Tuesday, November 10, 2009

How (NOT) To Proofread a Job Posting

In the same week that the unemployment rate marched past ten percent (for the first time since 1983), yet another employer looking to pluck one of the poor, out-of-work saps from the ever-expanding abyss of unemployment made a copy mistake in its online job posting. The company in question spelled its own name wrong. Dumbasses!

This time, as you can see highlighted in the above screen shot, the culprit is Howcast Media, Inc. Not Howcast "Meida," as the company might have you believe in its job posting on Mandy.com. Howcast is a relatively new Internet company that traffics in how-to videos.

Interestingly, Howcast has a section of its site dedicated to counseling people on how to accomplish various career-related activities. The eternally kind folks at Howcast even have a video that shows people (evidently new to the planet) how to write a résumé.

Behold step nine of Howcast's very own "How To Write a Résumé" video:

If that's a little small for you (click on the screen shot to enlarge), Howcast's advice is, "Spell-check your work." Oh, Howcast. If only you how-to clowns would practice what you preach.

Job-seekers, the Proofreader is going to do a little Howcast impression for a second here by telling you how to apply for this job, but without the nifty video (the Proofreader works on a bare bones budget, okay).

Follow Howcast's advice and not its example when applying for this job. That's right, please make sure your own name is spelled correctly on your résumé. You cannot afford to make silly blunders like this. Not in this job market, damnit! Thank you.

3 comments:

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Kath Lockett said...

Um, J Alfred? Sweetie?

You've made a mistake in your very first sentence: "In the same week that the unemployment rate marched *passed* ten percent..."

The correct word is 'past'.

J. Alfred Proofreader said...

@Kath Lockett: Right you are. Thanks for noticing. One thing the Proofreader lacks is a proofreader. Want the job? It doesn't necessarily pay well, but...

Below is a link for anyone who gets confused on passed/past.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/passed.html

@yashiro: Thanks for the spam.