Stupid, stupid, stupid

[Adam Strange]

For the last two months, I’ve been doing some light telecommuting work while caring for my mother, who is severely afflicted by Multiple Sclerosis. We could get an in home attendant soon, so I am back on the job hunt. I went to JournalismJobs.com and applied for jobs within driving distance of home, mostly at small Pennsylvania papers.

I misspelled an editor’s name in a cover e-mail. He send me this snide reply that started with “Here is some professional advice” and telling me I don’t have the carefulness to work at his distinguished, rural, 20,000-circulation paper (He may have had a hang-up because his last name is kind of feminine).

I send him back an e-mail saying “Thank you for your professional advice. Now here is some personal advice, to get your point across there is no need to be a dick.” He sent me a reply which I deleted before I could read and be tempted to waste any more time on this.

I’m upset about it. I wanted to move onto other, less nerve-wrecking chores so I didn’t give these e-mails the care I should have. I’m fully aware that it was a stupid mistake and I wouldn’t have blamed the editor for simply sending my résumé to the trash bin. But one of my golden rules is that there is never any excuse for being a dick - even if you are some poor lifer at The Shitville Daily Cowfucker.

Still, I’m angry at myself for screwing up. It reinforces my insecurity that I am not fit for the rat race, working world and am never going to get myself out of here. Any advise, commiseration or similar stories would be appreciated.

[WeirdBrake]

I misspelled an editor’s name in a cover e-mail. He send me this snide reply that started with “Here is some professional advice” and telling me I don’t have the carefulness to work at his distinguished, rural, 20,000-circulation paper (He may have had a hang-up because his last name is kind of feminine).

I'm with you. No excuse for being a dick. OK, so you screwed up by spelling it Mr. Girlyflowers instead of the properly spelled Mr. Girliflowers. He could have simply sent you a polite rejection rather than going out of his way to be an asshole.

Still, I’m angry at myself for screwing up. It reinforces my insecurity that I am not fit for the rat race, working world and am never going to get myself out of here. Any advise, commiseration or similar stories would be appreciated.

Don't mindtrip yourself like this. That would be like saying, "I failed the bar on the first try, so I'm not cut out to be a lawyer." Bullcrap. Being human means screwing up sometimes and making careless mistakes. It doesn't say anything about your abilities. File this one under lesson learned, and move on.

[winneythepooh7]

Sorry that this happened to you. It would have probably been much easier for him NOT to reply then to reply the way he did. I don't really have too much advice, because I am not in that field. Jess? Shimmer?

[WeirdBrake]

Btw... good for you for sticking up for yourself in your email back to him! That shows assertiveness, and it's the people who lack assertiveness who aren't fit for the rough-n-tumble working world rat race.

[shimmer728]

What a loser! There is NO NEED for that attitude. Believe me, you wouldn't want to be working for this asshole anyway.

Out of curiosity--which newspaper was it? You can PM me if you wish.

Hang in there. Not everyone in the field is like this!

[Angyl]

I once sent out a mass amount of cover letters to papers for internships.

The one where i forgot to change the name of the editor did not even send me a rejection letter. People in this business are tight asses about being very very very accurate with your writing. Obviously, it indicates how much you read over your copy as a journalist. Although the guy was a total dick about it, it's considered professional suicide to do so. Sloppy writing is more or less unacceptable. I've seen editors see a misspelling and jsut toss out the guys stuff, even if he was a well qualified candidate.

I wo'nt even apply for a job at that paper. I know they'll remember me as the girl who could'nt even edit her own cover letter. So, his professional advice was sound, but he was a total dick about it.

My professional suicide story? I took a job at the paper I'm currently at, and got another offer two weeks later AFTER this job had totally shifted my location without even asking me. I was tempted to take the offer, but i told the editor the full situation, and he said, "Look, I wnat you to work at my paper, but you're young and you can't burn any bridges now. Turn your back on these guys and you'll never get a job at that company again." He was utterly totally right. I would have screwed up any chance of working at this company later in life had I shut the door on this job.

Do'nt sweat it. Make sure you triple read every single cover letter you send out, and move on. I got a job, so you should be able to too.

[shimmer728]

So, his professional advice was sound, but he was a total dick about it.

She's right. But his delivery was unacceptable.

[Adam Strange]

Thanks for the comments, everyone. I realize that the mistake was an application suicide and I don't blame him for canning my résumé. Still, there’s no need to be rude and I’m glad I stood up to him. At least this whole incident will remind me to be more careful when applying for other, more desirable jobs.

The paper was The Daily and Sunday Review in the stunning metropolis of Towanda, PA. You would think a paper that, in its very title contains the word daily and explains that it is not published everyday, would be a little more lenient to such errors and inconsistencies.

[winneythepooh7]

You made an honest mistake. Move on now, because that guy sounds like an ass. Some people are just annoying about this kind of stuff. On another message board I don't spend time on really anymore, some girl pissed me off because she kept telling me my grammar was off in a thread I was writing in on a message board. Maybe she was he ;).

[shimmer728]

Thanks for the comments, everyone. I realize that the mistake was an application suicide and I don't blame him for canning my résumé. Still, there’s no need to be rude and I’m glad I stood up to him. At least this whole incident will remind me to be more careful when applying for other, more desirable jobs.

The paper was The Daily and Sunday Review in the stunning metropolis of Towanda, PA. You would think a paper that, in its very title contains the word daily and explains that it is not published everyday, would be a little more lenient to such errors and inconsistencies.

I actually know someone who used to work there. I don't think they're exactly known for any kind of ground-breaking journalism anyway.

[Adam Strange]

I don't think they're exactly known for any kind of ground-breaking journalism anyway.

No, not really. Right now I'm just shooting arrows and hoping one of them will stick.

[yankeeyosh]

Hey, I know where Towanda is...

I'm glad you stood up. Most people would be afraid...I know I would. Normally, I would think that that this attitude would be reserved for New York corporate types...not some jerk in a small town who thinks he's holier than thou and that you suck. I mean, I've made plenty of little mistakes on cover letters in the past, and never has anyone criticized me for it (of course, I usually didn't get any response). But that's besides the point. Good luck in your search...if you're not too far from Binghamton, try the Press & Sun-Bulletin...I think I've heard some good things about it (I'm not a journalist, so I really don't know...).