# How pushy to be when applying for a job **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487 "2010-07-21T17:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487/41 "2010-07-23T15:12:44Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > I don’t know how flippant you meant to be, but do you mean that (not literally obviously)? Are managers who are interested in management theory or the lessons learned from others rare? I mean outside mom and pop small businesses (which one would expect to be amateur)? Let’s just say I’ve worked with, and worked with other people who have worked with, some very, very incompetent managers who keep their positions through seniority and connections. \*\*msmith537 \*\*also had some very accurate observations. Which is not to say I haven’t also worked with or been aware of some truly spectacular managers–just that they’re not 100% of the population. That said, the efficacy of consultants is also, in truth, not necessarily dependent on how incompetent the people hiring them are. Consultants, ideally, have (a) more experience in a particular arena; (b) access to more information on the subject, including their own research; and (c) access to more tools for dealing with whatever it is, including ones they’ve developed. > [@Leaffan](#): > > You have no clue what you’re talking about. \*You \*have no clue what I do for a living. And I can confidently say that I have personal experience that I am right. Not right _for every organization_, but I never claimed to be. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487/42 "2010-07-24T01:35:34Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Unless the place you’re applying has specific channels, and not following them means your resume gets dumped in the “can’t follow simple fucking instructions” pile. . Yeah, HR often has some damn silly rules. I read on one MB one HR head say that they expected any paper resume be on the “good stuff”, and copier paper resumes were tossed. Another poster, claiming also to be head of a HR dept (and both seemed to be) claimed that having your resume on good bond paper was showing a preference for style over substance, and any such resume would be shitcanned on the spot. The same was said about cover letters. So, honestly- HR is full of tinplated dictators who know nothing about business and make up petty rules to lord it over the actual professionals. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487/43 "2010-07-28T13:27:03Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > > > Unless the place you’re applying has specific channels, and not following them means your resume gets dumped in the “can’t follow simple fucking instructions” pile. . > > Yeah, HR often has some damn silly rules. I read on one MB one HR head say that they expected any paper resume be on the “good stuff”, and copier paper resumes were tossed. Another poster, claiming also to be head of a HR dept (and both seemed to be) claimed that having your resume on good bond paper was showing a preference for style over substance, and any such resume would be shitcanned on the spot. The same was said about cover letters. > > So, honestly- HR is full of tinplated dictators who know nothing about business and make up petty rules to lord it over the actual professionals. Who the hell uses paper resumes anymore? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487/44 "2010-07-29T02:30:01Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Who the hell uses paper resumes anymore? You are supposed to bring one when you interview. True, the initial winnowing is done with electronic copies, by and large. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487/45 "2010-07-29T04:36:35Z")
Imho, it depends on the people interviewing you. Some see pushiness as a virtue, others don’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-pushy-to-be-when-applying-for-a-job/547487.md?page=2)