| I *wish* I could send these rejection letters to some people |
[19 Jul 2011|03:59pm] |
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mood |
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 amused |
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It happens. As a recruiter, looking through a bunch of new candidates in a large database, you're likely to run across a few clueless folks who just apply to anything and everything, regardless of qualifications. They justify this the same way all spammers do: Sure you'll piss off tons of people, but if you get a hit just once, you're in good shape.
Some days I'll see none of these. Other days I'll see 20. A few make me laugh. Most make me roll my eyes before I forget about them. Now and again I'll just be in the wrong mood and I'll get ticked off.
Today I decided to write an imaginary rejection letter to them in my head. I would never send anything like this out, for a dozen reasons at least, but I had to share it with my husband in IM:
Really wishing there was a rejection email template that read something like: "Thank you for your interest in our job posting. As you are in no way qualified for the role AND you are a waste of the recruiter's time, we have to pass on you. In future, you should probably refrain from applying to senior level roles in areas where you have virtually no skills whatsoever, as it makes you look incompetent. Have a nice day."
Hubby, being the helpful person he is, edited this to look a little more professional:
"I see that you applied for this position. You are not remotely qualified. The fact that you applied anyway seems disrespectful. Next time please read the description and know that we are not just entering random words into Taleo*. We actually do need the qualifications we specify."
I mentioned the conversation to a friend (also a recruiter) and got this in response:
"Your resume has been put in the B.F.C.O.N. file which means you’re a Big Fat Can of NO. No need to reapply as your status will not change."
Got any favourites of your own to add?
ETA: To be clear, I'm not talking about people who are underqualified for roles. I get that. And sometimes it really pays off to shoot higher than you expect you are worth. My beef here is with the folks who probably haven't even looked at the job description but felt like applying was a good idea any way.
*Any applicant tracking system will do here.
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| Dear Recruiters: On passive candidates... |
[01 Jul 2011|02:10pm] |
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mood |
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 contemplative |
] |
I get that reaching out to passive candidates is a drag and takes a ton of time and effort with only a very small chance of a positive response. Here's the thing - even the ones who respond with something less than "I'm totally interested! Tell me more!" need your attention.
Our job (as recruiters) is depending more and more on relationships with people in our networks. Where it used to be all about the pitch and the company, social media and extended friends networks make who you know and how you treat them so much more important than it used to be. It's no longer about seeing if people will respond to your desperate pings on LinkedIn. The candidates (or, potential candidates, if you'd rather) will now look to see how you fit in their networks. They'll go online and see what you're about and what people are saying about you. More importantly, they'll remember how you do or don't treat them AFTER that initial ping and they'll talk about it.
When a passive candidate says "You know, I'm flattered that you'd reach out to me, but I'm really not interested in leaving my current position", your response cannot be only to cross that person of your search list and move on to the next candidate. At the very least, you need to write back and say "Thank you for your response - maybe another time". Better yet, you should be using this response as an opportunity to build out your network and make a positive impression on the candidate, so that when that person does need the help of a recruiter, you will be the recruiter contacted. Think of it as brand loyalty. It's the same thing that makes Apple so freakishly successful.
This is also true if the initial response you get from your passive candidate seems critical, like "That's a very interesting position, but it's not what I do for a living," or "Do you not know the difference between a game designer and a systems designer?", or "It says right on my profile that I'm not open to new opportunities!". Don't simply roll your eyes, cross this person off the list, and move on. This person took the time to respond to you. Use this as an opportunity to open up a dialogue. Admit your faults. Apologize. See if there's a way you can learn from your mistake (or theirs) and do so**. More often than not, you will be respected for this. Sometimes the conversation can lead to an expanded network and a lot more understanding about the role (and how can that hurt you?).
How many times have you heard from candidates that it's really frustrating to not hear back from someone about a job? It's less annoying for passive candidates, but it still leaves a negative impression. Treat candidates with respect. They will usually remember it. It may not help you fill the role now, but in the long run you'll build up a following and be respected in return.
**Examples of how to respond to those critical responses, respectively:
* "I'm sorry, I clearly don't understand this position very well. Tell me, what is it that you do, exactly? I'd like to learn more!"
* "Oh wow. I'm sorry. Some game designers specialize in systems and call themselves systems designers. I saw on your profile that you are a gamer and got confused. You... you haven't ever considered a career move into games have you?"
* "My apologies. I did notice that you are not open to new opportunities, and should have mentioned that when I initially reached out to you. Your qualifications really are perfect for our role (which, as you can imagine, is proving very difficult to fill), which is why I took the risk in contacting you. I am sorry for interrupting your busy day. If you happen to have any qualified friends that might be interested, you are welcome to give them my contact information. Otherwise, I'll leave you to your work. Thank you.")
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| A resume is not a list of all the jobs you've done |
[29 Apr 2011|03:14pm] |
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mood |
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 busy |
] |
I got to thinking about this in some detail this morning and realized there was no way I could squish what I wanted to say into 140 characters, or even 280, so I'm posting to my poor abandoned LiveJournal about it, in way more detail than anyone cares about. In short, a resume is not a list of all the jobs you've done. It's a presentation of your skills and experience that makes you stand out as the best candidate for the role in question.
To illustrate this point, I thought I'd take you through my thought process on what sorts of things you should and shouldn't put on your resume by going through mine.
A couple of things you should know before I start:
* My resume is not perfect. There are problems with it (that I'll point out). But it's good enough for this exercise.
* The resume in this example is specifically tailored for a job as an in-house recruiter at a local (San Francisco) game company.
( With that said, here are the jobs I listed on my last resume, and why. )
( Here's what I DIDN'T put on the resume, and why. )
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| iPad apps for young kids |
[13 Dec 2010|12:56pm] |
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mood |
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 distracted |
] |
I was asked by the Twitterverse to post a compiled list of recommendations I got for iPad apps for a 5 year old boy, so here it is. I have not yet researched, tried, nor tested any of these and truly don't even know for sure if all of these things are available for the iPad. These are simply the recommendations that were sent to me, and I'm posting them here both so I don't forget them and because people asked. NB: I left off individual books, though I got many recommendations for specific ones, especially for Toy Story and things by Dr. Seuss.
* denotes any apps that might be remotely educational
Angry Birds
Pocket Frogs
Splode
Talking Tomcat
Scoops
Pocket God
Mega Panda
Soundrop
Magic Piano
Chromodyne (might not be age appropriate)
*Jingle (free app from Hallmark, something about reading books to kids in your own voice?)
*Frogs & Fireflies (colour mixing challenge)
*Move Like Me (concentration game)
*Boomshine (prediction game)
*Arithmaroo (counting/number identity)
Beatwave
Club Penguin
*Alphabet Tracing (self explanatory)
*WordUs 2
*Mr. Aahh! (math/guesstimation)
*Cut the Rope (physics puzzle)
*iWriteWords (letter writing)
*SuperWhy (reading/letter recognition)
*TouchyBooks (interactive book reader)
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| True story |
[20 Apr 2010|11:00am] |
| [ |
mood |
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 squinty eye of doom |
] |
Early in my pregnancy, my husband decided upon a role model for fatherhood: The dad from the Calvin and Hobbes strip. Flash forward 4 years, to the present. My husband took my son to the beach over the weekend, and apparently explained a few things to him. While I'm not an artist, I feel that the following description of a comic strip in the Calvin and Hobbes style should paint a nice picture of a conversation from last night.
Panel 1:
(dad sitting at desk, son standing near him)
Dad: What did the ocean taste like?
Son: It was salty!
Panel 2:
(dad sitting at desk, son standing near him)
Dad: And who made the ocean salty?
Son: You did!
Panel 3:
(dad sitting at desk, son standing near him)
Dad: And do you remember what I told you about why I poured salt into the ocean?
Son: Because you were trying to make soup!
Panel 4:
(mom standing at kitchen sink, shoulders hunched, eyes squinting, gripping tightly to dish, ready to start shouting at husband. Word balloons appear from off-panel.)
Son: But... it was just water!
Dad: Yeah. I'm not very good at making soup.
Bill Watterson, you owe me for this... big time.
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| head, meet desk... repeat |
[15 Jan 2010|01:24pm] |
But I don't WANT to listen to Justin Timberlake!!!
(Yes, the I-don't-wear-headphones person is at it again.)
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| Desperate Times... |
[11 Jan 2010|02:48pm] |
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mood |
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busy |
] |
Hey everyone. My employer (Gazillion Entertainment) is on the hunt for an executive administrator. If any of you bay area locals are interested, more information (and a link to apply) can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/yhun2aj
Pass it on!
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| headphones are your friends! |
[05 Jan 2010|04:23pm] |
Sorry, needing to whine a bit and there's no other comfortable place to do it. (Ah LiveJournal - is this what it's come to?)
PSA: Not everyone wants to listen to your crap. If you're in a shared space, don't be afraid to use your freakin' headphones!
There, all better (except for the stuff coming out of the speakers in the hub next to mine).
So... how is everyone?
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| I hate using LiveJournal for work, but... |
[03 Dec 2009|03:53pm] |
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mood |
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 rushed |
] |
Expert PERL Scripter needed for a 4-6 week contract in San Mateo, CA, ASAP!!! If this is you or someone you know, please contact me: michelle dawt larson at gazillion dawt com
Feel free to pass this along!
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| And... they're off! |
[16 Jul 2009|04:32pm] |
| [ |
mood |
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accomplished |
] |
Address change notices are finally out the door. Not sure when I'll be able to get back to handwriting letters. I was hoping to do that this weekend, but I'm realizing that between an attempted meet-up with an old friend and the FIVE baby things I need to make (didn't I already post something about you people staggering your babies???), I'm pretty sure this weekend is out for actually writing letters. :/
Maybe next weekend? Well, hopefully next weekend, because after that the bunny wumpus is touring for 2 weeks and I'll have even less time to do anything for myself.
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| oh and... |
[09 Jul 2009|04:52pm] |
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mood |
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 sleepier |
] |
For those who are wondering, one of the things I'm trying to send out (hopefully in the next week or two) is the recent "we have moved" notice, complete with current address! :D
In the meantime, the post office is good about forwarding things.
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| Oh great /sarcasm |
[09 Jul 2009|04:30pm] |
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mood |
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sleepy |
] |
90% of my home office stuff is unpacked. Among things lost in a box or 3 is my address book. If you want to get correspondence from me within the next 4 months (likely the time it will take to unpack/organize those last few boxes), please reply with your address. :/ (er, except for you Pat, yours is memorized)
Replies are screened.
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| From Twitterland |
[17 Jun 2009|10:02am] |
The other day a co-worker said something completely embarrassing and hilarious and unintentional that got me wondering the following, which I then posted to Twitter: Past tense of posting something on Twitter? Tweeted?
The results crack me up:
"Twittled"
"Twatted"
"I would have gone for twat, but they tell this has potential nasty connotations."
"Twote?"
"Twat"
"I'd need a ruling on whether "Twitter" is a regular or irregular -er verb. :-D"
"Twote."
"To Tweet: tweet, twat, twut. Looks like a regular English conjugation to me..."
"Tweeted! Although, I've always preferred to say I'm "twitting" on Twitter. It's just funnier."
"since it's derived from a name and not yet widespread, I say you could define it yourself. Also: xerox, google, kleenex"
"As a noun, I believe that "tweet" is the plural of "twoot.""
"That's a good question, anyway, we should invent if not !"
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[12 May 2009|01:58pm] |
Awesome quote on women in the games industry:
"I don't mean the industry needs more women that are appreciated because they can do what men do. It needs more women that are appreciated because they think in ways men don't do."
Sadly, I'm unsure to whom to attribute the quote. :(
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[12 May 2009|10:46am] |
Dear Week,
It's only Tuesday. Kindly stop sucking so hardcore.
Thanks bunches,
-me
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| I <3 my husband |
[08 May 2009|10:47am] |
I noticed that a complaint about the new Star Trek film (that Kurt will go see tomorrow) is that there's lens flare abuse. He replies with the following:
"Yeah, because, you know, when they camera crews flew out to Gamma Epsilon Four, and positioned themselves to get the shot of the Enterprise as it flew past the disabled Klingon Bird-Of-Prey, they just couldn't get all three of the trinary system's stars out of the frame... yeah, they just had to go with the lens flare and hope it looked ok in the end. /shrug"
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| Oh, and drinks too |
[19 Feb 2009|08:53am] |
| [ |
mood |
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 still hungry |
] |
Anyone have any favourite hang-out bars in San Francisco?
I've been told specifically to avoid dance clubs and that rock n' roll rules. Other than that, we're pretty open to discussion. Hobson's Choice comes to mind, but not being a drinker I don't know of anything fun out of my neighborhood. Part of me wants to suggest something in the Castro, because it's so very San Francisco, but I wouldn't know where is good.
Help?
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| Attn foodies (who know San Francisco) |
[19 Feb 2009|08:11am] |
| [ |
mood |
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hungry |
] |
Hey there,
Anyone have any really yummy restaurant recommendations for a friend of mine coming in to San Francisco from out of town? I'm thinking really tasty Chinese food, awesome sushi, or maybe something to die for in the Mission. Or anything else that might be sort of unique to SF and the SF atmosphere.
Darren, Poppy, I'm hoping you have ideas.
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