Bad Handwriting is detrimental to your Job Application

A good job application letter and a good resume will get you an interview.

I was reading an article in mingpaonews.com regarding how fucked up university students are in terms of penning their job application letters (or how bad they are in modifying sample job app letters for their own use). In it there is a principal from some school who criticizes some applicants betrayed their poor penmanship by signing like a child. Apparently she is the boss, she can do anything she wants. Good thing I don't have to work for such anal-retentive person. I really think typewriter, keyboard and laser printer are the best inventions for people who has no or poor penmanship. Gosh, I think all her teachers probably write like those scripts in Hallmark cards.

Then the article goes on to say some applicants can't distinguish the use of "Yours Faithfully" and "Yours Sincerely." First, I don't think I would capitalize the second word (that could be the reporters' fault). All I know is I try to avoid using "faithfully" at all cost, it just sounds very anal-retentive but now I know why I didn't get no interviews, because most bosses are anal-retentive and they think they are the overlords and "sincerely" is never good enough for them. I think the usage is very much regional (and dare I say dated) as here I don't think people are so hung up on insisting people to be faithful. Here most employees are hired "at will," meaning no contract and employees can walk out anytime they want. If faithful is important to them, use faithful and just play by the rule. Because the goal is to score an interview, have some face time with your potential overlord.

One of the good things about job application here is you never ever have to send in any head shot unless you are applying for a model or something (that again explains why I didn't get no interview in Hong Kong). At least you are given a chance to meet your overlord purely based on your writing and your credential not your look. Of course, if your address is in some so called "estate" in some seedy neighborhood, that may turn off your potential employers too, you never know. Maybe it's a good idea to leave out the address, so they can't judge your upbringing, not that you are ashamed of it, you just want a level playing field. I don't know how acceptable it's that in the Hong Kong employment market. Maybe just leave it in, full disclosure, if they don't like it, fuck it, find another employer who can appreciate how far you came instead of where you came from.

Do applicants really wear scent to interviews? I say fuck it, leave your perfume, cologne, toilette or whatever fancy concoction you have at home or wear it when you go out on a date. Don't distract your interviewer.