72 "2014-06-06T03:30:21Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > I really don’t know where else to post an ad. In the olden days we posted in the newspaper but the local paper has folded and if I go with the big city paper I’ll have responses from 50 miles away. The employees I’m hiring don’t usually have linked-in profiles. How else do people post jobs nowadays? (To be honest, somebody told me once to try craigslist and I seem to have good luck getting qualified applicants.) Do [CareerBuilder.com](http://CareerBuilder.com) and [Monster.com](http://Monster.com) still exist? That’s where I’d think to find an office job listing. Craigslist seems more like where you go to find a slightly used mattress or a murder victim. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/73 "2014-06-06T12:18:20Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > To Madame **Psychobunny** and anyone else who googles prospective employees: Is there something you are looking to find, or only things you are looking to NOT find (like nude selfies from the drunken frat parties)? > > If your prospect seems to have little or no on-line presence at all (at least, little or none under his real name), is that a good sign or a dealbreaker? Looking to NOT find. I work in software, so sure it would be nice if their github or sourceforge account popped up, but really we’re basically looking to make sure your online presence doesn’t include your KKK-themed homepage or your drunk and nude slideshow. If I googled someone and didn’t get anything, it would have no effect. In fact when we were hiring, several of the candidates had basically nothing in a search, and they still got interviews. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/74 "2014-06-06T12:23:31Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Do [CareerBuilder.com](http://CareerBuilder.com) and [Monster.com](http://Monster.com) still exist? That’s where I’d think to find an office job listing. Craigslist seems more like where you go to find a slightly used mattress or a murder victim. They both still exist. I’ve used them for a job search as recently as 2011. But they also don’t seem like someplace I would go to look, since my last job search there was an exercise in futility. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/75 "2014-06-06T12:27:58Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Do [CareerBuilder.com](http://CareerBuilder.com) and [Monster.com](http://Monster.com) still exist? That’s where I’d think to find an office job listing. Craigslist seems more like where you go to find a slightly used mattress or a murder victim. Why not both? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/76 "2014-06-06T12:45:16Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Why not both? Why do you think I needed the mattress? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/77 "2014-06-06T13:28:51Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > To Madame **Psychobunny** and anyone else who googles prospective employees: Is there something you are looking to find, or only things you are looking to NOT find (like nude selfies from the drunken frat parties)? > > If your prospect seems to have little or no on-line presence at all (at least, little or none under his real name), is that a good sign or a dealbreaker? Both. Ideally, you’ll have a linked in profile that has membership in professional groups and some indication of participation in those groups (I hired professionals though, not entry level people). At the same time, I don’t want RECENT facebook pictures involving a bong. My own on-line presence under my real name is scanty. So I get “I don’t do that.” ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/78 "2014-06-06T14:07:06Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > To Madame **Psychobunny** and anyone else who googles prospective employees: Is there something you are looking to find, or only things you are looking to NOT find (like nude selfies from the drunken frat parties)? > > If your prospect seems to have little or no on-line presence at all (at least, little or none under his real name), is that a good sign or a dealbreaker? Neither. It’s not part of an elaborate plan with checklists for dos and don’ts. I’m just a human being trying to get a vague idea of this person. If there is some insane racist screed that is _100% definitely_ them, they’re out. Bongs and drinking is absolutely fine. No presence is fine, a detailed blog of your cat’s silly hijinks is also fine. I’ve never tried particularly hard, just a quick google. It’s general interest, more than anything else. I do the exact same for the people who will be interviewing me. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/79 "2014-06-06T14:11:41Z")
To the peoplesaying these things are neurotic, I don’t see anything here that is out of the question and I more or less wouldn’t be doing if I were currently looking for a job. The bottom line is, this is your first impression on someone and a lot of this stuff just doesn’t look professional. > [@psychobunny](#): > > #1) Having a “cutesy” name on your e-mail. I know you may not want your full name there but I look more favorably on the ones with a name or an initial and last name. I am not hiring the person who sends the resume from “Harry and my Baby”. This is an easy one. There’s nothing wrong with having a “cutesy” email address, maybe there’s some personal association with it, or maybe it’s just the one you’ve been using since high school or college and all your friends and family know it. Just don’t use it for job hunting. It takes all of five minutes to create a second email address that is professional and you can either forward your email from that account or most modern email sites and apps will let you access multiple accounts from one place. So I don’t really see why it’s so hard to have FirstnameLastname or FirstInitialLastname or something similar. And I think not doing that shows laziness and lack of professionalism, particularly for what is a more competitive job market. > [@](#): > > #2) Having a nonprofessional subject line. Sorry to the one who put “Pick me!” in the subject line-you will NOT be picked! > > #3) Having an unacceptable email message. Here I am flexible. I will even accept having only the link to the ad or “Re: Craig’s list job posting” or " Medical Assistant" or “Hello, here’s my resume” or even nothing. What I will not accept is “current salary $22.95” (with no other message-although thanks for not wasting my time), “Mr. Stone’s resume is attached” (If you’re typing that much you can use the 1st person), any note where the word I is in lower-case or “I will be blessed to work with you. Have a blessed day” (First-no you won’t be blessed to work with me and second, more than one blessed gets your resume dumped). The email message is roughly equivalent to the cover letter and it is part of your first impression. You don’t say “pick me” or include your current salary or other obnoxious stuff in there. Really, this is more or less equivalent to sending an email on a dating website to someone with “Hey baby, you’re cute” or “I have a huge penis” and then expecting them to go check out your profile. As for the “blessed” thing, I guess that’s more of a personal preference. I’m sure I know people that would find that pleasant. But certainly given the position and how it would affect your practice, I can understand how that would be a turn off. > [@](#): > > #4) A resume with more than one obviously misspelled word or obvious grammatical errors. No, you are not “profesional” (or detail oriented). > > Want to go to the top of the list? In the email state your name (especially if it is not obvious from the return email address), and that you are responding to my ad, and that your resume is attached. You need not detail your qualifications or objectives if they are outlined in your resume. While you’re at it, run it through spellcheck and grammar check and maybe proofread. Again, I really don’t know how people can pass around a resume without at least spell checking it and hopefully having proofread it multiple times. Hell, each time I’ve put together a resume, I’ve also asked friends, particularly ones knowledgable about my field, to look over it, check for mistakes, and provide feedback. I suppose it’s possible that someone wouldn’t know many people who can review it and can’t afford to have a professional resume writer look it over, but they can’t even proofread it themselves? > [@](#): > > Now that I have narrowed down the candidates, time to google before I call them. Hopefully, the professional people I intend to interview have also been professional about their online profiles and pictures. Wish me luck. And this part, I’m shocked that people find googling to be odd. If I’m applying for a job, I’m going to research that company a bit, and I would expect the same, particularly since I have things on my resume that warrant some verification. I would say it’s weird if a company manages to go and track down my posts on, say, the Dope, since there isn’t an obvious connection between my user name here and my real name, but if they come across my facebook, given that it’s the first result returned googling my name, and I post things on there fully aware that they’re visible to the public, I think that’s fair. And with that in mind, I have a few friends who manage two separate facebook pages, one that is professional and perhaps for family members they don’t want to know about their “crazy antics” and one where they’ll post whatever and keep the page hidden from public and probably under a different name. And like the OP said, if it’s a medical practice, I think it’s reasonable to consider opinions an applicant makes public that may be against the opinions of the practice. I work as a computer scientist, and if I had associations with certain nefarious hacking groups, I ought to expect to be tossed out as well. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/80 "2014-06-06T15:20:37Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > If I Google myself, the first few pages come up with some singer who has my name in reverse (my last name is his first name and my first name is his last name). Trust me, you don’t want to hear me sing. 😃 I’m trying to guess who we’re talking about. Is your name Garfunkle Art? Cash Johnny? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098.md?page=5)