'Out of Touch' Advice Can Be Worse Than Rude

Over at Ask a Manager, someone asks about a bit of advice I once got twenty years ago and also dismissed: Show up at potential employers and hand-deliver a printed-out resume!

While almost anyone hearing this will laugh and move on, it is worthwhile to read Alison Green's complete demolition because it shows the value of taking the time to understand and evaluate advice

Green replies in part:

First, they're highly likely to just tell you that you need to apply online ... because you do in fact need to apply online. As has been the case for a long time now, most organizations use electronic applicant tracking systems. If your application isn't in there, it's not getting considered.

Second, with the rise in remote work, a ton of people don't even work at companies' main addresses anymore. There may not be anyone involved in hiring for the position even physically there. And even if they're there, they're generally going to be very busy and aren't going to come out and talk to you just because you randomly showed up holding a resume -- so anyone you do talk to is incredibly unlikely to have anything to do with hiring for that particular job.

Third, it will still annoy the crap out of most people involved in hiring and make you look naive/out of touch at best ... and at worst, like you don't think instructions apply to you. Their instructions are there for a reason. [bold added]

Alison goes a bit further to note that the time spent on such an exercise would be better-spent doing much more effective things.

In addition to showing a disregard for the potential employer, blindly following the advice would hinder one's own progress in other ways on top of that.

Sometimes, one can see how ridiculous an idea is by imagining how implementing it would work out, but if in doubt, do as the letter-writer did and seek out a more experienced third party you respect.

-- CAV