# Ironic job candidate cover letter **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 28, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378 "2013-12-28T23:28:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/21 "2013-12-30T18:27:21Z")
“Therefor” is an archaic alternate spelling for therefore. I wouldn’t have had a problem with that sentence. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/22 "2013-12-30T18:52:43Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > “Therefor” is an archaic alternate spelling for therefore. I wouldn’t have had a problem with that sentence. What about the lack of an adjective preceding “attention to detail,” the use of a comma instead of a semicolon after “detail,” and the superfluous comma after the misspelled “therefore”? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/23 "2013-12-30T19:06:35Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > “Therefor” is an archaic alternate spelling for therefore. I wouldn’t have had a problem with that sentence. An _obsolete_ archaic spelling. In modern usage it means something completely different. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/24 "2013-12-30T19:17:23Z")
> [@jdc](#): > > Sometimes I take pity on someone who sends me a cover letter or resume with typo or misspelling and send them a polite email with correction(s). > > I once did this for a job applicant who seemed qualified for a position I had available. What I expected back was a respectful reply and a request to remain in consideration despite the error. > > What I got back instead was a one word email “Duh!” > > I immediately decided to reject the application based on such a clueless response. If a busy executive takes time to help you out, don’t send a smart-ass response. They will conclude you are a smart ass and not someone they want to hire. I’m really hoping that the applicant meant “D’oh!” and misspelled it, although a one-word jocular reply like that isn’t much more appropriate to a business exec who is hiring you. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/25 "2013-12-30T19:20:21Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > An _obsolete_ archaic spelling. In modern usage it means something completely different. Exactly. “Therefor” and “therefore” do not mean the same thing. Plus, why the heck would anyone be purposefully using archaic spellings in a normal resume? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/26 "2013-12-30T19:27:51Z")
Maybe they’re applying from the 18th century. Like in _South Park_ where people from the future came back to the 2000s to find work. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/27 "2013-12-30T19:38:47Z")
[This](http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4015/4463352882_c2cf3af61b_o.gif) is my all-time favorite. Notice also in the bottom left that this was Fax page 1 of 1 - IOW, this was the resume in its entirety. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/28 "2013-12-30T19:47:02Z")
I’d rather hire that guy (assuming I could find him.) At least he can spell. Maybe I’d fax back an application - or maybe just a sheet of paper that said “good luck!” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/29 "2013-12-31T01:42:15Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > “Therefor” is an archaic alternate spelling for therefore. I wouldn’t have had a problem with that sentence. “Detail” should be followed by a semicolon or a period. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/30 "2013-12-31T14:12:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > “Detail” should be followed by a semicolon or a period. I’m aware of this. I don’t think that particular construction is important unless you’re hiring a copy-editor, though. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/31 "2013-12-31T16:23:35Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > I’m aware of this. I don’t think that particular construction is important unless you’re hiring a copy-editor, though. It all depends on how illiterate you want people to think you are. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/32 "2013-12-31T19:24:26Z")
Just wow. LOL. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/33 "2013-12-31T20:29:16Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > It all depends on how illiterate you want people to think you are. 🙂 I mean, if you’re looking for any reason to weed out 50 resumes from the pile of 55 you have, this isn’t the worst one. But if the guy was otherwise qualified and just made that mistake, I wouldn’t throw him out with the bathwater. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/34 "2014-01-01T01:22:30Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > I mean, if you’re looking for any reason to weed out 50 resumes from the pile of 55 you have, this isn’t the worst one. But if the guy was otherwise qualified and just made that mistake, I wouldn’t throw him out with the bathwater. FWIW I’m completely on your side. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378/35 "2014-01-01T02:17:44Z")
According to the letter, and you didn’t sneer at this point, you have an organization, and, presumably, want to hire people you consider to be “assets.” Do you have employees now? Are all of them “assets?” Are all of them assets because they never, even while typing, skip a final ‘e’ in a word? Or does unintentional irony in a letter or e-mail create a byproduct corrosive to the paint job on whatever you’re selling? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ironic-job-candidate-cover-letter/677378.md?page=1)