# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/81 "2014-06-06T17:07:20Z")
> [@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. Utter nonsense. The average number people per zip code in the United States is under 10k. The likelihood that MissWoodhouse12345, Miss.Woodhouse12345, MWoodhouse12345, M.Woodhouse12345, and the additional dozen or so variations you could do by adding a middle initial and/or dots are all taken is miniscule. > [@monstro](#): > > I don’t think there’s anything that’s too unreasonable in your list. However, since you are posting this job announcement at no cost, why not include this information in the ad? I mean, you’re looking for a medical assistant. Not an English professor. There are good, hard-working medical assistants out there who are not sophisticated enough to know that their email addesses aren’t professional or that “detail oriented” needs a hyphen. Lord knows there’s plenty of good doctors/lawyers/engineers and CEO’s who fail at these things. > > This would be an excellent way of screening out people who can’t follow directions. I would think this is a much more valuable test of their worth as a medical assistant. I would much prefer to hire someone who didn’t need to be told that they shouldn’t use an email address like “buttlicker69” for a job-hunting email address. I’m sure the OP would be reasonable about overlooking minor errors that are not relevant to the job duties. > [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > I’m trying to guess who we’re talking about. Unfortunately, his name is Bieber Justin. ---
**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, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/82 "2014-06-06T17:21:50Z")
> [@Commander\_Fortune](#): > > I’m a hiring manager and this sounds similar to my process - I definitely google before I call someone for an interview. We also do a credit check and there is a drug test when the offer is finally extended… A credit check?!?! That’s a little Orwellian for my tastes. If I ever found out a potential employer ran a credit check on me, declining their offer would be the least of my reaction. ---
**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, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/83 "2014-06-06T17:26:28Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > A credit check?!?! That’s a little Orwellian for my tastes. > If I ever found out a potential employer ran a credit check on me, declining their offer would be the least of my reaction. Many do. You are lucky that your skill set is so in demand that you can be picky, but credit checks and background checks aren’t uncommon - and standard if you are going to be working with money. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/84 "2014-06-06T17:27:06Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > A credit check?!?! That’s a little Orwellian for my tastes. > If I ever found out a potential employer ran a credit check on me, declining their offer would be the least of my reaction. It’s standard in the financial industries and other sectors of “corporate America.” Which is not to say that it doesn’t feel invasive. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/85 "2014-06-06T17:42:04Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > I’m trying to guess who we’re talking about. > > Is your name Garfunkle Art? > Cash Johnny? It has to by Cyrus Miley. He was born during the Carter administration, and his parents named him after Cyrus Vance. I went to college with a guy named Ali Muhammad. No lie. Had a class with him. He was from a middle Eastern country, although I never asked which one. I did check to see if he had a phone book listing, and there it was, Muhammad Ali. (The phone book didn’t use commas; it put the last name in boldface.) He probably came here having no idea who Muhammad Ali is, and then got a whole lot of drunken calls every weekend. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/86 "2014-06-06T17:44:23Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > A credit check?!?! That’s a little Orwellian for my tastes. > If I ever found out a potential employer ran a credit check on me, declining their offer would be the least of my reaction. You’re going to be super unhappy to find out your insurance company uses that info to figure out what to charge you for premiums, or to even underwrite you at all. Also, what would be the biggest reaction? Egging the CEO? Snit fit on Facebook? Lit paper bag of dogshit on front entryway? Stomping your foot in a dramatic fashion? Just curious. ---
**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, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/87 "2014-06-06T18:26:14Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Many do. You are lucky that your skill set is so in demand that you can be picky, but credit checks and background checks aren’t uncommon - and standard if you are going to be working with money. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > It’s standard in the financial industries and other sectors of “corporate America.” > > Which is not to say that it doesn’t feel invasive. > [@fisha](#): > > You’re going to be super unhappy to find out your insurance company uses that info to figure out what to charge you for premiums, or to even underwrite you at all. > > Also, what would be the biggest reaction? Egging the CEO? Snit fit on Facebook? Lit paper bag of dogshit on front entryway? Stomping your foot in a dramatic fashion? Just curious. Yea, I was going to say, I’ve worked jobs that require a credit check before they hire you. Sure, not the intern at the newpaper, but if you deal with money or sensitive information, a credit check is normal in many sectors. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/88 "2014-06-06T19:28:36Z")
> [@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. 😃 > [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > I’m trying to guess who we’re talking about. > > Is your name Garfunkle Art? > Cash Johnny? > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Unfortunately, his name is Bieber Justin. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > It has to by Cyrus Miley. He was born during the Carter administration, and his parents named him after Cyrus Vance. > > I went to college with a guy named Ali Muhammad. No lie. Had a class with him. He was from a middle Eastern country, although I never asked which one. I did check to see if he had a phone book listing, and there it was, Muhammad Ali. (The phone book didn’t use commas; it put the last name in boldface.) He probably came here having no idea who Muhammad Ali is, and then got a whole lot of drunken calls every weekend. Actually it’s John Elton. It used to be Dwight Reginald, but I changed it. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/89 "2014-06-06T20:54:54Z")
> [@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. Wait, I can get a body on Craigslist? :eek: Does it still have the knife it in, too? (I need to remember this for Halloween decorations.) On a more serious note, there are studies (& no I don’t have a cite) that people with low credit scores are more likely to commit fraud, probably because of the lesser availability to legitimate credit sources like loans. ---
**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, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/90 "2014-06-06T21:04:54Z")
> [@fisha](#): > > Also, what would be the biggest reaction? Egging the CEO? Snit fit on Facebook? Lit paper bag of dogshit on front entryway? Stomping your foot in a dramatic fashion? Just curious. I’m an impotent little peon, and I should accept a credit check as part of an anal-probriffic evaluation process. No thanks! In my parts, you’d get an damning reputation for subjecting candidates to that sort of treatment. I’d spill my guts to everyone I knew in the industry about what happened, and what to expect if you apply to Fisha corp. So would the 20 other people in the candidates pool, and maybe someday you’ll be doing your own internal monkey work for an increasingly small pool of customers. ---
**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, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/91 "2014-06-06T21:06:56Z")
> [@fisha](#): > > You’re going to be super unhappy to find out your insurance company uses that info to figure out what to charge you for premiums, or to even underwrite you at all. I understand and expect that. There’s very good data showing a high correlation between poor credit and insurance claims. I also don’t depend on my insurance company to pay my bills, feed my children, and occupy me for 8 hours daily. Apples to oranges. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/92 "2014-06-06T21:45:51Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > In my parts, you’d get an damning reputation for subjecting candidates to that sort of treatment. I’d spill my guts to everyone I knew in the industry about what happened, and what to expect if you apply to Fisha corp. So would the 20 other people in the candidates pool, and maybe someday you’ll be doing your own internal monkey work for an increasingly small pool of customers. I don’t do credit checks as part of my hiring process here at fisha corp, but I see the value in certain industries. I do background checks, but my guys are inside people’s homes. I rarely Google anyone, unless they used to be a contractor, and I wonder why they’re not anymore. Lots of issues in the last eight years in construction. Listen, as a business owner, I have an obligation to my customers and to my company to hire the best personnel possible. Can you explain to me the negatives of running a credit check to the hiring company? Besides someone putting on their pissy pants? Really, what are the negatives? If the insurance industry has determined that lower credit scores increase the likelihood of filing claims I bet there are other behavior trends as well. Those trends are probably not what you would want in an employee. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/93 "2014-06-06T21:54:15Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > I’m an impotent little peon, and I should accept a credit check as part of an anal-probriffic evaluation process. No thanks! > > In my parts, you’d get an damning reputation for subjecting candidates to that sort of treatment. I’d spill my guts to everyone I knew in the industry about what happened, and what to expect if you apply to Fisha corp. So would the 20 other people in the candidates pool, and maybe someday you’ll be doing your own internal monkey work for an increasingly small pool of customers. Yeah. Or maybe she could just hire the candidates who don’t give a shit if you know about their good credit. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/94 "2014-06-06T22:03:20Z")
I’m surprised that anyone would be surprised or offended that a potential employer would google them as part of their screening process. If I were looking for another job, one of the first things I would do would be to google myself to see if there were anything that needed to be taken care of. Checking my not too common real name results in exactly one hit. That being the LinkedIn site where I appear on the first page. I was surprised to find that an image search of my name led back to my Myspace account that I haven’t signed into in nearly 5 years. Nothing embarrassing there, but damn does the internet have a memory. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/95 "2014-06-06T22:22:57Z")
“I’ve just graduated and am eager to start my new career. Contact E-mail: [71542.3652@compuserve.com](mailto:71542.3652@compuserve.com)” It was a sad day when I had to say goodbye to my Gopher and FidoNet bullets on my resume. _sniff_, I’ll miss ya guys. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/96 "2014-06-06T22:31:29Z")
After doing some quick research, there appears to be one study done in 2011 that found no correlation between credit score and employee performance. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/97 "2014-06-06T23:14:07Z")
I’d like to ask, why use Craigslist? Why not use a job board for the medical professions or [Monster.com](http://Monster.com)? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/98 "2014-06-06T23:14:35Z")
When I google my name, I find the facebook page of a pleasantly plump, middle-aged white lady releasing a dove. She’s got one of those _LIKE_ IF YOU LOVE GOD!!! links under her favorites. Based on her other preferences, I’m guessing she’s into country music, Ronald Reagan, and cute little babies. I’m sure she’s a very nice lady, but she ain’t me. If people want to reject me because they don’t like me, that’s within their right. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow someone reject me because they think I’m someone I’m not. That’s why I would point people to my personal website if I were in the market. If I were an employer, I think I would wait to do the google thing until after the interview I just wouldn’t trust myself to be unbiased when it comes to looking at someone’s Facebook page. You’re bound to come across something tacky if you look hard enough. I don’t trust myself to be able forget something like “_LIKE_ IF YOU LOVE GOD!!” prior to meeting them. But I’d be less likely to notice (or care) about something like that after being impressed by them during the interview. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/99 "2014-06-07T00:47:43Z")
Today I am officially burned out on resumes. But, since I have started calling people for interviews, I have some telephone tips. #1) Put the right telephone number on your resume!. You are a great candidate but the people at the number you listed apparently don’t know you and don’t care if you get the job. #2) The job description includes answering telephones. I am absolutely judging your telephone manners. Once you have answered and I tell you why I am calling then please try to sound a little enthusiastic. If you come across as sarcastic and bored to me, that is how you come across to patients. Unfortunately sounding positive and concerned are required in this job. #3) If I ask if you have questions it is OK to say that you would like to wait for the interview. However, if you are asking questions, the first one should not be about benefits. I do understand asking about salary ranges because if my job is completely out of your range there’s no point in wasting either of our time. In fact, if you have a lot of experience, I’ll probably ask you first then tell you what range I can pay so that if you’re not interested you can tell me right away. However, if your first question is how much paid time off you get I get worried. As far as credit checks go-I don’t usually do them and I haven’t required that employees be bonded, which is probably why I’ve had at least $5000 as well as medications stolen (one employee took Viagra to sell at the local pub). We do deal with some cash, though, so you need to be trustworthy. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098/100 "2014-06-07T02:05:37Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > When I google my name, I find the facebook page of a pleasantly plump, middle-aged white lady releasing a dove. She’s got one of those _LIKE_ IF YOU LOVE GOD!!! links under her favorites. Based on her other preferences, I’m guessing she’s into country music, Ronald Reagan, and cute little babies. This inspired me to do some googling, and frankly, monstro, I’m very disappointed that you would lie to us. [You and](https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJZOeRatahPGzot-5n_SzAcWaqIpKm62sk3-uNvdLrsK_872wv) [your sister](https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/2523491840/h1391C3CA/) look absolutely nothing alike. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-not-to-get-a-job-with-me/690098.md?page=6)