This was passed along to me by a reader... It's apparently a screenshot of an email sent by a potential employer offering some "advice" to an Asian American applicant. I don't know where it comes from, or if it's even real, but the fact that it could be an actual email is enough to piss me off. Here's the text, if you can't read the image above. Read it and shake your head with me:
Subject: SUGGESTIONS: Accounting Assistant applicationAgain, take this for what you will -- I don't who this was sent to, or if Jack W. Smith Jr. is even a real person, but it's just so damn idiotic that it could certainly be true. It doesn't take much to imagine that there are lots of Mr. Smiths out there. Thanks for the advice, Jack. You sound like an asshole. (Thanks, Tommy.)
1. Omission of your immigration status in your resume (which I define as your opportunity to present your credentials) is a fatal and frankly unprofessional mistake. I recommend that you clearly deal with that all-important issue. if you have work status, speak up; if you don't, admit it and present well-reasoned justifications for an employer to take-on a frustrating and expensive task not inherent with so many other applicants.
2. You have a Chinese Name and are applying for a professional position with a US company. I suggest that you put a Mr, Ms or Mrs before your name so that an employer may utilize the correct pronouns in addressing you in correspondence. Potential employers have no such hurdles in addressing most candidates. Were I you (gender neutral), I would list my name as "Mr. Jack Smith" in applying for employment. Such is style of my own resume.
3. Had I made the aforementioned mistakes, I'd correct them forewith, re-date my resume and re-submit them to all potential employers.
Jack
Jack W. Smith Jr., Senior Vice President