Since learning last week that I’ve been laid off from my job of the past 10 years, I’ve been feeling a bit anxious and unsettled. So imagine my relief when, this morning, just a few short days after uploading to CareerBuilder.com a copy of my résumé, I received the following email:
Hi Jon,
My name is Glenn [So-and-so] Managing Partner for [Nationally Known Life Insurance/Financial Services Company]. I recently reviewed your resume on CareerBuilder and your background would be a great fit for the Financial Services Representative position that we are looking to fill. I would like to set up a time with you to discuss career opportunities with our company in our [greater Boston area] office. I look forward to the opportunity to meet you soon!
Sincerely,
Glenn [So-and-so]”
As you can imagine, my excitement about this opportunity was overwhelming … to the point that I had difficulty remaining seated long enough to reply to Glenn’s inquiry as follows:
Dear Glenn,
Thanks for your note. Please allow me to begin by asking which of the following factors made you feel I’d be such a great fit for your Financial Services Representative position in the greater-Boston area: Was it my 16 years of publishing/journalism experience; my glaringly obvious, complete, and utter lack of a background in anything even remotely related to the financial-services field; or my explicitly expressed desire to obtain employment in the greater-Philadelphia area?
Whatever the case, I’m flattered you’ve initiated contact with me, and very excited about filling this position — particularly in light of the fact that it will give me an opportunity to start my career over at age 40 in a field about which I know absolutely nothing. After all, Glenn, life is an adventure, am I right?
As you no doubt have anticipated, landing a candidate who is as perfect a fit as me for your Financial Services Representative position will require some extra enticement. In an effort to expedite this process, I have included below a list of six requirements, all of which your company must agree to meet in order for me to consider joining your team:
1.) Explain to me what the fuck a Financial Services Representative is.
2.) Guarantee my placement in a corner office on a high floor with a water view, and a desk equipped with a ’50s-style intercom system.
3.) Hire for me a secretary named Miss Wilson, whom I will summon by announcing into my ’50s-style intercom system things like “Miss Wilson, I need you to take a memo” and “Miss Wilson, clear my schedule so that I may nap” and “Miss Wilson, please bring Glenn and I some refreshments while he explains to me what the fuck a Financial Services Representative is.”
4.) Buy me a pony. (IMPORTANT: Glenn, you are to personally deliver the pony to: Jenny Lawson, a.k.a. The Bloggess, a.k.a. The Czar of Nothingness, Martindale, Texas. This will all make sense when you get there. Maybe.)
5.) Move your greater-Boston-area office to the greater-Philadelphia area.
6.) Fire yourself and hire me someone who will actually seek out qualified candidates rather than spam people who recently have uploaded their résumés to CareerBuilder.com — résumés that you yourself clearly do not read.
Your immediate attention to the above-listed items is greatly appreciated, Glenn. I look forward to working with you during your termination period.
Sincerely,
Jon Zal
Financial Services Representative (Whatever The Fuck That Is)
Glenn’s Former Company
BostonPhiladelphia
If you thought this job offer seemed too good to be true, just wait till you read about the next one I received.
Well, he did seem pretty into you in that initial email. Maybe your demands will be met? 🙂
Good luck with the job hunt.
If The Bloggess gets a pony, I want a purple helicopter. Thanks!
.-= Dave´s last blog ..A day in your celebration =-.
You’re smarter than me. I hate to admit this, but I actually replied, went to the interview, took several hours worth of tests (mostly math, which I bombed the hell out of), and then was told I was qualified. Next step: I was supposed to go take all these certification tests and pay for them out of pocket. That’s when it dawned on me how dumb I really was.
.-= Clark Kent’s Lunchbox´s last blog ..Clark Gets Canned =-.
Those people are idiots if they don’t meet your demands. You totally undersold yourself.
.-= Jenny, Bloggess´s last blog ..UPDATED: Ghosts are assholes. Ebay’s not that far behind them. =-.
Haha. My girlfriend got a call from (possibly the same?) [nationally known insurance/financial services company] shortly after posting her resume on Monster.com and they wouldn’t even give her the job title of the position for which they were “very eager” to have her interview. Never mind that her background is in design engineering. She was equally frustrated by the whole thing and she is still searching for work. She didn’t, however, write them such a witty response, not even just to post it online for the amusement and snerk-itude of others.
Good luck with the job search.
Awesome. Makes me want to post my resume just for kicks.
.-= ToadMama´s last blog ..Dabbling =-.
Bahahaha! Reading this was the perfect way for me to start my Wednesday!
Good luck, and your demands sounds perfect. They would be idiots no to meet them!
You should totally include that letter you sent to your mortgage lender when you guys hash out the terms of your hire. That way, he’ll know he’s dealing with one savvy negotiator!
.-= BuenoBaby´s last blog ..What they pay me =-.
My guess is that you will not be receiving a call back from this place. Next time, try to be a smidge nicer.
.-= texassky´s last blog .. =-.
I really hope your resume touches on your brilliant use of sarcasm. Because that skill is totally underrated, and you are a MASTER. I bow before you.
Hey, can I borrow this letter? I could really use it right now. I’ve just been offered a job overseas, but I have to send money first. I think the demands will help offset the upfront money they require.
I’m a serial job searcher, and I can honestly say I’ve never received any viable response from either Monster or CareerBuilder. The best places are head-hunting agencies (and you should never have to pay) that specialize in your field.
One of the best places for your field is: https://www.coroflot.com/public/jobs_browse.asp Best of luck in the job search! Post a portfolio and give us a link 🙂
.-= Kernut´s last blog ..We Say ‘Dude’ In These Here Parts =-.
OMG…I am choking! You are freakin’ hysterical!!! Haven’t laughed this hard in a long time, and believe me I needed it! Thanks for making my day better! See ya in Philly!!!
On behalf of the job seekers of America, I thank you for saying what must of us want
to tell a recruiter, Especially one that is probably half our age!
.-= Meg at the Members Lounge´s last blog ..I Am a Goddess =-.
So does that mean you are not moving?
.-= Ferngoddess´s last blog ..The if question =-.
When I apply to Nationally Known, can I use you as a reference?
.-= beta dad´s last blog ..RTT: Things My Wife Hates =-.
You really should send the letter and see what you get in return.
.-= Jeff Brown´s last blog ..Love at first sight =-.
In regards to the first part of the list: I think you may be watching a wee bit too much “Mad Men.”
.-= Kate@And Then I Was a Mom´s last blog ..Finally, the reason why they no longer offer Anatomy 101 in high school. =-.
I used to get that same canned email! You gotta love the spammers on the job boards…
Hey…did Glenn reply? I think that guy offered me the same position. I was not savvy enough to make the minor requests you did, though. Funny…since I am not in that business and I live in WYOMING!
Good…or better…luck job hunting!
(and, could you give Glenn a chest bump for me when you interview. We’re old friends!)
Wait. So you got laid off and you’re moving to Philly? We should really talk more often.
Those people are worse than Columbia Records back in the 80’s. Remember how they wouldn’t leave you alone no FUCKING MATTER WHAT YOU SAID? Yeah, like that.
And I’m still pouting that you’re moving.
I just inhaled a chocolate covered pretzel through my nose while reading this. You were almost responsible for my death. Considering the crap week I’ve had, I’d appreciate even funnier stuff to finish my sorry ass off. You my friend should be writing books.
.-= Melanie AKA The Coupon Goddess´s last blog ..In Honor of National Feminine Protection Month =-.
Are you going to be a Southie when you move to Boston? You know, like Will Hunting?
Great demands… you would make a great terrorist. Ever thought about that as a career move?!?
Good luck with the job hunting!!! Found your blog via The Bloggess & I laughed OUT LOUD. Not alot of original funny stuff on the web & you are totally a funny chappy. Thanks for the laugh… p.s: Bloggess is also hilariously hilarious (just in case she might be everywhere).
I am also going through the dreary process of looking for a job – I was sacked after 7.5 years loyal service. Lesson: Never be loyal? And it’s f’n hard!!! While I have been looking for another full-time job to pay the bills, I rang a local radio station to offer working on a volunteer basis one day a week as a writer – AND F’N HELL… I want to f’n work for free & the first f’n thing she said was “I don’t have a voice for radio.” First of all, I didn’t say I wanted to be a f’n presenter! Secondly, what a way to make someone on the verge of sticking their face in a photocopy machine to end it all by copying their face until they no longer exist, feel like shit… cause lady, YOU MADE ME FEEL LIKE SHIT!! Hey, Lady – I WANT TO WORK FOR FREE… are you saying you don’t want people who want to WORK FOR FREE??????? Well lady, Witty Sam says You Should Be So F’n Lucky & Have Me cause I AM AWESOME… according to my friends on FB who have never met me but assume the best of me… not like you, you cold-hearted so&so.
Sorry, your blog did hit a nerve that feels like shit. And thank you for letting me get that off my chest. Phew… think I will take my meds now and tell my stuffed toys they will never amount to anything…
.-= Samantha Banfield – Witty Sam´s last blog ..Warning Danger Sign Prevents Office Workers from Breathing =-.
Classic! God, I hope you really did send that letter…
You bet your ass I sent it.
.-= Jon Zal´s last blog ..Man, this finding-a-new-job thing is going to be easier than I thought =-.
Most excellent letter. I’m a corporate exile myself with the insanity to have created my own business so I can be a volunteer! (And goof around with my kids a lot.) I think I’m going to send that letter to myself and see if I can meet my own demands. Stone massage Mondays at your local Candle Shop. Yeah, baby.
Thanks for the laugh.
Thank you. Just…thanks.
Ummm, this was HILARIOUS. You’ve just won me over as a regular reader my friend. Well played. Well. Played.
.-= Megan´s last blog ..Guess who’s back. Back again. Shindy’s back. Tell a friend. =-.
Your demands are quite reasonable, well except for #1. I think that’s obviously beyond what poor Glenn can deliver.
OMFG though this is the funniest shit I’ve read in a long time…well, ok, since the Bloggess’ battle with ebay…but, seriously my sides hurt.
I agree Tonya – this is extremely funny shit.
I love the Bloggess’ battle with Ebay – it’s also funny shit. It’s hard to say who has the funniest shit!! They are both the funniest shit I have read in a long time. We need as much funny shit as possible. It feels so free to say… well type “funny shit”… but I’ll stop now.
I came back to read it again… I am still laughing Jon Zal. Witty Sam salutes YOU!!!
.-= Samantha Banfield – Witty Sam´s last blog ..Twizla Twiz =-.