gobsmacked by so many dreadful job applications!

[joko]

I am amazed how can people be so ignorant in how to apply for a job these days - there is no excuse really is there? - i mean the net is full of advice etc and most of it is common sense.
It so competetive its crazy not to put any proper effort in.
Some of it is quite comical and i'd laugh if i didnt have to wade through them and delete them haha.

My instinct is to write back and politely tell them why i will not be taking their app any further - but then it actually helps me whittle them down - makes it easy for me to see what theyre really like, so i am loathe to point it out to them ... i have for a few though, couldnt resist lol.

aside from the usual bad grammar, weird formatting, spelling errors, lack of punctuation, and obviously text speak, i have had applications for all sorts of other roles than the ones i asked for - no idea why they would think i would have any say in hiring for other depts - even got one from a director today!
Its clear many havent even read the post properly as they live in the wrong area, or dont drive etc.

ive had one or two saying they've had no experience but would like to try anything because they love films! they say, "i am willing to give anything a go"
well that fills me with confidence doesnt it!

i have had sentences in cover letters that are clearly specifically meant for other previous applications that they havent bothered to check and remove - one even blamed the website for stitching him up ...(!)

and why do so many email me just asking for more info on the project?
no cv or proper letter - just wanting me to call them or explain the project to them.
i dont think they seem to undertsand that they are meant to be selling themselves to me, not the other way round.
why would i waste my time explaining it all to them, only to then find they are not suitable - if they cant even be bothered to write a proper application then i cant be bothered to chase them up

ive had - "hi, saw your ad, tell me more" - thats is, nothing else...

also 'your ad sounds interesting, i am local, can you give me more information?' ... nothing else.

a few of them dont even sign it or use any sort of greeting.

they also keep telling me they really really want to learn, and try new things etc and are therefore perfect for the job - yet they want a main position rather than assistant!
why so they think thats what i want to hear? i am not really interested in what 'you want' - that doesnt help get the job done - i need them to be able to do the job already.
i am not a teacher and dont have time help them learn - and obviously also then have to watch over them, and correct their errors etc
you wouldnt hire an inexperienced plumber to do a proper job alone, just because he wants to learn would you?

i have even got 1 from another country saying - "i would love to work abroad, i love travel, give me a shout" ... thats it!

i am gobsmacked that these people ever get work.

(this is freelance film work by the way so a very different ball game to working for a company long term etc)

no question particularly except - anyone else had this sort of thing?

is it not a standard thing? - CV and a cover letter - that sells you to the person.

(sorry for the moan haha)
cheers

[Nibble]

Aaaaaargh!

<Runs away beating self over head with OED>


Noooooooo!

[joko]

what is? punctuation and capitals etc?

well yes, I mean do know when one is needed and i am fully aware when one is missing... i often notice a typo i have made and dont bother to correct it - because i am typing quickly (well not high speed, but fast for me, and i simply am not bothered about it - because is not important on here.

fact is, as i say, thats not what my post was about - if you read it - so its a bit ridiculous people trying to turn it round on me because of that - because its irrelevant to the post, and ignoring the things i was actually complaining about ...
i thought a few people would have had similar stories

[snags]

''no maggie its not my standard - i save that for important things''

Personally, I'd actually find it difficult to 'dumb down' my writing when posting, for example, on AB, where the use of correct spelling etc. perhaps isn't so important: I write as I write regardless of where I write.

[humbersloop]

did try

[ummmm]

Me too. I really am this thick in real life :-)

[joko]

in important documents, i rarely type all that as i go along - i just type the words, then go back and edit and rearrange etc.

[joko]

i suppose on here i use the rough drafts, not the final edits.

some of these applicant presumably do that too i suppose.

[Mick-Talbot]

I have to dumb up to post on here, the only written stuff I would normally do, would be written on he back of a fag packet.

[ummmm]

I used to receive CV's on a daily basis. Some are shocking but, you don't need to be able to spell and punctuate to spray cars. I had to remind myself of that!

[snags]

''you don't need to be able to spell and punctuate to spray cars''

Trew.

[joko]

Aw shame humbersloop, I would have liked to have seen that.
I'd like to have seen that woman's CV etc. too, I have not had any that amazing - a few have been on the verge though haha!
At least she tried - can't knock her for that 'eh?

[Mick-Talbot]

oooooh .... I notice a few '''''''''''' creeping in.

Piere pressure ?

[Anngel]

Interesting that this is still going...to go back to my comment about the under 30s and quick fix: I only meant that use of technology, by its (with no apostrophe) nature makes people lazy. When you have a system to check grammar and spelling then why bother to take the care? Of course there are people who still will take care and will make wonderful employees. Obviously there are also older folk who are just plain lazy and ignorant. However: my point is that you may be missing out on artistically talented people who can rock your film world, but just can't string two written words together. Thanks for listening. Incidentally, the first part of my earlier post was an ironic example of how someone could potentially apply for your fictional mystery job.

[humbersloop]

joko, I'm not kidding the office was collectively weeping with uncontrollable laughter for the better part of a morning. From time to time, you could hear the bloody music sparking up on someone's pc and they'd go off again.

I do hope she found something suitable.

[joko]

Ummm, if the job didnt require stuff like creating numerous prop lists, breakdowns, creating graphic props, liaising with suppliers in writing and over the phone, budget control, scheduling, initiative, continuity, meticulous attention to detail, forethought and planning, problem solving, knowledge of film techniques - as well load of other things, in a hectic, high turnaround results driven environment, i wouldnt care either, believe me.

alli want is someone with energy who knows how to do the job

but really, its the fact that they dont seem to care enough to make any effort implies they wont make the effort on-set either, they just expect to get the job anyway.

its a short term job and i dont have time interview 20 odd people, or find someone else if the person chosen turns out to be useless... so i have to rely on the quality of their applications to make my choices.
its my name on the credits and if someone messes up the buck stops with me - and i cant tell viewers what actually happened - so i am keen to get it right first time.

[Mick-Talbot]

I'm not going to be able to use the French exchange student joke am I ?
:0/

[joko]

haha mick, probably just because we had been talking about it, it crept in haha

piere? who is piere?

anngel - yes you are quite right, people have got lazy as computers do it all - but that doesnt make it acceptable - and actually makes it worse because many of the people who send apps full of errors COULD have corrected them if they'd bothered to run the spell check - and thats just plain lazy - and if they are too lazy to run a quick check in order to win a job then what else will they be too lazy to do?

i am not in the minority of employers who expect applicants to make some sort of effort - you wouldnt turn up to an interview in jeans and a ripped shirt so why do the written equivalent?

and yes you are correct, i COULD be missing out on a great applicant - but unless they tell me or show me i will never know, will i? - an application is their time to shine, to rise above all the others, to make me want to hire them, to prove they are the best of the bunch...
there a thousands of other great applicant with amazing skills - who have also demostrated all those other qualities to me - so why waste time on the ones im not sure about?
I will find a great person for this role so its their loss.

[joko]

lol mick very good.

[wiltsman]

ok joko you win ignore my previous post about using punctuation and using capital letters when starting sentences why didnt i do this style of posting before its such an effort to use capitals i think we should all adopt this style of writing perhaps if everyone all wrote like this it would make us abers use our brains but i suppose that doesnt seem fair just because a few posters cant be bothered to write correctly its such an effort for them poor souls actually i think this post of yours is a form of an extended joke you cannot seriously berate people for the way they complete a cv if you cant make the effort to set out your own post in a proper way.

[bednobs]

wiltsman, have you ACTUALLY read joko's post? She is not setting herself up as a paragon of virtue when it comes to grammar, just saying when you are applying for a job you should take care, and she's amazed at the people that don't