Brief Episode

Breanne Potter over at the Brazen Careerist network has a gripe about job applicants who write “see resume” on forms:

On an application, never write the words “See Resume.” If I wanted to look at another piece of paper I wouldn’t have requested the information on the application. I may have a good reason for wanting the information written in your own handwriting (i.e. background check paperwork) or I may not (I’m crazy like that). Either way, if you want the job- when a recruiter says jump you say how high! The underlying impression I get if you act like filling out paperwork is a bother is that my efforts are not worth your time. I worked my bootie off for a star candidate, and I expect nothing less in return!

This is in her list of 15 things from inside the mind of a hard core recruiter.

I couldn’t disagree more. Here’s why:

• any recruiter who insists on the same information written in multiple spots in a job application above and beyond the resume is not working her “bootie off.”
• any recruiter who can’t flip to the resume with the answer probably isn’t smart enough to get great placements
• any recruiter who insists (or simply believes) that demonstrably working hard is highly important in the interview process is the kind of recruiter who probably doesn’t understand the kind of working culture where results are rewarded, regardless of face time for work
• any recruiter who disparages an applicant for filling out forms isn’t hungry enough to make it in sales

A real life story:

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I did contract work.  Registering with a recruiter is a tedious process.  I probably have dyscalculia but definitely am mathphobic and after taking my distribution requirements in college for math and doing well, I promised myself never to take another math test again.

At the recruiter’s office, they had a dumb test: spelling, filing, and math.  I did the spelling, the filing, and left the math questions blank.

The receptionist told me to fill out the math test.  I told her I wasn’t interested in any placements requiring math skills. She said I couldn’t meet with the recruiter until I’d filled out all the forms. The recruiter came out and asked what the problem was.

I told the recruiter that any job that requires I fill out a math test is a place I don’t want to work, and any recruiter that required I fill out the forms is a recruiter I don’t want to work with.

The recruiter looked at my resume, saw where I’d worked in New York (all Fortune 500 companies) and the kinds of skills I’d demonstrated and she decided that the dumb test was pretty dumb because she could place me right away.

And she did.

[Full disclosure: I identify as ENFP on the MBTI and Breanne identifies as ISTJ, for those who know or care about such things.]

[Images by SocialISBetter via Flickr under a Creative Commons License.]