Electronic job application forms

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Mark R

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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I'm looking for a new job, so I've been scouring the classifieds and a few potential jobs have come up.

However, all now use some fancy on-line or electronic applications. In my case, I've had a variety of Word documents sent to me, and more recently an Excel document which I somehow have to fill in.

Problem 1 - I have open office at home. It'll load the excel file, but the file is write-protected, so I can't actually fill it in, nor can I just copy and paste the structure to another document. Hmm.
Eventually, I track down someone with a copy of MS office, and although the file is 'read only' there is limited ability to fill in the empty cells.

Problem 2 - Just how do you get 150 words into an excel cell and have it readable - especially as the cell is overlapped by several other cells, which due to the justification, obscure sizeable chunks of text?

Problem 3 - Most of the questions are 'choose from a drop down list'. Including the actual post being applied for - except there's a problem, the post I'm applying for isn't actually on the list! Oh, the field is mandatory, and the file won't validate until I fill it in.

Whatever happened to writing a letter and sending a resume?
 

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
The concept of Open Office is nice, but it sucks balls compared to MS Office.

Edit: People take technology too far now-a-days. The basic resume and cover letter is still easy and to the point.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,379
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Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
The concept of Open Office is nice, but it sucks balls compared to MS Office.

It works fine for all of my needs.
 

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
Originally posted by: lxskllr
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
The concept of Open Office is nice, but it sucks balls compared to MS Office.

It works fine for all of my needs.

Yeah, it usually works, but I am 100x faster in MS Office and it has many more features that I find to be very convenient. People hate it on it because of the price tag, which I agree is slightly absurd, but it is so much faster. Time is money and my time is worth it over the long haul.
 

CRXican

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2004
9,062
1
0
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
Originally posted by: lxskllr
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
The concept of Open Office is nice, but it sucks balls compared to MS Office.

It works fine for all of my needs.

Yeah, it usually works, but I am 100x faster in MS Office and it has many more features that I find to be very convenient. People hate it on it because of the price tag, which I agree is slightly absurd, but it is so much faster. Time is money and my time is worth it over the long haul.

the student teacher edition can be had for pretty cheap pretty often
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
Originally posted by: lxskllr
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
The concept of Open Office is nice, but it sucks balls compared to MS Office.

It works fine for all of my needs.

Yeah, it usually works, but I am 100x faster in MS Office and it has many more features that I find to be very convenient. People hate it on it because of the price tag, which I agree is slightly absurd, but it is so much faster. Time is money and my time is worth it over the long haul.

If you spent as much time using OpenOffice as you did MS Office, you might find the speed issue to be reversed. :p
 

Mark R

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
8,513
16
81
It's true that about OO. I don't know why I still use it; so many features are just broken or desperately awkward to use. I'm even fortunate enough to have a voucher to download Enterprise 2k7 (plus full personal licence) from MS for $20, just hadn't got round to it.

I see a very big download in the next few days.
 

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
Originally posted by: JLee
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
Originally posted by: lxskllr
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
The concept of Open Office is nice, but it sucks balls compared to MS Office.

It works fine for all of my needs.

Yeah, it usually works, but I am 100x faster in MS Office and it has many more features that I find to be very convenient. People hate it on it because of the price tag, which I agree is slightly absurd, but it is so much faster. Time is money and my time is worth it over the long haul.

If you spent as much time using OpenOffice as you did MS Office, you might find the speed issue to be reversed. :p

I've given it honest effort, but there are a lot of things it just can't do or it can but it's awkward or annoying. Like I said, I like the idea but the execution is pretty bad at the moment. Office 2k7 is extremely powerful in terms of quickness with the admittedly oversized gui at the top. The help function is easily one of the best features and OO can't even come close to that. I use it frequently and it always pulls up exactly what I want to know with short and simple directions (with examples!) of how to use every function. For home use, either is ok (I still prefer Office), but for productivity at work, OO loses by a long shot.
 

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
Originally posted by: Mark R
It's true that about OO. I don't know why I still use it; so many features are just broken or desperately awkward to use. I'm even fortunate enough to have a voucher to download Enterprise 2k7 (plus full personal licence) from MS for $20, just hadn't got round to it.

I see a very big download in the next few days.

Wow. How did you land that?
 
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