Resumes, cover letters

[CorbinFisher_BD]

OK, maybe I'm too old-fashioned. Or maybe it's just a sign of not only the times, but also of the industry we're in. And I don't mean the adult industry, but a technology-based industry.

But I've noticed over the course of the last few years while hiring new people that so many of the resumes I see are so poorly put together. The cover letters, most of all, are horrible as well. Most have typos or poor grammar, missing punctuation, or are just extremely short - as in "hey saw ur job post heres my resume thx call me".

Is it just because, being an internet-based business, we hire lots of tech-type people who are used to the informal nature of IMs, emails and forums/boards such as this one? Granted, a programmer should just be able to write code extremely well, not necessarily essays and cover letters.

But when I see a cover letter like that I just assume they raced through monster.com clicking on every posting they figured looked good, hoping a couple would result in a response, and didn't actually read or pay much attention to any.

Moreover, when I see resumes and cover letters like that I just can't help but think the person doesn't care enough about the job, or at the very least care enough about projecting and giving off this impression of thoughtfulness, thoroughness and responsibility. I think "slacker" and pass them by. A good cover letter grabs my attention more than their list of qualifications.

So... am I just outdated? Should I get over it? How about you guys? In jobs you've applied for in the past, did you stick to the traditional rules regarding resume format, cover letter format and so forth? I know when I applied for jobs I'd write individual cover letters for each application, specifically addressing what the posting asked for. I'd even modify resumes to specifically address that job (so my accomplishments or objectives would be specific to that job). If I applied for 50 jobs that day, I'd have written 50 cover letters and 50 resumes and put lots of effort in to each. Not just written "hey heres my resume" and hit "submit".

[Lazer]

I've tried both ways, and had infinitely more success when I spend time to make it more formal. You're right that electronic communication tends to be informal, so that when people send anything by email, they tend to be more informal as well, apparently under the impression that the paradigm has shifted.

However, you make a good point that if you care about a job, you will spend time to work on making a good resume and cover letter.

I don't think it's outdated. It just makes sense. $0.02

[Squirt]

I know when I applied for jobs I'd write individual cover letters for each application, specifically addressing what the posting asked for. I'd even modify resumes to specifically address that job (so my accomplishments or objectives would be specific to that job). If I applied for 50 jobs that day, I'd have written 50 cover letters and 50 resumes and put lots of effort in to each.

Same experience here

If you really want the job you taylor your resume for the position and submit an individual cover letter.

First impression is important and most times your impression is your cover letter and resume. This is just my experience/practice in the corporate world. I have a hunch the adult sector is a bit less formal in certain circumstances.

[gaybucks_chip]

OK, maybe I'm too old-fashioned. Or maybe it's just a sign of not only the times, but also of the industry we're in.

I don't think so. I've found pretty consistently that people with sloppy cover letters and/or resumes are generally sloppy in their work. I mean, if someone can't get it together to produce an error-free letter and resume when applying for a job, when they are supposed to be making the best possible impression, it's probably not someone we want to hire.

Yes, I probably rule out some people who might otherwise be qualified with that stance, but I've consistently found that we are pretty much wasting our time when we interview people who send sloppy, short, or unprofessional emails/resumes/letters.

The other thing that bugs me is when we put out a Craigslist ad that is very detailed and clear, and says that, although we're an adult company, we're no different than any other business, run a completely professional work environment, and expect the same... and then people persist in telling us about how they are a stripper, or an escort, or like to get nasty with this or that, or whatever... when the job they are applying for has NO BEARING on that sort of thing.

We almost blew off a graphic designer we were considering because he seemed more excited about where he could see our porn than about what we needed from him in terms of design.

I dunno. I think the workforce is, in general, a lot less committed, and probably less educated and competent than it was 20 years ago. But I'll be damned if I'll lower the standards of what we need in an employee because of it.

[basschick]

these are people on a computer who work on computers who can't be bothered to use spellcheck, and how much trouble is it to push a button in order to make a good impression on someone you hope will pay you? makes you wonder what else they won't bother to do if they get the job.

[Lee]

Resumes are SOOOoooo 1980's corporate.

Didnt you know that post count is the most important thing these days?

Regards,

Lee

[maxpower]

He who talks the loudest is most often heard $0.02

I don’t know about this stuff never created a resume in my life, but my guess is that I would read it a few times before printing it. That said I am sure I would not be the best at creating something like that, can you imagine how orderly an accountants resume would look? Well I would have to say I would be on the opposite end of that scale for sure. :pirate:

[basschick]

here's my question to you. if you were going for a job you REALLY wanted to get, wouldn't you use spellcheck on your cover letter or resume? in fact, i bet you would pm me or someone like me and ask us to go over it for you - and someone would.

that little bit of effort is more effort than the guys sending out these resumes and coverletters go through.

shoot, for $50 you can pay someone to make your resume. sure, that's the very low end of the resume spectrum but if you can use a search engine you can find someone to do this. it won't be a great resume but at least it won't actively suck.

He who talks the loudest is most often heard $0.02

I don’t know about this stuff never created a resume in my life, but my guess is that I would read it a few times before printing it. That said I am sure I would not be the best at creating something like that, can you imagine how orderly an accountants resume would look? Well I would have to say I would be on the opposite end of that scale for sure. :pirate:

[CorbinFisher_BD]

That's entirely right, Patti. Hell, with most word processing programs you not only have spellchecker, but you have resume templates and even cover letter templates that outline for you just how your resume should look and what it should cover.

Do a Google search online and you can find a million different sample resumes and cover letters and templates and format guides, all of which are so similar as to make it quite clear how a resume and cover letter should look.

[CorbinFisher_BD]

However, you make a good point that if you care about a job, you will spend time to work on making a good resume and cover letter.

That's the key. Obviously, finding a new job is a very important step and something that matters a great deal to the potential employee, as well as the company seeking to bring someone on board. So if someone just can't be bothered to care about putting effort in to the cover letter/resume, just how much do they actually care about the job?!

[CorbinFisher_BD]

If you really want the job you taylor your resume for the position and submit an individual cover letter.

Precisely!!!!

It seems hardly anyone does that anymore, though!

[maxpower]

here's my question to you. if you were going for a job you REALLY wanted to get, wouldn't you use spellcheck on your cover letter or resume? in fact, i bet you would pm me or someone like me and ask us to go over it for you - and someone would.

that little bit of effort is more effort than the guys sending out these resumes and coverletters go through.

shoot, for $50 you can pay someone to make your resume. sure, that's the very low end of the resume spectrum but if you can use a search engine you can find someone to do this. it won't be a great resume but at least it won't actively suck.

I am sure I would your right, this whole thing is weird to me though. How many gay porn companies really ask for a “real” resume now or ever, less that 30 for sure right?

Its hard for me to imagine the need for such skilled people to keep a dozen or less members sites going. I can see the photographers, and the site owner (many times now days they are the same person) needing to be on the higher end. But I am not sure playing Simon Says, deserves more than what 30,000 a year, and their resume skills would not be my biggest worry. I would care how long they where with their last job, and so forth. How much money they made before, if they where cute LOL, if they are house trained stuff like that

[CorbinFisher_BD]

I dunno. I think the workforce is, in general, a lot less committed, and probably less educated and competent than it was 20 years ago. But I'll be damned if I'll lower the standards of what we need in an employee because of it.

That's what I'm starting to fear as well.

I think the informal nature of the modern age has led a lot of people to underestimate the value of communication skills.

There was a stand up comedian who did a hilarious routine based on his having watched one of those Civil War documentaries where they voiced over excerpts from letters soldiers had written to loved ones back home. "My dearest Dahlila, oh how my heart strains with every day passing in which I'm not in your arms. This brutal war, sickens me so, and I fear I shall not ever return to our beloved home, at least as the innocent man I once was."

vs.

what a modern day letter from Iraq would sound like... "IT'S MUTHAFUCKIN HOT HERE! SHIT! WTF!?! GET ME OUTTA HERE B4 I FUCK SOME SHIT UP. ttyl kthx!!!!"

Reminds me of resumes/cover letters these days where people just don't appreciate the value of presentation in written communication.

It doesn't just bother me that someone sent in such a poorly written cover letter (if any at all). It bothers me that they felt there was no need to send a well-written one. That it didn't matter. That no one would care. That it wasn't necessary. That it needn't be done. How'd they get to thinking that?!

[CorbinFisher_BD]

I am sure I would your right, this whole thing is weird to me though. How many gay porn companies really ask for a “real” resume now or ever, less that 30 for sure right?

If they're not looking for real resumes they should perhaps rethink that. It's one thing to hire someone you already have an existing relationship with and know well, and thus are willing to bypass the formalities of resume submission. But when hiring new people you don't know and really bringing in someone from the outside, I can't imagine not asking for resumes.

Good writing should never be underestimated. I see countless paysites out there with poorly written copy full of typos, run-on sentences and heinously bad grammar and can't imagine ever signing up for one because it's obviously a half-ass operation. What does it convey to your users when the person responding to their e-mails can barely forumale a sentence? How about when you try and establish relationships with other webmasters?

People do appreciate the ability to write. Everytime I properly use a semicolon in the update writeups on our sites - I shit you not - I get at least a half dozen emails from people who comment on it and mention how refreshing it is to see a semicolon. .

Most of all, though, as an employer, what kind of impression do you receive from someone who can't write or express ideas in words? It goes far beyond simply conveying informality. It makes an impression on a broad scale.

[maxpower]

You guys really work in office building someplace with ties on, office plants, baseball teams, 401k, and all that? I would be worried about supporting all that on a web-site, even one as good as yours. Sometimes sites are more like TV shows or something, they can run really hot and cold. I would just hate to have to downsize, I did not really think their was enough money in this to grow so big. Gay Corporate Porn? :signhere: