informality in email
I am just amazed sometimes by the emails I get.
I realize that part of being in the blogging community and helping with a lot of sites, I may attract a bit more attention. But sometimes, people are so less-than-courteous and expect something without even trying to write what they want!?!?
Example - this is a comment I got today in reply to an old post.
HEY CAN U GUYS SEND ME A GBA SP BECAUSE ME OWN PARENTS WON’T BUY ME ONE. I AM DYING FOR ONE PLZ GIV ME ONE
Now who in their right mind would really leave that note on a personal site? Nobody that I know, at least. Not just that asking for the GBA is rude, but typing like that and such a low level of ettiquite in their English and typing skills.
Another example:
help! i love yr graphic but i dont know how 2 put it on my site! i downloaded it but i dont know what to do , there are too many stuff there...[snipped] thankx
Yes, maybe its the age thing - not old enough to know better? But when this person specifically went to my site and was looking for graphics, and downloaded a file with a README document in it that explained how to use it.
What set me off on this post? Techdirt:Emailed Resumes Need Work
... most people don’t know how to really find a job any more. They don’t work at it - and they just expect the jobs to find them. Another problem might be that they’re so used to the informal nature of email that, when they go prospecting for jobs online, they have a hard time shifting out of informal mode. While it may seem bizarre to many people to find out that people are sending "cover letter" emails that don’t include capitalization, it does seem like a good way to weed out applicants who clearly don’t know what’s appropriate in certain situations.
I did some hiring here and there for my job, and I have to say, people who don’t have enough sense and ettiquite to know not to send a cover page in typing like either of the above examples would go quickly into the NO pile.
[via techdirt]
Comments
Bingo, Kristine, how I understand you. What makes me crazy is sentences like this:
"your set is wrong, it is not working" or "I can’t get it work"
Without any word what actually is wrong or what is not working. Yesterday I got request with not working url, as usual I am taking my time to answer why I am not sending the set and got answer that person actually is not so interested in my sets, they are same as all over the net (why you request then?) and that it is suspicious to ask for url and e-mail address.
Posted by: Sandra | June 25, 2003 03:25 AM
I really don’t understand these people either. I don’t think they get the blogging thing. Maybe they’re from a foreign country, and don’t have access to the internet much? Or maybe it’s just weirdos trolling for someone to annoy? I don’t know. I sure wish they’d get a clue and stop though.
Posted by: Melissa | June 25, 2003 04:13 AM
okay....this is probably silly to ask, but what exactly is a gba?
Posted by: reb | June 25, 2003 06:20 AM
What gets me is that that I know my resume and my cover letter are top-notch. I spend hours getting them right. Customizing them for each job. And then it ends up in a pile with people who don’t know how to spell, yet I *still* don’t get a callback. Literacy is apparently an undervalued skill.
Posted by: Zuly | June 25, 2003 08:29 AM