AIBU to have judged and not interview because of ...

[JumpingThroughHoops]

....emails addresses?

Shoot me but XXX-Bitch_troll@etc and XXX-smokes-dope@etc goes straight in the shred pile.

If you are too stupid to set up a regular email account for job applications then you are too stupid to employ. I find it more frightening they could possibly be on a jury or vote.

I am amazed how much this happens. I get lots of application forms and CVs through. Some CVs are sent with a covering e-mail written in text speak, answers to 'Why do you want this job' are often because its close to hom e(WTF?!) and generally horrific grammar and spelling.

I had a row with a business management tutor once as I said I would not be that happy to receive CVs or application forms where the candidate had not bothered to check spelling or grammar. He said that I could not do that as what if they were dyslexic. I told him the many dyslexic people I knew took huge pride in their work etc and would be offended by his remark as firstly if they were unable to articulate what they wanted to say that well in writing 1. - they were happy to say why

1. They would type it or
2. they always make an effort to ensure the application form is filled in to a high standard.

We agreed to disagree but I wonder how that tutor would expect me to shortlist from up to 300 hundred application forms if I did not choose the 5 or 6 best forms, its not discriminating as its the only thing I have to go on. Of course if someone was dyslexic or anything else it would not stop me interviewing them of course but the application forms I was referring to was definitely not from candidates who were dyslexic!

I had someone email me for some work on a joint music project - it was also unsolicitied.

Anyway, he emailed me his 13 page CV which listed in minute detail his every experience. I saw the length of it and didn't even bother.

as well as the dodgy email addresses, I always google and discount anyone who has vast amounts of very public information available about their personal lives. Anyone who wants a reasonably senior legal job and has their bikini / drinking shots available to all & sundry, and can't work out Facebook privacy settings doesn't have the right level of discretion for the job.

CVs shouldn't be too long - I recelty recruited and the amount of 10 page CVs which were sent, in strange fonts and formatting. It was so annoying. Mine is 3 sides and I think that is pushing my luck, but I am a professional with 16 years experience to talk about. There is no need for graduates to list every single extra curricular activity they have been involved in since they were 11.

Haver you ever had to apply for a job with 'handwritten covering letter only'. I have seen those sometimes. Why would they want that? I would be fucked - my handwriting is ghastly.

poo yes I did but she's never forgiven the betrayal. I was seriously ill years ago and she was upset but not-so secretly pleased because she thought I'd come home and she could look after me. I was physically very weak but turned the offer down because I'd still be wrapped in a blanket on her sofa eating toast and watching daytime TV.

getorf I have screamed at her on occasion. How did you guess? She took it as proof that I wasn't mature enough to be without her

She's coming tomorrow. I love her but we can only survive with boundaries and about an hour's travelling time between us.

Limited. Wow that's tough!

Loving this thread, its sooo funny. I'm gobsmacked at what people think is acceptable and that they do not realise that public information about them is used to filter applications. A number of places I have worked at also looked at FB etc and would weed out depending on what was included e.g. slagging off current employers.

Its really useful stuff, I'm going back into the job market soon and will be sure not to make these mistakes. PS I always get DH to read applications, CVs etc for a new set of eyes plus he is a stickler for punctuation.

Hope there aren't any spelling mistakes in this post.

Keep them coming this is cheering me up, apart from the buggie smuggler picture, uugh.

YANBU. It is really unprofessional, and for this reason I have an email address specifically for job applications. My fun one is used for everything else :)

Have you ever had to apply for a job with 'handwritten covering letter only'. I have seen those sometimes. Why would they want that? I would be fucked - my handwriting is ghastly.

getorf In the selection process for one job I was asked to summarise a document with a view to making a presentation about it. I assumed the presentation would be a speech. I don't mind making speeches.

My notes were a mixture of shorthand, arrows pointing to things on the document I wanted to refer to and my monkey-like handwriting. All on the actual document which I'd torn out of its booklet.

At the end it was collected from me. They didn't want a speech. I actually tried to snatch it back from them which in retrospect made me look a bit unhinged.

I didn't get the job. Didn't want to work for such tricky bastards anyway. So there.

Wrt comments about Facebook - I understand that candidates having public profiles with drunk pictures and rude posts looks bad - but how does a company know that they're looking at the profile of the John Smith who's applied to them and not another John Smith?

I have never applied for these handwriting characters. I would assume that the job was 30 years behind the times. I never write anything at work - good job really as I can't read my own handwriting anyway.

Or they get your handwriting analysed by those graphologist charlatans I reckon.

lol at you attempting to snatch the paper away from them

poo It's character-building. I've become quite a tough person as a result of standing up to her. But I can see how it might have gone the other way.

I do love her, despite wanting to hug her warmly round the throat from time to time.

I have had to apply for a couple of posts that required a handwritten covering letter. I completely failed to see the point, especially as the most recent was for a high-level professional role where you would never send anything out handwritten. I absolutely hate having to write by hand, as I am dyslexic, and although I always check my spelling by typing out what I want to write and then carefully copying it, I find it incredibly difficult to write a full page of A4 without making any mistakes. It takes me at least three or four attempts to get it right. What is the point of asking for this nowadays?

I used to work in recruitment and once received a CV for a finance role with the following delights:

1. His favourite film was Bad Boys (it was apparently 'ace') where as Wild Wild West was 'shit'.

2. His favourite part of his current role was 'going home at 5pm on the dot'.

I also received a CV from a woman who included a photo of both her and her husband in a lovely posed shot. We also received a CV from a web developer who pointed us to his website for evidence of his skills. Unfortunately, that website contained explicit pictures of his other half with comments such as, "Josie feeling naughty"?.

I know - completely pointless.

My normal handwriting is very fast but looks like a scribble and nobody can read it apart from me. To write something legible takes me ages, and then because I overthink it I end up making daft mistakes. Hence why I never write anything down anymore.

We always check how candidates have behaved towards the support staff throughout the recruitment process. People don't seem to realise that if they are vile to the receptionist or ring up being all demanding and arrogant on the 'phone trying to get the process turned upside down for their convenience, we will find out and mark them down for it.

Not long ago we had someone who didn't apply within the deadline. She claimed she had sent a previous e-mail within the deadline that we must have lost, and only (re)sent the later one because she hadn't heard from us (hmmn...). We got a report from IT which basically said, 'Not possible' and told her she was out of time, would not be considered. She argued that for about 4 weeks until we finally said 'correspondence closed'. She honestly seemed to think we should deprive some other poor candidate of an interview to fit her in. And she was horrid to the office manager on the 'phone. So, dishonest and stroppy, why would we want you again?

Equally though, if you politely ring me up after your unsuccessful interview and say, please help me understand where I'm going wrong, I will. It's so tough out there, and for people with very little interview practice, how can you improve without feedback? I'd never do it for someone if a parent rang up to ask (has happened to us recently).

How on earth can all these parents think their involvement is helping? You've immediately demonstrated your child is still too immature and dependent (or unbothered) to do the job they've just applied for.

The application is clearly being made by someone claiming JSA who has been told they must make X number of job applications per week or lose their benefits.

Have only read the OP but wanted to say, I had to attend a mandatory 'job finding' session at the job centre recently and this was mentioned there. And two people actually said 'oh, I hadn't thought of that'. So YANBU.

poopoo the girls I'm interviewing are all at college - where they have free internet access. They also all have (very expensive) phones that connect to the internet. In this day and age, they need to have an email account. Sorry, it is just a given now. Ok, they may not have access at home, but there are other ways to get connected.

I wish my employer did the same as yours Eldritch - having a pop at support staff is a major problem at my place and a big cause of high stress levels, low motivation and (reasonably) fast turnover in those roles. My job involves supporting the support staff so it's very frustrating for me to see them treated so badly.

Loving these stories! Disagree that handwriting isn't important though - nobody types everything and trying to decipher someone else's illegible handwriting for work purposes is irritating.

OMG folk girl eeeuuuuuwwww @ that picture. I was imagining that budgie smugglers meant those big baggy cargo shorts which would have big pockets perfect for stuffing budgies in. I am clearly naïve (hence me not having 69 in my email address I suppose!).

I agree that everyone can access the internet if they want to - it's no excuse if they don't have it at home. There are libraries and internet cafes.

nini I never write anything, honestly.

Nini, it's so shortsighted not to. People who treat those they regard as 'underlings' like dirt are almost invariably horrid arseholes who will cause trouble.

Totally agree with those who treat support staff like shit. Support staff keep the place going in most places.

It is the same as judging a person's character by how he treats a waitress in a restaurant.

You should be as polite to the lowliest office junior as you are to the MD.

I would rule them out too - as I would anyone who submitted a CV with spelling or grammar mistakes.