When Trying to Find a New Job...

[NOVA Lady]

As some of you might remember I am in the midst of hiring a new staff member and I really have seen it all I think. But the following things have really made me wonder whether some people are actually out of their minds.


Email address: Now, personally my email address is Name@something.com and really any version of that is professional. However some of the email address I have recieved are just downright innapropriate. HotSlut@something.com and other sometimes completely disgusting sexual reference. Or they make some reference to body parts, shape, size, preference, etc. BongHitter69@whatever.com doesn't inspire me that you'll be a great employee!

Voice Mail messages: You're applying for a job and expecting reply calls your answering machine message shouldn't be anything like, ":::loud music::: I'm out getting tanked hahahahaha then I'm going to get some hahahaha"

Seriously folks.....I don't know if its rude but its certainly foolish!

[Lisbeth]

It suggests to me someone whose ego is larger than their desire for the job they are applying for.

[Squeaks]

Do you at all look at the @something.com part? i am always worried i will be judged for what account i use. I do not really want to use my name as a normal e-mail address, but for jobs i will - so i tend to set up a new account - i.e. free - So i worry that I will somehow look bad


last time i looked i started with Yahoo and switched to Gmail

[kingsrings]

Hah. This is just downright funny. But I'm sure if I were HR, I would be really annoyed to have to wade through such nonsense in order to get to the good applicants. My mother worked in a similar position once, and the worst she got was a filled-out job application with a blood stain. Written by the blood stain was, "Sorry, I cut myself". And because it is against policy to throw away any applications while the job was still open, she had to acknowledge it. She returned it in a plastic ziplock bag with a new application and a note to the applicant saying that perhaps they would like to fill out another application.

[artk2002]

I had to laugh at this.  We have an internal database of all of our employees and it includes photos.  One of my colleagues sent me a link to an entry for an intern.  In his photo, he's wearing a toga!  Now, perhaps he was just a member of his universitie's Latin Club and got dressed up for the banquet, but those of us who are a bit older have a poor association with togas (think "Animal House".)  I'm glad this kid isn't interning on my project!

[Adah]

This made me laugh, as well. It's in the same vain as young adults posting inappropriate pictures of themselves on social sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Little do they know that employers monitor those sites and the last person they want to higher is some drunken sorority girl flashing her hooters to a frat boy with a camera.

[HogwartsAlum]

Hah. This is just downright funny. But I'm sure if I were HR, I would be really annoyed to have to wade through such nonsense in order to get to the good applicants. My mother worked in a similar position once, and the worst she got was a filled-out job application with a blood stain. Written by the blood stain was, "Sorry, I cut myself". And because it is against policy to throw away any applications while the job was still open, she had to acknowledge it. She returned it in a plastic ziplock bag with a new application and a note to the applicant saying that perhaps they would like to fill out another application.

Oh, GROOOOOSSSSS! How can someone think that it's acceptable to send something like that in!
Also, ROTFLMAO!

[NOVA Lady]

Do you at all look at the @something.com part? i am always worried i will be judged for what account i use. I do not really want to use my name as a normal e-mail address, but for jobs i will - so i tend to set up a new account - i.e. free - So i worry that I will somehow look bad


last time i looked i started with Yahoo and switched to Gmail

Most everyone uses a Hotmail or Gmail or something similar. It doesn't say anything to me at all. Though I am disturbed when people use their work email address for job searches, more from a practical standpoint then anything else.

I have seen 2-3 that emailed from a weird email, they have free programs that let you pick names of drugs, alcohol, sexual references .com and thats not great either!

[Katharine]

Often at the beginning of classes each semester a professor will pass around a sheet to add your name and email. I always laugh at the ones that are like that. I wouldn't want to put an email address down that referenced anything sexual or having to do with drugs for a professor or a potential job.

I don't even have my first name as part of my email because it is a weird spelling and I don't want to not get an email about a job because they didn't spell my name correctly. Mine is KLastname at gmail. It is short and clean and easy to type in.

Some people just have no clue about this type of stuff.

[Lunadiana75]

as far the @something.com, I have always used myfullname@yahoo, and that hasn't caused problems.  I have even asked a few HR people about that and they all said that the account doesn't matter, the username does. 

I once helped a friend's boyfriend on his job search.  I made himset up a new user account for his job applications instead of the ridiculous email address he was using.  I said that any application he submitted would go straight into the circular file if he used that email. 

Honestly, when are people going to learn that you will never be considered for a job if you don't 1) Proofread your cover letter and resume (heck, I always have someoneelseproof read just in case Imissed a mistake) 2) use a professional sounding email address 3) answer your phone professionally while you are applying for jobs. 

[shadowfox79]

When students submit paperwork to our office with email addresses, I always cringe if they've written down one like that. I don't really want to have to send confirmation emails to randyandy69, cheekystrumpet or imabigboy if I can help it.

Nor do I want to leave messages on a voicemail which has been programmed to say "Aww, f**k off! I'm busy!" as one did recently. Charming.

My own voicemail hasn't been personalised, and I always use my more innocuous email for professional purposes. (I have one address with a weird name, but only my friends have that.)

[twinkletoes]

Ha, that's funny!  One of my friends worked on a political campaign, and they were looking for a few interns to help out.  One applicant had a nice, professional email address (something like "Tom_Jones@someth.com).  The HR person emailed him to ask him something, and the kid responds via email.  Well, you know how the entire first and last name can be listed in an email?  His was "Hey Fu#$er, it's me." 

And no, he did not get the job!

[o5prey]

That last one is awesome. lol

People are so dumb.

[caranfin]

I worked at a university that had a bitter rivalry with another university. Whenever we had a job opening, I was surprised at how many people had no more sense than to use an address such as "univ1freak@yahoo.com" or "univ2sux@yahoo.com" when they were applying for a job at university #2.

[MerryRaven]

Or too much information on an application.

We only ask on the application what we can legally ask; Name, address, SSI, what position you want, Education, Job History,  and references

Therefore, yes I do need to know that your were convicted of a crime. 

I do not need to know the details of the highspeed chase with the police. 

The entire story about your two disfunctional marriages is not necessary. 

The ex-you went back to but then left again because of abuse, I am sorry about, but I have no need to know.

Nor do I need to know anything else about your rather wild and dubious past.

Nor are references from 4 different police agencies necessarily good.

And no, I am not interviewing this person.