How to Not Get Hired as Copy Editor

I’ve recently taken on a second job. Besides being the managing editor of D’s three weekly newspapers, I also read résumés for a living. Since I posted an ad for a copy editor on journalismjobs.com last week, I’ve been inundated with them. Once the résumé count started approaching triple digits, I took down the ad in self-defense.

When the pool of applicants is this large, it doesn’t take much to get sorted into the “no” pile. But I like to jot down my reasons, just in case I get a follow-up call or e-mail from one of these people. Here are a few notes I wrote to myself during the sorting process:

• Sent a PDF of clips that looked like Rorschach blots.
• She misspelled “website” in her resume. Her work experience goes back to 1985 with nothing in Dallas and no gaps. But she has a 972 phone number?
• Sent a resume with nothing in the body of the e-mail. The subject line was “Interested in Editor Position.” Her resume was attached as a “.odt” file, whatever that is.
• Has more experience as a waiter than a copy editor.
• “I am writing to express my interest in a full-time editorial or proofreader position at Dallas Morning News and its affiliates.”
• He listed three references, but asked me not to contact two of them.