Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ncis.llnl.gov!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!decwrl!nsc!voder!apple!kazim
From: kazim@Apple.COM (Alex Kazim)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: NASA Bureaucracy - it's for the birds
Summary: Ain't it the truth
Keywords: astronaut qualifications
Message-ID: <24440@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 21 Jan 89 00:06:05 GMT
References: <15855@genrad.UUCP> <1080@ns.UUCP>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 37

I think the problems with resume ignoring depends a lot on the company --
it says whether a company believes in the power of the individual, of 
people as a valuable resource (Apple), or one that believes that 
engineers are interchangable (insert large aerospace company here).

In my last year at college (a year ago) I had a wonderful experience with
both Lockheed and Space Industries Inc.  Lockheed sent be back an unpersonal-
ized, unsigned rejection note-card, that read something like:

Dear Applicant,

We got your resume.  Go away.  Please don't feel bad we didn't send
you a real letter, with a real signature, but we get so many resumes.

Signed,
The Employment Dept 

At Space Industries, a company headed up by NASA 20-30 year veterans, they
wanted me to start work at NASA, and maybe in 5 years I could be a journey
man engineer and start making some "real" contributions....

Excuse me? 5 years?  And then in 10 more I could be, oh no, a JUNIOR 
engineer?  F*ck that!

At Apple, we get about 10000 resumes a month from the industry (excl schools).
A letter is sent out when the resume is received, and then another for
an interview/rejection.  All are addressed (mail merge has been around a
while) and all are personally signed.

I think it's time NASA personnel department realize engineers just don't
grow on trees.  We are not interchangeable.  People are the most valuable
resource in any company.  Not money.  Is anyone listening?  Sigh.

======================================================================
Alex Kazim, Apple Computer
My views, ideas, and soapbox
======================================================================