More job-hunting tips!

I finally hired my staff person, who starts in two weeks (hooray, seriously!), so I haven't had too many cranky resume reactions recently, but I did get a doozy of an inquiry today, to which I will respond with an open letter here (and with more of a "thanks-but-no-thanks" e-mail to the actual inquiry):

Dear Parent,

Seriously, you are NOT doing your college-aged kid a favor by inquiring about summer internships on their behalf, particularly when the person on the receiving end of this inquiry is a total stranger to you. Trust me. I'm all for working your connections; I wouldn't have gotten a single one of my summer jobs if it weren't for people my parents knew. Asking a friend, or a colleague, or an acquaintance, or a friend-of-a-friend? Totally cool.

Asking an absolute stranger? Your kid is spending the summer in the couch on the basement.

Seriously, there is no way that I would ever, ever, ever hire your kid, even for a non-paying internship.

I had to performance-manage the hell out of a former employee, and I once had a nightmare that his mother showed up at our office to defend him and to take me to task for not appreciating her perfect little angel. But with you, I think it actually might happen in real life.

So, trust me: you are doing your kid a disservice. I bet he's still home from school on winter break. Let him pound the pavement himself. No more "helping" from you, unless it's with someone you know.

Geez.

Warmly,
Total Stranger Tangent Woman