Planetarion Forums

Appocomaster · 12 Nov 2005, 17:33

Ok, who came up with these stupid shitty things?
I'm trying to apply to IBM for some sort of software development course, and I have to fill them all in.

"Apart from the fact that IBM are really big, offer great training and are going to give you lots of oppertunities to get promoted and rich, why do you want to work for us?"

I guess that one forces you to actually read the "about us" page, and a couple of others.

then theres the "we want really cool people who have experience and are generally not bad, please give us information of how you're like this."

and almost identical questions. and i end up saying "well, i've spent over a year working for an online game ... heh... like you want to employ me".

of course, if they google the first half of my e-mail address, and find this page, that'll be amusing

Anyway... thread needs a point apart from rant.... hmm... anyone submitted vaugely amusing comments on these and actually been replied to? and/or (semi serious) suggestions welcome

Dace · 12 Nov 2005, 17:38

This one time i applied for a job in a very cool bar in town.

It had a "Why do you want to work for us?" question on the application form.

"Because this place is generally full of really hot women" was my answer.

I never heard back from them.

Hope i've been of help Appoco.

Appocomaster · 12 Nov 2005, 17:40

Surprised.

seems a perfectly respectable answer.

Apaprently someone applied to McDonalds and in the questions he had things like:

Reason for joining McDonalds: "To earn money"
Aims and goals while being employed by the company: "To become the manager of the store, before being promoted and evetually taking over McDonalds". Apparently he got the job for honesty or something.

Nodrog · 12 Nov 2005, 17:48

You should spend time doing them properly, afaik the most pretigious companies tend to attach more importance to that sort of thing than academic results; since most people going after the top jobs will have good degrees from good universities, it doesnt really mean that much. I assume the same applies to IBM; its one of those companies that loads of top compsci grads are going to go for.

JC · 12 Nov 2005, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Appocomaster

and almost identical questions. and i end up saying "well, i've spent over a year working for an online game ... heh... like you want to employ me".

Do you really put that?

I spouted a load of shit when i was filling in all those application forms. It got to the point were i pretty much copy and pasted my answers from one form to the next. There's only so many things i've done to show i can work well in a team and at the same time do something outstanding within that team that shows of my abilities etc.

Anyway, once you get past this stage you will have some fun tests and interviews to look forward to. If you are lucky they will ask you even shitter questions in the interview.

Appocomaster · 12 Nov 2005, 18:57

I don't really put that, but .. well I use long words and try and make whatever little I can think of that's relevant sound impressive.

JonnyBGood · 12 Nov 2005, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Appocomaster

Ok, who came up with these stupid shitty things?
I'm trying to apply to IBM for some sort of software development course, and I have to fill them all in.

"Apart from the fact that IBM are really big, offer great training and are going to give you lots of oppertunities to get promoted and rich, why do you want to work for us?"

I heard you didn't much like Jews either.

Appocomaster · 12 Nov 2005, 19:25

Can I do the
"when I take over the world I'll kill all the jews and 1 iMac (or whatever)"?
"why the computer?"
"see, no one cares about the jews"
joke?

midge5 · 12 Nov 2005, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Do you really put that?

I spouted a load of shit when i was filling in all those application forms. It got to the point were i pretty much copy and pasted my answers from one form to the next. There's only so many things i've done to show i can work well in a team and at the same time do something outstanding within that team that shows of my abilities etc.

Yeah I've started doing this. They are really started to annoy me now, especially as some firms seem to ask questions which overlap. The accountancy ones aren't too bad but then banking ones like Rothschild ask loads of them. It gets really annoying as by the 7th or 8th question I've run out of things I can actually write about.

Ste · 13 Nov 2005, 00:49

Once you've filled in one application form you just copy and paste the answers onto all the others.

I'm also suprised you used an email address on the application form that doesn't look professional.

And the "why do you want to work for us" questions are really easy to answer:
"I'm really interested in whatever it is you do and my prospects match the ideals of whatever company you are so I feel I could have a long career with you."
or something like that.

Apparently companies look for buzzwords in the questions. Repeat words from their job advertisement in your answers and pretty much just write exactly what they want to hear, then bend it so it kind of fits you.