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I've gone temporarily insane! My one page yet unsent "writing sample" inserted here!

 
 
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:41 pm
Quote:
I am writing to you in regards to your recent New York Foundation for the Arts Job in the Arts board posting of your Portfolio Assistant (1.) position. According to the unnecessarily convoluted requirements for applying to your job posting, the text of this document will include a single page’s (2.) worth of generic brand “writing sample.” (3.) Though to be fair, the description you or your intern had posted to the respected job board site doesn’t radiate the need for having a creative writer in your brood. Alas, I will throw you the proverbial bone and finish out this page on a rare lark.

In this writing sample, I will explicate how I cannot truly remember what my SAT and ACT scores were since I had taken them in 1989. I will “speculmember,” ™ (a hybrid word indicating speculative guess and remember) that I had earned an average score of 1100 on the SAT. As for my ACT score? I will deliberately stand by a clearly wrong yet patriotic answer of 1776. (4.)

I am a recent graduate of Baruch College where I graduated in 2008 (if 2008 can be determined as recent) with a bachelor’s degree in history. While obtaining that degree, I also earned a minor in art history.

So, what other hoops do you want your perspective employees to jump through? Of course! You need to know my college course load. Of course, like many college students fighting to gain their liberal arts degree, I courageously inflicted myself with the typical introductory courses to math and literature. I had taken both an introductory biology and an introductory physics course as well. Being that Baruch College is the respected business branch of the CUNY system, the obligatory introductory business course was a necessary yet anticlimactic class forced on all the school’s students.

In conclusion, the text you just have read or didn’t read is my single page “writing sample.” Please feel free to recycle the paper you printed this intellectual fragment on.

(Footnotes)
1. Posting such a decidedly practical nonartistic job in a Job in the ARTS board! How ironically delicious! What a bold fishing job! I salute you guys!
2. I do love footnotes, given that they eat into a lot of space in your vague one page requirement.*
3. With the lack of strategic “writing sample” architectural constraints, I am frustrated on the notion of what font, font size, and margin restrictions to utilize for this contractual assignment. I will thusly use the stereotypical retroesque Times New Roman in 12 font size to appeal to the hipster in every human resource director/intern who might read this drivel. Using a higher than 12 font size would be highly unethical, perhaps even illegal in some states so I will refrain from such extravagence. I will also use the UN recognized 1 inch borders on the east and west fronts of this one page battlefield.**
4. Most people would have included a prime number in this spot as prime numbers seem to be the major trending thing these days (EX. #primenumbersrule craze). However classic standby composite numbers truly get the crowd roaring for more.
* An endnote to a footnote? I am such a writing pioneer!! I really do love footnotes! ‘Gotta’ love David Foster Wallace for his passion in inserting footnotes into his works of metafiction.
** Had to experiment with the two column format. It just bloody looks neat!+
+An irrelevant endnote on an endnote on page formatting! I’m such a creative rebel! So to amend my one page writing sample, I must confess a crime has taken place! I forgot to add anecdotal evidence to prove to you that I am familiar with “Adobe” software. Since your job posting is quite vague and doesn’t explicitly stating experience with Adobe Photoshop or Reader, I can state I am familiar with using products. I have read countless PDF files.


This whole process was hardly cathartic! I haven't sent it off though the proverbial devil sitting on my shoulder still insists I should. Just to teach that human resource intern who wrote that job posting and requirements a bloody lesson. I was going to send it off with full intentions of snarking my way at this goofy and unnecessarily convoluted human resource based waltz to get my resume simply looked at. But I backed off of course.

DISCUSS!!


 
DrewDad
 
  2  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:45 pm
@tsarstepan,
A "hybrid word" is a portmanteau.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau

Snarky is definitely a way to go, but it is unlikely to endear you to the hiring manager.
jespah
 
  3  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:45 pm
There are many absurd job postings and equally absurd job boards out there. I know of one such board which requires some sort of "supporting document" beyond the resume and cover letter. So I wrote on a word doc the word "supporting", saved it and uploaded it. Then I was able to complete my application.
0 Replies
 
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:49 pm
@DrewDad,
DrewDad wrote:

A "hybrid word" is a portmanteau.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau

Snarky is definitely a way to go, but it is unlikely to endear you to the hiring manager.

It's a bigwig finance company. I'm sure I don't qualify even if I wrote a sample reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway quality.
jespah
 
  2  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:51 pm
@tsarstepan,
Then send off some Hemingway!

Let's see if they recognize The Old Man and the Sea.
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:55 pm
@jespah,
Laughing
0 Replies
 
DrewDad
 
  2  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:56 pm
@tsarstepan,
It was the best of writing samples; it was the worst of writing samples....
0 Replies
 
chai2
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 02:57 pm
@tsarstepan,
Sure, send it if you don't mind shooting yourself in the foot.
0 Replies
 
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:00 pm
Quote:
Admin - Portfolio Assistant
EIFC
(New York NY)

[email protected]

We are a marketing and software firm dedicated to providing online and financial solutions to students and schools around the world. Our business, founded by two entrepreneurs who built their first venture into a $300 million publicly traded company, is currently growing at over 200% per year. The unparalleled momentum and efficiencies introduced by our company have reset the standards in our industry.
We are looking for bright, motivated recent college graduates with excellent office and administrative experience to join us as a full-time Portfolio Assistant.
The role is a dynamic one, with a number of responsibilities that are crucial to the effective operation of our quickly growing business:
- Maintaining outgoing and income mail and email
- Managing email communication with customers
- Scanning documentation and updating internal transaction logs
- Procurement and tracking of office and transaction related purchases
- Maintaining an accurate log of transaction activities within the office
- Research and operational analytics
- Special projects as assigned
We seek team members who are energetic, creative and excited to work within a fast-paced entrepreneurial organization. Experience with Microsoft Office and Adobe are required.
Please include your resume with specific details about educational background (a Bachelor’s Degree is required), coursework, and standardized exam scores, as well as a 1-page writing sample. Any submissions that lack these details will not be considered.
We offer very competitive pay and full health benefits for full time hourly or salaried employees
Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions about the role.

The job posting verbatim.

http://www.nyfa.org/opp_detail.asp?type=Job&id=94&fid=1&sid=54&oppid=39139 Copy and paste the url into your browser's address bar. Putting on BBCode url tags just diverts you to the site's front page.
0 Replies
 
Ceili
 
  2  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:08 pm
I'd send it. They don't seem like the kind of people I'd want to work with if they don't get the joke.
Good luck.
chai2
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:13 pm
@Ceili,
Thing is, you don't know who they know.

Everything is interconnected, and it could come back to bite him in the ass.

I wouldn't.
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:16 pm
@chai2,
That's why I didn't send it. Though that would be by definition, cathartic.

What a pisser! ((sigh))
chai2
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:18 pm
@tsarstepan,
smart man
0 Replies
 
Ceili
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:21 pm
@chai2,
I highly doubt that the HR person will hold a personal vendetta. If they don't like it, they'll toss it. Or hand it around cause they like his moxy and then you never know what could happen.
How many times have you heard of a person getting a job because they showed a sense of humour or did something that stood out from the crowd because they showed some bravery. Hell, the reason you hear about it is, cause it's normally publicized.
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:28 pm
@Ceili,
Scoring a job? Good. Scoring a job by running a lark? Fine by me. Being locally or nationally publicized? Terrifies me to the bone. Embarrassed
Ceili
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 03:32 pm
@tsarstepan,
I get that. I was once on the national news. It was St. Paddy's day. I made a joke.. My parents got calls from across the country. I laughed it off, they couldn't believe I didn't use the opportunity to set the record straight, long story. Took a while to live it down.. lol
0 Replies
 
chai2
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 04:33 pm
@Ceili,
Ceili wrote:

I highly doubt that the HR person will hold a personal vendetta. If they don't like it, they'll toss it. Or hand it around cause they like his moxy and then you never know what could happen.
How many times have you heard of a person getting a job because they showed a sense of humour or did something that stood out from the crowd because they showed some bravery. Hell, the reason you hear about it is, cause it's normally publicized.


No no, I'm not saying a personal vendetta.

But varies careers, i.e. medical, the arts, marketing etc are microcosms. Someone in one industry talks to someone in the same industry, even in casual coversation, and names come up, stories are told. You may not know someone, but you know of someone who knows of someone, etc.

I'm temping this week at a local florists, taking orders (I'm tying between taking orders right now) Yesterday someone called from to send flowers to a company that the name sounded very close, if it wasn't the same of a place where a particular woman works in a high position, that I happen to know some really juicy dirt about (involving some unsavory business activities). She's got an unusual name. While talking to the person giving the order I asked her "do you know XXX?" No one in the world would have any reason to believe I knew of this woman. I investigated her independantly because she was involved with another business person I know, who would never know I knew about his private relationships. and so on, and so on...

There was this silence, then she said "why....yes.....I do....(then she said) but I think she works at (names the place where I know she used to work at before). I know that's not true, I know of the legal problems that company got into because of her....and much more.
This person doesn't know I exist, but I know lots about her. If I was working somewhere and I found out we were thinking of doing business w/ her, my information was be very helpful.
So, it doesn't have to be personal....there's just wacky ways things get around.

People sometimes do get good attention for the reasons you mentioned. Other times they are viewed as flippant, and not someone they'd want to spend a good part of their day with.
Personally, if it was my business looking for someone, and those were the parameters I wanted to use to find someone, I'd be pissed that someone felt needed to insult my methods.
What if tsar sees another job at the same company later, and he's remembered as that person?

No offense to tsar, probably it's because I'm dog tired, but I didn't find his letter funny at all. I was confused by it, and found it hard to follow. At points I thought "he's kidding" then I wouldn't be quite so sure. Actually I know it's because I'm literally nodding out a little here.
0 Replies
 
ossobuco
 
  2  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 06:03 pm
@tsarstepan,
I'd hire you in a split minute, given such a sense of humor and hubris, but I am not likely to find myself in such a Human Resource position.

Well, I was, a time or two in a couple of careers, sans that title. And, on my last job, where business partner and I did all the work and were never hiring, we got a seemingly endless supply of hopeful letters and phone calls by people wanting to work for us. We read the letters, answered the phone calls - since, after all, we'd both looked for work in our pasts. We'd have enjoyed a one page submission like yours.
0 Replies
 
chai2
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 May, 2012 08:17 pm
ummmm....I just read my post, after getting home.

extreme apologies, I was REALLY exhausted, sheesh, more errors than usual in that one.

actually, going to bed now, yawn.
0 Replies
 
Roberta
 
  2  
Reply Sun 13 May, 2012 12:38 pm
Even if they appreciate your sense of humor and your nerve for sending in such a response, they won't hire you. Why? One of your responsibilities would be handling e-mail correspondence with customers. How could they trust you to handle this when you sent them such an outrageous letter of application?

 

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