At 23:58 11/05/98 PDT, you wrote:
>Spelling is interesting.

[SNIP]

>THAT said, there are certain documents that you should NOT contain
>significant spelling or grammer errors, regardless of your nationality,
>native language, or how many times it takes you to get it right.  One of
>those documents is your resume.  I wouldn't necessarilly diss a resume that
>had the right skills on it but had gratuituous spelling errors, but the
>people who feel that way are NOT the people who do the initial screening of
>resumes in any company of reasonable size.

Quite right.

I knew a Personnel Officer who bragged that he could (and did) process CV's
(that's what we call them) in 30 seconds from the first page alone.

Personally, any that come across my desk are read from cover to cover,
except those in garish ink or with pretty backgrounds (they are relevant
though for people applying for jobs as graphic artists etc). I don't much
care about the spelling, presentation is important (to me) but not the "be
all and end all".

For a permanent employee there are three basic questions:

1) Can they do the job?
2) Will they agree to do the job? (due to pay for example)
3) Will they fit in? (Company culture)

For a contract employee there are three basic questions:

1) Can they do the job?
2) How much do they cost? (Can we afford them)
3) When are they available? (We need them!)

In a nutshell, that is *IT* !

The first 30 seconds of the interview also count for a lot. Notwithstanding
the above questions in each case I have personally employed contractors
whom I detest, who have perhaps, questionable, hygienic standards, but who
nevertheless can provide the service required by the company at an
acceptable cost, and at an acceptable timescale. You don't need to *like*
people necessarily. It helps, and you would probably choose the more
likeable candidates from others.

I once worked for a company where the MD (CEO) detested the Technical
Director (and it was mutual) however they could agree (without saying so)
to work together. That is to say until the TD caused sufficient ructions
that I was called in to solve the customer's problem. I went on holiday for
a week (and due to my known aversion to unknown events was informed by the
MD to "expect changes" upon my return! They bundled him into a taxi and
kicked him out!)

(Still I got some work (still ongoing) with his new company that he set up
in competition!)

Regards

Adrian

WWW    WWW   Adrian Gothard
WWW WW WWW   White Horse Design
WWWWWWWWWW   +44-385-970009 (Mobile/SMS), +44-118-962-8913/4 (voice/fax)
WWWW  WWWW   whd@zetnet.co.uk, http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/whd
---
Developers of GPS satellite-based tracking systems