Day Jar View

At work I often receive CVs, and the quality of the candidates veers wildly between excellent and McJob.

More ofen than not, the written English is pour (sic), and makes me wonder what we are teaching people these days, if this is the best that they can come up with.

As an example, this one winged its digital way into my colleague Graham’s inbox the other day:

“Hello! I’m A.Docio and I have just completed my final year on the BA(Hons) Graphic Design degree at the University of Wolverhampton.I would like to start my working life as a designer in a company and further develop my skills and knowledge there. I’m writing to ask whether you might consider either offering me a job. Please find attached my current CV and in addition you could ask me for a few sample pieces of my design work for your consideration. My aim is print and digital design.

I would be most grateful if you could consider my request. I was enjoying your web because you have very fresh and good works. I’m willing to learn there. My aims could be innovate, because I was travelling to many places and I have curiosity to look advertising and logos everywhere and I think I’m open minded. I love the detail and I’m able to work in my own.

Thank you for your consideration.
Yours sincerely
XXXXXXX”

Incidentally, those aren’t kisses at the end: I’ve blocked out the name, to give them some chance of retaining their dignity.

Needless to say, we didn’t rush to get back in touch.

I’m all for promoting alternative languages, but the Council’s insistence (indeed legal obligation) on producing everything in both English and Welsh is puzzling.

In almost every other area of my life I can opt out of receiving paper: bank statements, gas bills, company invoices. But with the council, everything I receive is in both languages, and therefore sometimes on two separate bits of paper.

Why not ask me just once whether I want English or Welsh and be done with it?