I'd just like to put it out there that when I run a company we will automatically disqualify anyone who tries to get a job w/ us in this way. So remember that if you'd like to work for me sometime in the near future.
...why on earth would you do that? This person wants to work at instagram, if she gets the job, she'll be absolutely floored about coming in to work every day.
This is exactly the type of employee I would think everybody would want. Why would you want something else?
So, you will discourage applicants from creating targeted webpages both expressing their love for your product (giving you more exposure) as well as doing something extra to stand out? Harsh.
Employees who love their own product are a cancer that must be treated. Complacency with a product necessarily leads to a dangerous inability to find ways to improve upon it.
I do speak from long experience, here. This isn't a crazy idea I read out of a dogfooding blog entry.
I don't want employees who love my product, I want employees who are competent. this example is telling in that although the prospective employee clearly wants the job she is also clearly not a particularly talented designer.
Well all power to you! But should you be put in such a position some day, I suggest being open to learning from some of the great leaders in history. Not to say you want to hire an army of groupie lightweights, but passion is not a quality to undervalue.
Exactly. If this woman was to be hired, she'd probably take in everything shown to her. Honestly, if there's a position open for someone that passionate but a bit rough around the edges, find a junior role to put them in within a team she can really learn from.
Depending greatly on the short and long term situations, I'd rather hire someone enthusiastic and wait a few months for them to get up to speed than hire someone with more experience who is dispassionate about the job. There's just so much more room for growth with the former (and initial salary negotiation should be a cakewalk from a management perspective).
Sure you could bitch and moan about her portfolio, the grammar used, etc... But this still stands out and her passion is there. These kinds of people soak up whatever you give them.
Plus it takes balls to do something like this, and that's a good trait.
Cool... you've been filed under my list of "people I will never want to work for." Thanks for the heads-up.