The never-ending testing of our skills

Regardless of how much experience an editor has, he will usually be required to take an editing test when applying for a job. It's insulting, among other things, in that it effectively dismisses all previous experience.

And what's even worse than being tested is being tested twice.

I sent an email to BARE Intl., a company for which I did some freelance editing in the past. BARE sends out mystery shoppers for its clients, and the shoppers submit reports that are edited before submission to client companies.

Here's part of the response I received:

My records indicate that you have not edited for BARE since January 2010. Based on that fact, I would be happy to process your request to be re-instated as a freelance editor to take on editing assignments (when the next one becomes available), but I would need the following documentation from you first:

1) a copy of your most recent resume [Apparently the resume that BARE has that summarizes 27 years of editing experience won't suffice.]
2) a completed skills demonstration test [I already passed the test.]
3) a signed Independent Contractor Agreement [BARE has my signed agreement on hand.]

I have many lines in the sand that I will never cross. Double-testing is one of them.

The cheap bastards at Journatic.com

Journatic.com is running ads for a variety of virtual editorial positions, including for FT copy editors at $12/hour with no benefits, and for a FT Assistant Print Manager. I responded to the latter ad as follows:

$30K/year with the specified requirements, full-time and no benefits?

You asked for a graph about my favorite movie character. It's your company, aka Scrooge.

Shame on you for undervaluing and exploiting the editing profession to the extreme.

This title writer deserves a raise and a promotion.

"Company you've never heard of acquires copy and paste clipboard-molesting jerks to create an even bigger pile of shit" (from BoingBoing.net, 1/25/12)

Impassable

I tried to apply online for an editor position today.

After uploading my resume and filling in a host of boxes, I was prompted to create a password in order to establish my account—in my view a totally unnecessary but nearly universal requirement for online applications.

Despite my repeated attempts to create an acceptable password—upper/lowercase, length, use of numbers and special characters—every password I typed was rejected.

I wonder if the website got beyond alpha testing. That employer will be underwhelmed by the number of applications.

Firewall

I got an emailed job rejection today from Deloitte. It came from hr-dtt@invalidemail.com.

I guess Deloitte got tired of the "fuck you" responses.

Commakaze

I just finished a temp assignment on a government proposal submitted by an IT company.

A bizarre, never-seen-before error that I had to fix repeatedly in the proposal was that one writer placed a comma before and after "as well as."

Bound and gagged

I've got a short-term temp editing assignment to do proposal editing for a government contractor.

Before starting I had to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

When I arrived I was given a visitor pass and swipe card to use when entering and going from one floor to another. I have to wear them on a lanyard around my neck.

Junior Copywriter Needed in Fairfax County!

If Seinfeld's Mr. Lippman saw that Craigslist post, he'd say, "Get rid of the exclamation point. Just sayin'.

Also spotted in the post:

If so, this job is for you!

Must be positive, optimistic, and enthusiastic!!

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please send your resume to the email address above and reference "Junior Copywriter" in your subject line!

Yahoo! needs a copy editor

In a story about the Saints win over Detroit:

“We were pulling out all the stops,” Brees said. “We play aggressive. We’re not going to apologize for that. That gives guys in the huddle a lot of confidence. We’re not going to pull the reins back. It’s pedal to the medal.”

Third time a charm?

Next week I'll be taking an editing test for a copy editing position I applied for at The Motley Fool.

TMF is located in an office complex that I've been to before—twice to take editing tests, both of which I failed.

The first time was at the Rand Corp., in the same building as TMF. The test was to edit some report about the Middle East. It was filled with Arabic names. Rather than having my wits about me and inserting a note re "check spelling of names," I looked up as many as I could in the hour (I had access to the Internet), which left me no time to edit the document. Failed.

The second time was at the Society for Human Resources Management, across the street. I was given a sh!tload of related news reports and told to write a summary along the lines of a newsletter briefing report. I had an hour. I couldn't even get through reading the material in that time. Close to the end of the hour I got up and left. Failed.

So it's the third time is a charm vs. things come in threes.