I wasn't bragging. I was telling the truth. Hiring managers use a lot of
tools to evaluate candidates. If a candidate can't read a job description
and use it to tailor a response, than no manager is going to take the time
to tease out that particular candidate's skills.

In the interest of brevity, I expect I was too brief. I posted a position
that clearly specified the types of writing expected of the position. (I
also listed other skills.) I asked for a writing sample. Any candidate who
couldn't put those two bits of information together does not have the
critical thinking skills necessary to be successful in that particular job.

Evaluating the appropriatness of a writing sample is a legitimate screening
tool and certainly not an attempt to play games with such a serious
undertaking. Job hunting is stressful for all involved and it would hardly
be professional for one to treat it otherwise.

Diane Gutenkauf

On Mon, 8 Sep 2003 17:33:32 -0400, Nicholas Burlakoff
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

...snip...

>The problem with the recent post, in which the author bragged how the
>"writing sample" was used to eliminate potential candidates, is that it had
>too much of a "gotcha" air about it. Stress interviews, and "gotcha"
>attitudes don't get you good employees all they get are employees that can
>survive in that particular culture.

...snip...

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