Rich Ulrich <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> On Fri, 14 Dec 2001 09:22:26 +1100, "colsul" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> wrote:
>
> > Read the request closely as answering newsgroup queries without
> > understanding what is said can make you look, no, confirm you are stupid.
>
> In Sensitivity-group country, we try to say (if confrontation is
> necessary) that an *action* is stupid or poorly considered, not
> that a person is stupid. (That is usually enough to make one's
> point... without getting embarrassed by over-ambitious flaming)
>
> In sci.stat.edu, we usually post the content that we are replying
> to, before we add comments; and we might criticize in some fashion,
> but we would never call a regular post-er 'stupid', who has offered
> dozens or hundreds of useful comments in the past.
Thanks Rich. Not that I'm bothered by this sort of response - I am
quite comfortable with my stupidity.
I did try to point out his(?) actions might make him look stupid to a
potential employer, but I think he was too busy taking offence to
notice I was trying to help.
> Besides all that, I have to say: from what I made of your question,
> I agree 100% with Glen's response. He gave a (relatively) gentle
> warning about a course of action.
>
> As a matter of fact, I find it hard to *imagine* cramming (which
> you ask about) for a job interview, unless it was following the
> advice, 'Learn about the job/ company.' But that's not
> something to look up in a textbook.
Yeah, general learning about the job or company is a useful thing to
do, mainly because it makes you look like you care about the job
enough to find out. But cramming an area of knowledge so as to try to
pass yourself off as knowing more than you do seems like a recipe for
disaster.
I'd have thought it far better to say "I only know a little about this
stuff, but it's an area I'm keen to learn more about" would go over
better with an employer. And if you want jobs like that one, then
actually go and learn the stuff properly, so that next time you can
actually claim to know about it.
If I was interviewing him (and I have interviewed people for jobs
involving statistics before), and he claimed to know something about
statistics, you can bet I'd be asking questions about it. You can also
bet I'd spot that he didn't really know it very well in no time at
all. And then I'd be saying "Do we really want to employ someone who'd
try to pull that kind of a stunt in an interview?"
Glen
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