Derek over at ardent dev had some things to say about following instructions to get a job.  And people lambasted him for it.  Serious?

Having hired a person or two in my career, and been through some…interesting…interviews, I’m with Derek.  Follow the damn directions.  If I want your resume emailed to me, email it.  If I want it delivered by mail, do that.  If I want it delivered by carrier pigeon, you better fucking do it or I’m not reading it, and if I do actually read it, I’m already pissed at you for not doing it right, and I’m going to be hyper-critical of your resume.  If you can’t follow simple directions you’re not likely to get a technical job.  Sorry kid.  Hell even the Fryolater needs to be operated a certain way.

Further, listed requirements, while somewhat pliable usually, are not ignoreable.  If I want 2 years of .net experience, don’t come to me talking about all the perl you’ve been doing.  You could maybe sell me on how you’ve been doing Java, and the similarities that would make it a snap to make the switch, and I might buy that enough to interview you, but let’s get it in the ballpark.  Don’t apply for a software job if the only things on your resume are HTML and JavaScript.  Sorry man, I’ve been there, and you ain’t a programmer yet.  Come see me when you are.

Really, the point is, a lot of the impression is made before you are even interviewed.  Back to Derek’s post, if he wants an email, it’s for a reason.  Whatever it is.  Me?  I want email because it’s easy, I have a fail-safe way to contact you, and I can read it at my leisure.  I don’t take phone calls, so don’t even dare.  And if I get an unprompted phone call from you, you will be put into voice mail, and you will not be called back.  If you send a fax…I’m going to wonder if you are really all that technology-adept.  I hate faxes.  Why?  I can’t hit reply and tell you to come for an interview.  I’m busy.  Much like I don’t take phone calls, I don’t make them either.  I dont’ even call my mom.  Email me.  And I swear on a stack of bibles if someone were ever to just show up, resume in hand, as happened to Derek, I would shred the resume in front of him and laugh him out of the office.  I’m a cruel bastard.

To the college kid in Derek’s comments:  Everything they are telling you in college about how to get a job is bullshit.  Sorry.  You’ve been paying for cow-patties.  Nobody wants you to show up in person in a professional setting.  We’re all busy.  Even those out there that aren’t as people-averse as I don’t want you to show up.  You aren’t on the schedule.  Same with phone calls.  You will be gate-keepered.  Email is about the only thing that MAY get you in the door, because it’s non-intrusive and non-urgent.  And by the way, you should be networking for job contacts anyway.  That is what they need to be teaching you in college.

Heather?  Care to comment from the recruiter point of view?

(I’ve been under the gun lately, but I’m back, and as you can see, full of bile.)