Please see me in person

摘要

Editor's note: First person account, special to Network World. "Well-qualified, capable, generalist with management, software development, Web programming, quality assurance, documentation, multiple languages and extensive China experience seeks interim or regular employment." Problem is, no one wants me. I'm told I'm over-qualified for this position or don't have enough experience for that position or don't have version 3.2.4.7 of Big Company's software or 'I'm not a good fit' or something.The excuses go on and on. Pseudo-requirements are sliced and diced and assembled into lists of tasks that no one person could actually perform. It seems the real goal is to eliminate as many people as possible so recruiters don't have to talk with all those pesky applicants, and then the company turns around and claims it can't find anyone. I was recently told by an IBM representative that "Your skills and experience are admirable, but they don't matter." She said the company uses a computer matching algorithm to search resumes for keywords and proper formatting, then uses a random selection process to pick through the matched resumes.Translation: We "care more about formatting and keywords than people."