Resume Query

I randomly get emails from recruiters at Google and other high-tech places. I obviously have some keyword in my Monster.com resume that catches their eye. Today's email is in regards to a company with an interesting name: Palantir Technologies. Yes, fans of Lord of the Rings, the palantir seeing stones are being referenced here. I guess that means employees of Palantir Tech are elves? (Need a reference to "Elf Lord" Timothy McGee on NCIS now, I think)

The most interesting part of today's recruiter email says, "At this time, we are looking for the highest caliber talent in Engineering, Technical Writing, and SQA. What we seek is those truly top-performing individuals who are intelligently outgoing, well-rounded, love to solve incredibly complex problems, and for customer-facing roles, can present Palantir to high-level client groups in a professional manner."

I love the phrase in there "intelligently outgoing"... that's a great way to explain someone who is shy or has less-than-stellar social skills (like, say.... a stereotype computer geek, maybe?). "Oh, no, Sean-the-computer-geek isn't shy...he's intelligently outgoing...he carefully chooses who he will interact with and in what manner. Apparently you just weren't worthy."

If the Palantir website is any judge, the phrase "well-rounded" means that you're happy playing games on a 90" HD projection screen, Nintendo Wii, Xbox360, and automatic massage chair" and eating from a variety of local ethnic takeouts.

I responded to the email thus (in part):

The brief description of Palantir's work does look very interesting and may indeed have overlaps with parts of my background. However, if I -did- already live near
Palantir Technologies, I would be highly concerned about their apparent work environment ... their website screams "I'm looking for unmarried (and/or no
significant other) early 20 something Boys with no life of their own... you'll be working such long hours that we must bribe you with free lunch, dinner, onsite-laundry (b/c you won't be getting home often enough to wash your clothes), and a gym with showers (b/c you won't be getting home often enough to take a shower)."

Finally, their photos have precisely one female in them. It is not at all clear that she's even technical...she's sitting in front of a computer, but for all we know she's the secretary who answers the phone, makes coffee, and runs the photocopier and what she's doing on the computer is playing Solitaire. Nope, doesn't look like heaven
for a well-rounded, technical, intelligent Female with lots of interests outside
of work including a family.

Well, thats it for today's inbox. Catch you later.