Clueless Recruiters and HR Staffers

Rich Teer’s Blog: Recruiting firms that just don’t get it

Please send your resume as a word doc.

I run into this myself.  I am primarily an Linux guy, with some FreeBSD, NetBSD, and DragonflyBSD.  Of course I do work with Windows, but the tools are clunky, so I am trying to get away from it entirely.  I am even moving my home network (12 computers!) nearly completely to Linux.  So, no, I do not have Word installed and I am not willing to install it.

It is really an odd feeling to get these e-mails: Linux System Administrator wanted …. Please send your resume in Word .doc format.

If they really wanted a Linux guy, why ask for Word format?  Ask for OpenDocument Format or one of the older formats for OpenOffice.org, StarOffice, AbiWord, or KWord.  Even ask for Applix format.  Yes, I know, they use software to scan resumes for keywords, and the software only understands .doc format.  Since they seem to get it wrong 4 times out of 5 anyway, maybe they should trash the software and let a real person read the resumes and categorize them.

I work with the industry-standard LAMP and Java platforms, much more LAMP than Java.  Yet, I get frequent e-mail about ASP and ASP.Net openings.  My resume is clear: Linux (and BSD), Apache, MySQL (and PostgreSQL, Firebird, McKoi), Perl, PHP, and Python (with a little bit of Ruby, and REXX).  I have also spent the last two-plus years working sixty to eighty-four hours a week doing Windows support, so I’ve picked up a little VBScript and KiXtart for Windows adminstration and logins.

… You can’t blame ‘em for trying, but I think these people would be doing themselves and their clients a favour by actually reading the CVs/resumes they have on file, thereby increasing the odds that they’ll find someone qualified for the positions they’re trying to fill…

With that, I have to agree.  They should also read this.

technorati tags:job+hunting, ODF

Blogged with Flock