Deciding when to follow instructions  By Philip Brewer on 18
August 2008 (Updated 12 December 2008) 6 comments Photo: Philip
Brewer   Anytime someone announces that they're looking to hire,
there'll be instructions on how to apply--even if nothing more
than a sign that says, "Inquire within."  Often, they'll want
quite a bit more--resume, cover letter, samples, references,
etc.  There's a delicate dance involved in deciding just how
completely to follow those instructions.  Here are a few of the
important steps.  To begin with, it's important to remember
that, whatever the instructions are, they exist for at least two
reasons, only one of which is to gather the information the
people doing the hiring think they need for deciding if you can
do the work.  There's another reason, that's at least as
important.  It's a test  Whether you're able and willing to
follow instructions is an important thing for anyone to know
before deciding to hire you.  Just over a year ago, I decided to
apply to write for Wise Bread. 