Job spec written by a monkey
Author
Discussion

superhans88

Original Poster:

183 posts

204 months

Monday 11th June 2012
quotequote all
I'll be attending an interview this week for a summer placement at a medium sized engineeirng company. The selection process was done by an external HR organisation (contractor?) and I was fortunate enough to be shortlisted. In the interview, I'll be expected to have some idea about what the job entails but the specification issued to me is - not to put too fine a point on it - fking woeful. Its only one page but riddled with spelling mistakes, shocking grammar, zero punctuation and acronyms everywhere without an original definition. Its actually extremely difficult to fathom what the job is about.

My question is, to what extent should I bring this up in the interview? I'm actually having second thoughts about going based on this one document but I guess it was written by some HR numpty and not from the company itself. I don't want to loose the job because of an attempt to grill the interviewer, but at the same time I want to express that this is a completely unprofessional standard and shows a contempt for the applicant. Whatever I do, I'll be taking it with me!

Cheers.

davepoth

29,395 posts

228 months

Monday 11th June 2012
quotequote all
The person who is interviewing you might have written it, so probably best to be gentle.

ClaphamGT3

12,223 posts

272 months

Monday 11th June 2012
quotequote all
Given that your house is made of glass, I wouldn't throw stones......

Cyder

7,186 posts

249 months

Monday 11th June 2012
quotequote all
The irony of moaning about spelling, grammar and punctuation and then buggering it up royally yourself is not lost on me! hehe

Slightly more helpfully, why not contact said company or recruiter and ask for more information on the role? It's got to show keenness on your behalf and can't do any harm.

Hilts

4,684 posts

311 months

Monday 11th June 2012
quotequote all
superhans88 said:
I'll be attending an interview this week for a summer placement at a medium sized engineeirng company. The selection process was done by an external HR organisation (contractor?) and I was fortunate enough to be shortlisted. In the interview, I'll be expected to have some idea about what the job entails but the specification issued to me is - not to put too fine a point on it - fking woeful. Its only one page but riddled with spelling mistakes, shocking grammar, zero punctuation and acronyms everywhere without an original definition. Its actually extremely difficult to fathom what the job is about.

My question is, to what extent should I bring this up in the interview? I'm actually having second thoughts about going based on this one document but I guess it was written by some HR numpty and not from the company itself. I don't want to loose the job because of an attempt to grill the interviewer, but at the same time I want to express that this is a completely unprofessional standard and shows a contempt for the applicant. Whatever I do, I'll be taking it with me!

Cheers.
Keep schtum, you don't want to risk loosing the job.

ClaphamGT3

12,223 posts

272 months

Monday 11th June 2012
quotequote all
Hilts said:
superhans88 said:
I'll be attending an interview this week for a summer placement at a medium sized engineeirng company. The selection process was done by an external HR organisation (contractor?) and I was fortunate enough to be shortlisted. In the interview, I'll be expected to have some idea about what the job entails but the specification issued to me is - not to put too fine a point on it - fking woeful. Its only one page but riddled with spelling mistakes, shocking grammar, zero punctuation and acronyms everywhere without an original definition. Its actually extremely difficult to fathom what the job is about.

My question is, to what extent should I bring this up in the interview? I'm actually having second thoughts about going based on this one document but I guess it was written by some HR numpty and not from the company itself. I don't want to loose the job because of an attempt to grill the interviewer, but at the same time I want to express that this is a completely unprofessional standard and shows a contempt for the applicant. Whatever I do, I'll be taking it with me!

Cheers.
Keep schtum, you don't want to risk loosing the job.
I have visions of this savage, renegade job tearing out of control round the office

iphonedyou

10,406 posts

186 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
ClaphamGT3 said:
I have visions of this savage, renegade job tearing out of control round the office
rofl

'Loosing' - I mean, jesus. I can never understand that one. Do people make this mistake out loud, too? I can't imagine how.

Flip Martian

23,683 posts

219 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
1 major typo generates so much hilarity. Christ...

rog007

5,828 posts

253 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
Get the job and then rewrite the job spec; your successor will be grateful. Good luck!

Soovy

35,829 posts

300 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
superhans88 said:
engineeirng
superhans ironically said:
the specification issued to me is.............. riddled with spelling mistakes
rofl

Hilts

4,684 posts

311 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
iphonedyou said:
rofl

'Loosing' - I mean, jesus. I can never understand that one. Do people make this mistake out loud, too? I can't imagine how.
It was a joke, cabrón, that's why that little yellow laughing thing was on the post.

At least I think it was a joke, by some kind of internet forum osmosis I probably no longer know when to use lose/loose.

Hilts

4,684 posts

311 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
ClaphamGT3 said:
Hilts said:
superhans88 said:
I'll be attending an interview this week for a summer placement at a medium sized engineeirng company. The selection process was done by an external HR organisation (contractor?) and I was fortunate enough to be shortlisted. In the interview, I'll be expected to have some idea about what the job entails but the specification issued to me is - not to put too fine a point on it - fking woeful. Its only one page but riddled with spelling mistakes, shocking grammar, zero punctuation and acronyms everywhere without an original definition. Its actually extremely difficult to fathom what the job is about.

My question is, to what extent should I bring this up in the interview? I'm actually having second thoughts about going based on this one document but I guess it was written by some HR numpty and not from the company itself. I don't want to loose the job because of an attempt to grill the interviewer, but at the same time I want to express that this is a completely unprofessional standard and shows a contempt for the applicant. Whatever I do, I'll be taking it with me!

Cheers.
Keep schtum, you don't want to risk loosing the job.
I have visions of this savage, renegade job tearing out of control round the office
biggrin

K12beano

20,854 posts

304 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
rog007 said:
Get the job and then rewrite the job spec; your successor will be grateful. Good luck!
This!


I think I may be able to help you in many ways:

blah
blah
blah
...and last, but not least, I'd be pleased to assist in updating the job specification for the role as part of the process.




(How many candidates have offered you all this???)