h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, can anybody tell me why a guy at an observatory asked me to send him my CV, then went on three weeks of holiday when he got it, and afterwards simply gave me a one-line rejection?

Gee what a bummer!!?/ sounds a bit weird? did you get some advice on your CV ie how to put it together etc for that particular employer? did he just ask you for it outright, or did you canvass him first? was ther a job he was advertising? what was the situation?

Are you sure he was actually on the staff - not the pizza delivery man?

Without wanting to be offensive, were you actually particularly well qualified for the job? It's always possible he wanted a few CVs from people less suitable than someone he'd already chosen, to make it look like the job had been properly advertised.

I don't want to appear cynical, but imperfect things do happen in the world of acedemic employment. Sometimes job descriptions are written specifically so only a pre-chosen person will apply, and other less than wholesome things also happen.

Many years ago, while I was looking for a new job, I saw an advert for one at S******d Universtity with unusually specific requirements that nontheless were an absolutely perfect match for someone with my non-standard blend of skills and experience. I sent off an application form and CV in plenty of time, I got a confirmation of receipt before the closing date, and when I rang up a week or so later to enquire about progress, I was told the interviews had already happened, and the job had been filled, and *I* hadn't been asked because my application had been 'received late'.

I'm certainly not saying I would have got the job if interviewed, but given I could do everything they were looking for, I should at least have been given the chance. From my own experiences in academia and stories my parents have told me, it was very hard not to be deeply suspicious.

Maybe the existence of the position was dependent on him getting funding for it. He may have returned from his holiday to find that the funding had not been made available from the funding body/department, and so sent rejections to all the applicants.

Yes, but the guy could have done better rejection than a one liner surely.

Sure he could!
I think I know more or less how that is. Last year when I looked for a summerjob applied for plenty of jobs... one of them was from a hotel that were having this thing in the paper ("Staff needed!"). They asked for my CV. They got my CV. And two days after I got a small note in the mail, saying "Sorry. Have a nice day!"
I mean... a week later they still needed cleaningstaff. And cleaning: well, I have been doing that before, and I had papers to proove it aswell.

After having recieved the e-mail I sent a reply saying if there was really no other chance of me getting a job. And it turns out he confused me with another guy :/ So I still have a possibility of getting it Thanx for the sympathy though.

Well, good luck then

Is it "Lykke til!" you call it in Denmark?

yep, and now say "roedgroed med floede"

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Yeah, well it´s the first thing a dane will make a foreigner learn. Because it is so very danish, and it cracks you up to see others try and pronounce it

And now we'll never find out what it is.