Woud you reject a job application due to incorrect line spacing in a couple of typos?

[tigermoth]

I am just curious to know as this has just happened to me.

I applied for a post with a public sector organisation in Exeter. The post was in the marketing and communications field. I know my background fitted the requirements of the post very well.

The person spec was a long one so my answer ran into four or five pages. I checked my text thoroughly (a lot more thoroughly than I check my posts on mumsnet!) and of cause I did a spell check. It took me over a day to write the supporting statement and I know it read well.

I was not shortlisted for interview, and when I emailed to ask for feedback I was told that my application was rejected at the very first hurdle because I had 'a missing paragraph space' between two paragraphs and on page one I had mis-spelled Exeter as Exert.

The email goes on to say 'Had
the application been accurate you would have been a strong candidate. I cannot say you would definately have been shortlisted as we did have a very strong field and it would have been a panel decision. However I
can say that I think your application responded well to the criteria we
set'

Oh well, you live and learn I guess. Next time I will have to be more careful when I run a computer spell check and ensure place name words like 'Exeter' do not get bastardised, not even the once.

I have just checked the form on screen and can see no evidence of lack of spacing between two paragraphs. I can only assume this happened when it was printed out.

It was not the be all and end all of jobs and I won't dwell on what might have been.
But still, I am pretty amazed at this feedback. I understand that in communications posts, excellent written skills are a must, but honestly, these were typos!

Also, there was nothing in the application pack to suggest that shortlisting would be dependent on 100% perfect presentation.

I am interested to know if the above is a common reason for rejection - any comments please!

Well I work in the Public Sector and it ain't all that. I have worked in it since Thatcher and actually personally I have seen improvements. In some cases massive ones. Not saying it's perfect but..........

My sister has dyslexia so she gets someone else to proof read job applications and important documents.

What I am trying to say is that there are very many 'Public Service' jobs today.

Apologies to the stupid bint that I spoke to today. Or her friend. You all are really stupid.

Three words - "beware job evaluation"

The chances of being valued in a public sector job are probably similar to those of being valued in a private sector job. It depends who by of course - your colleagues, boss, members of the public, elected councillors? or "customers" - who are they? Does anyone value marketing and communications staff anyway?

Many many private sector jobs are not "real" jobs IMO

And someone who dismisses public sector workers as "really stupid", well, how clever is that? I was really valued at work for my wonderful, polite and intelligent phone manner and effort made to work out how to help members of the public who called up, and bear in mind that I worked as a secretary for the council's lawyers. I regard people who treat me as stupid on the phone as stupid and rude, but I still try to be polite and change their attitude to me on the phone, because I take pride in my work and want to be part of a public service.

Agree Twinklemegan.

Lots of jumped up people thinking they are really important because the Guardian advertises their job. Whoooooooooooooooooo. It just means that another post has been created for a person who selects emails to see if they are ok. If the word black or stupid is included, then they can't be included because the word is 'mentally impaired' or 'race of unknown origin'

No UNIQUE - I said PRIVATE sector jobs. I work in the public sector (local government) and I know all the people I know work damned hard for very little reward. We've recently all taken pay cuts while watching managers get pay rises.

Sorry - I should have said. Bunch of useless people.

So are you talking about public or private sector then? Assume public since you mention the Guardian.

Sorry - I should have said that the PS creates jobs, creates jobs, creates jobs. Some jobs are justifiable, some are not, most are questionable.

Please do ever confuse me with someone who works for the private sector. They are what keep this country going.

Please do not ever confuse me would read correctly.

I'm interested in rising further to the bait, but should we take this to a new thread in whatever is the appropriate area and see if other public or private sector workers or others with any opinion wanna play?

not at all relevant ot tigermoth

but I have no idea at all what Unique has said in any of her posts

zippi, I did send a reply to the email but not to point out the spelling mistakes in the HR email.

I was tempted to do this, but this organisation is a big employer in Exeter so I may in future apply for another post there.

However, I did say that the line spacing on my pc screen looked fine (and was fine when printed out) so it might have been a problem when it was printed out their end. I thought it was worth pointing this out as it might help future applicants for other posts.

Mind you, even if I got as far as an interview next time, I don't know if I would really want to work for the organisation if if this nitpicking and hypocracy is typical. And I'd be afraid of making the tiniest verbal stumble in the interview!

very restrained

good luck next time

elkiedee - try thinking about it this way.

If there were no private sector, creating value on which people and companies pay taxes, we could not afford to have a public sector at all. No hospitals, schools, roads etc.

Lots of parts of Africa are like this - the private sector is too small to allow enough tax to support a public sector infrastructure. The former communist bloc collapsed because it didn't allow the private sector to flourish.

This is why the private sector is more valuable than the public sector.

This is in answer to the op - Have not read through the thread - so the discussion has probably moved on - however - my dp is a manager in a major public sector communications department and when he sifts applications for posts, particularly for writers, typos and spelling mistakes are a big issue. He finds errors of a much grander scale than you have described which he finds unforgivable in people who wish to work in communications. If there are a large number of applicants many of whom fit the spec then small errors may become key. When making job applications (it has been a while though)I am always aware of grammar and spelling - my mum is good at checking this for me (she used to do the same for my English homework).

Bad luck for you but try to use the feedback positively - and don't let it deter you in the job search - good luck.

They probably had someone internal lined up for the post Tigermoth and only advertised out to comply with equal ops legislation.

To the OP - surely the only lesson to be drawn is that it is important to have perfect grammar, punctuation and layout in job applications ? So you avoid risk.

Anna - I would just like to say that the former Soviet Union is doing really well now that the Russian Maffia has taken over way to go private enterprise!!

bigmouth

No private sector = no viable public sector

That doesn't equate to

Private sector = viable public sector and blue sky living...

The private sector is not evil and the public sector can be bloated - i agree Anna

but the public sector does at least comply with legislation designed to protect employees. It is also required to provide all those unprofitable services we need. My father worked for the industrial common-ownership movement - beardy sandally organisation that suported cooperative business I would love to see private industry based on common good rather than individual profit but that is p'haps just me[where is the lentil weaver emoticon when you need it?]