[wellylug] TradeMe Linux jobs

Cliff Pratt enkidu at cliffp.com
Sun Jun 29 16:04:24 NZST 2008


Bruce Hoult wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 2:58 PM, Pete Black <pete at marchingcubes.com> wrote:
>> Can someone explain why using Word displays lack of clue?
> 
> Using Word yourself is a perfectly fine thing to do. It's an excellent
> piece of software (especially if you don't run it on Windows).
> 
> Using it to distribute finished (not collaborative) documents to
> others shows lack of clue, for all sorts of reasons:
> 
> - it requires the other to have proprietary software, capable of
> reading a secret document format.
>
Since 99% of them have software that can read it, what's the problem?
 >
> - even if they have Word themselves, it is entirely likely that your
> careful formatting and choice of fonts will be destroyed.
>
Personally I don't care what they do with the format - I gave it to them 
in a format that I think is good, but I wouldn't argue that it is the 
best or that they shouldn't change the format.
 >
> - there is no reason for someone else to have an (easily) editable
> copy of your document, especially a CV.  If they think, for example,
> that it would be better for it to be customized for a particular job
> application (which of course it should be) then they should
> communicate the ways in which it should be modified to *you*, not take
> it upon themselves to butcher it.
>
In general they will tell you if the format is wrong. Personally I've 
seen a lot of CVs and each agency has a 'house style'. I've no problem 
with them translating the document into a house style. If I get three 
CVs from the same company and they all looked different, I'd wonder 
about the agency that was supplying the CVs.

What's the problem with people changing your documents anyway? They're 
not works of art - they are just a communications medium.

Cheers,

Cliff



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