# SD Job-Seekers' Support Group **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 26, 2008, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955 "2008-04-26T11:58:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 46
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/901 "2009-06-05T18:00:01Z")
For some good news, I’m seeking a co-op for the fall and I had several interviews last week and a few more next week. I was notified by e-mail today that one company (in PA) wants to do a second interview, and another company in NY wants to do a technical phone screener. They’re both really good jobs, so I’ll have to do more preparation. I’m pretty confident with my interviews so far, and I’ll find out if I have a job in a couple weeks. I am a bit upset that in my first interview, I made the cardinal mistake of not researching the company, and pretty much dropped the ball for a $30/h job. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/902 "2009-06-05T19:43:01Z")
I have an interview Monday! It’s not exactly what I’d like to be doing, but it’s been a month and I need a freakin’ job. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/903 "2009-06-05T19:52:37Z")
Woohoo! Good luck \*\*BiblioCat \*\*and **barking frog.** **barking frog** , where in PA? I live near York PA. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/904 "2009-06-05T20:41:50Z")
Heads up for rural and semi-rural dopers who need cash. If there’s a seed corn factory near by then hit them up.They’ll need people for roguing soon. Roguing is removing male corn from the female rows. It runs for a month or so and pays okay money. Later on in the year they’ll need sorters. It’s a good way to make some money. ---
**Author:** ![PeacePlease](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/905 "2009-06-05T22:34:50Z")
Okay…we’re on a roll now! Go **barking** and **Biblio**!!! My interview went well today. It is definitely a job I want and I really liked the guy that I interviewed with today who is the one who would be training the new person (me!!!). I’ll hopefully get a call next week regarding a second interview. Keeping positive thoughts! ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/906 "2009-06-05T22:45:48Z")
Positive thoughts going out for \*\*barking frog \*\*and **PeacePlease** , and everyone else! ---
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/907 "2009-06-05T22:59:30Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > Woohoo! Good luck \*\*BiblioCat \*\*and **barking frog.** > > **barking frog** , where in PA? I live near York PA. It’s in a small suburb, Bala Cynwyd, just outside Philadelphia. Glad to hear the good news, PeacePlease! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/908 "2009-06-05T23:57:37Z")
> [@barking\_frog](#): > > It’s in a small suburb, Bala Cynwyd, just outside Philadelphia. > > Glad to hear the good news, PeacePlease! Yeah, I know Bala Cynwyd. I used to live north of Philly, about 10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/909 "2009-06-06T00:10:22Z")
> [@barking\_frog](#): > > It’s in a small suburb, Bala Cynwyd, just outside Philadelphia. Yikes, you’re just across the river from me – I’m in East Falls. **waves** ---
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/910 "2009-06-07T03:39:52Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Yikes, you’re just across the river from me – I’m in East Falls. **waves** Oh the job isn’t mine yet, so hopefully we can become neighbours.😃 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/911 "2009-06-08T15:49:48Z")
Okay, what am I missing here? Recently (last week sometime) did one of the periodic resume updates/reloads at Careerbuilder and Monster, and just got the following email: > [@](#): > > I saw your impressive resume on line. We have a position in Florida with an outstanding publication. Would you please forward your resume in Word format? I would like to give you the specifics. It’s from an “Executive Recruiter” at CareersRUs (not the real firm name). Is there any reason to think this is spam or a scam or something I should ignore? If he wants a Word version of my resume, why doesn’t he just cut and paste it himself from the website – whichever one it was, he doesn’t say. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/912 "2009-06-08T16:19:47Z")
I have had people ask for my resume even when it is posted. While this may or may not be a scam, I’m not convinced it is simply because of this. I’m guessing his thoughts are: why go to all the trouble to cut and paste when the candidate can simply send me a copy? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/913 "2009-06-08T16:39:22Z")
What can I say – it’s been so long since I’ve had a positive response to anything that my first assumption is “they’re fucking with me.” ☹ Thanks – I’ll go ahead and send it to him, and let the spam filters deal with any negative repercussions. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/914 "2009-06-08T16:44:31Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Is there any reason to think this is spam or a scam or something I should ignore? If he wants a Word version of my resume, why doesn’t he just cut and paste it himself from the website – whichever one it was, he doesn’t say. I don’t think it’s a scam, but it’s probably bullshit. Often just some crap recruiting firm building their database. The reason recruiters want you to submit a word version is because I don’t think they can submit a resume on your behalf from Careerbuilder or Monster. You know it’s a legitimate position when you are able to speak to an actual headhunter who then can describe and send you an actual job req from his client. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/915 "2009-06-08T17:02:24Z")
Well, what the hell – more people seeing my resume can’t be a bad thing, eh? ---
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/916 "2009-06-08T21:54:26Z")
I found out recently that the company I’m interviewing for in NY has incredibly elite hiring standards. They chose me for an interview, but there’s only so much I can prepare for the kind of candidate they’re looking for. Even if I did get the job, I doubt I could live up to their standards. Here’s a question that they have asked past candidates. I really haven’t seen such an ingenious and devious problem in a long time. > [@](#): > > 100 people are lined up in a row, facing forward, by an assassin. The assassin puts red and blue hats on them at random. Each person cannot see his own hat, but he can see the hats of the people in front of him. > > The assassin starts in the back and says “What color is your hat?” The only allowed answers are “red” or “blue.” If the wrong answer is given, that person is killed. Then the assassin moves on to the next person. The people in front get to hear the answers of the programmers behind them, but not whether they live or die. They can consult and agree on a strategy before being lined up, but after being lined up and having the hats put on, they can’t communicate in any way other than those already specified. > > What strategy should they choose to maximize the number of people who are guaranteed to be saved? They claim to hire only 0.5% of the applications they receive, and their applicant pool is already quite selective. I imagine it’s pretty much that 1 in 200 who will nail this question, and it’s the person they’re looking for. I figure it’ll be fun for dopers to take a stab at it. Something to do during the job search at least! ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/917 "2009-06-08T22:48:32Z")
> [@barking\_frog](#): > > I found out recently that the company I’m interviewing for in NY has incredibly elite hiring standards. They chose me for an interview, but there’s only so much I can prepare for the kind of candidate they’re looking for. Even if I did get the job, I doubt I could live up to their standards. > > Here’s a question that they have asked past candidates. I really haven’t seen such an ingenious and devious problem in a long time. > > They claim to hire only 0.5% of the applications they receive, and their applicant pool is already quite selective. I imagine it’s pretty much that 1 in 200 who will nail this question, and it’s the person they’re looking for. > > I figure it’ll be fun for dopers to take a stab at it. Something to do during the job search at least! Ok, here’s my guess. The last person in line should call out the color of the first person in line. The second-to-last should call out the second person’s color, and so on. That way, the front half of the line would be saved and the last half still has the same chance as before. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![barking\_frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@barking\_frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barking_frog)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/918 "2009-06-09T00:00:53Z")
With the correct strategy, you can save almost everyone. The optimal solution is very obvious when given the answer, but I never would’ve been able to come up with it. ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/919 "2009-06-09T00:31:06Z")
Oh for Pete’s sake. I think I just thought of the answer. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955/920 "2009-06-09T00:37:50Z")
> [@Dusty\_Rose](#): > > Ok, here’s my guess. The last person in line should call out the color of the first person in line. The second-to-last should call out the second person’s color, and so on. That way, the front half of the line would be saved and the last half still has the same chance as before. > > What do you think? How about the last person in line calls out the color of the cap of the person in front of him, let’s say it’s blue. This gives him a 50/50 shot of getting it right and assures the second person will be saved. The second person, knowing the color of his own hat and that of the person in front of him, either states “Blue” if they have the same color cap or “Blue?” in an inflected tone if they have different color caps. Everyone but the first person is assured of being saved. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955.md?page=45) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sd-job-seekers-support-group/446955.md?page=47)