Saturday, October 27, 2007

Dear Miriam

Thank you for your application for the position of Features Editor.

As you can imagine, we received a lot of applications for this role, and so after careful consideration, have decided not to take your application to the next stage, on this occasion.

Thank you for applying though, and I wish you all the best for the future.

Very best wishes

Friday, October 19, 2007

Tasteful but Harsh

Hi Miriam,

I'm emailing about your pitch for work. I'm really sorry, but I've offered the work to another author. Your pitch was fantastic, your work on the last guide was great, and I would have no hesitation whatsoever in commissioning you. It's just unfortunate for you that there's another keen and available author whose work is equally excellent, and she happens to live in XXX, which means a significant saving on research costs. I need to consider the book's profitability as well as its quality.

I haven't actually contracted XXX yet, but she's informally accepted my offer. If something unforeseeable happens and I'm suddenly looking for another author, I'll be in touch. But I wanted to let you know this news now rather than keep you hanging.

It's hard to know whether to deliver this news in person or by email. I'm more than happy to talk about it over coffee or something if you'd like to.

Thanks again for your pitch, and I'm sorry it hasn't worked out the way you'd hoped. I wish I could have contracted both of you.

And we're back!

Job harmony has meant this blog has been on the silent side for the last 18 months but I am happy to say that the hunt for gainful employment is on again. The feelers are out, the cover letters are being signed and I am ready to scrape the Saturday papers clean of their every last media/ comms/ arts/ advertising position just to bring you the lamest, most uncreative rejection letters in the business (and perhaps a new job for me somewhere in between a "...your application has not been successful" and "...we'll keep your details for future reference"). Here's hoping.