What's your pet peeve in RL?

[Yygdrasil]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

there are several aspects to it that I'm supposed to know, that I've had no Earthly way of knowing.

So far, the ones we've covered as a forum have been:

Suits vs Business Casual (Still inconclusive)

which was derailed by...

Furries

which brings me to...

Aspect you should know #1: Don't wear your furry suit to the interview. (unless the interview is with a non-profit furry relief organization)

[Taskmage]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Aspect you should know #1: Don't wear your furry suit to the interview. (unless the interview is with Chuck E Cheese)

ftfy

[Yellow Mage]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

In a funny coincidence, one of the local furries is actually helping me through the process right now.

Honestly, thank goodness I'm a furry, or else I wouldn't have likely met any of these guys; I shudder to think how much worse my life would be without even half of them.

[Taskmage]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Lemme know when you get the job hunt thing figured out, because I never have.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Apparently you're supposed to call the place you've applied to about a week or two after you've submitted your application to them? That was complete news to me, and I couldn't stop raging about all my previously sunk time and applications over the question "how the heck was I supposed to know that?"

It's but a sample of my infinite frustration, too. Another related peeve: you never have any idea when your application is rejected, because if it is nobody ever freaking bothers to make you aware of that fact . . .

[cidbahamut]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

The trick is to deal with actual people as much as possible. It's a lot harder for people to dismiss your application if they actually have to interact with you. It's why job fairs are a better bet for employment than endlessly dropping online applications. Every job I've gotten has been because of direct human contact. I'm convinced online applications are a sham, despite hearing the HR person in our company rattle on all day about applications she has coming in from various job sites.

[Armando]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

What cid said. All else being equal, the follow-up call also shows them that you want the job more badly than the other guys with similar resumes. I've read it's a good idea to mention that you plan to contact them after 2 weeks in your cover letter.

[Murphie]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Indeed. And to echo what Cid said, every job that I have gotten has been because of direct human contact. Personality means a lot, and computers can't tell what kind of personality you have. I'd like to hear a story of someone getting a job based only on a blind online application, because quite frankly at this point I'm pretty sure that that simply does not happen.

I have, at this point, sent out hundreds, if not a thousand online applications over the past few years, and I have never gotten anything but the occasional stock reply in response. But every time I've met with a living, breathing human being, or at least spoken to one on the phone? Job.

[Raydeus]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Apparently you're supposed to call the place you've applied to about a week or two after you've submitted your application to them? That was complete news to me, and I couldn't stop raging about all my previously sunk time and applications over the question "how the heck was I supposed to know that?"

It's but a sample of my infinite frustration, too. Another related peeve: you never have any idea when your application is rejected, because if it is nobody ever freaking bothers to make you aware of that fact . . .

The way I personally see it is that it's common sense.

Unless you are someone really impressive a company will seldom go out out of it's way to give you "the call" even if they say they will "call you back". After all, if you are really interested in getting the job then you have to make the follow up calls, and show your interest (without sounding eager or desperate of course.)

And if you are lucky even if they didn't plan to hire you if they see you showing more interest and disposition they may hire you instead of the better qualified subject who didn't bother to make a follow up call.

Otherwise they will just forget about you and toss your application in the nearest paper shredder or backup box to call you only if they can't get anyone better. And yes, that means no rejection phone call either.

Don't worry, you'll learn these things as you grow up.



Edit > This is assuming you had a personal interview. Online job applications are sketchy at best.

[Ketaru]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

I'm convinced online applications are a sham, despite hearing the HR person in our company rattle on all day about applications she has coming in from various job sites.

I think I've mentioned this here before, but there have been places I have applied for online through job sites. I give them a follow-up call and they have told me the position is not actually available. The company just paid to have the posting up for 6 months so they just keep it up for the whole 6 months.

I really would dare to say that, possibly, job sites are a waste of time really as far as applying goes. Might be a good place to start just to see who is hiring, then going on their actual website to apply and get contact info.

[DakAttack]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

At Bethsoft, you apply online and they follow up with whomever they're interested in. This is how it's been for a while.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

The way I personally see it is that it's common sense.

This is what angers me so much about it. It seems like it's supposed to be common sense. But then, how the heck am I not aware of any of it?

---------- Post added at 05:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:51 PM ----------

I've read it's a good idea to mention that you plan to contact them after 2 weeks in your cover letter.

Also, in my what now?

I've heard of cover letters before and have some idea what they are, but nary the slightest idea of how I'm supposed to use them.

[Squiggs]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

This is what angers me so much about it. It seems like it's supposed to be common sense. But then, how the heck am I not aware of any of it?

<Insert snarky comment here>

[Yellow Mage]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Don't worry, you'll learn these things as you grow up.

You say this.

All I hear is this:

[Ketaru]

Re: What's your pet peeve in RL?

Also, in my what now?

I've heard of cover letters before and have some idea what they are, but nary the slightest idea of how I'm supposed to use them.

Damn, man. You don't send a cover letter? I think you really need to include one in every application these days, at least just to give yourself a voice beyond just your resume and generic application information.

The cover letter is basically just your introduction of yourself: about your interest in working for the company, what your goals are, and your education and employment background and what you think you can bring to the company. Like somebody can look at your resume and think, "Well yeah, YellowMage here majored in costume design and was part of an animal rights advocacy group for 2 years. But what kind of really important crap did he do while he was in there?"