>>> Well, I said "co-author".  My co-author asked me if I was interested
>>> because he was impressed with my level of knowledge.
>> Ah. So it's a question of knowing the right people then.
> 
> Sometimes.  Not always.  I know others who have been published who just 
> started with an idea and shopped it around to different publishers until 
> one took the project on.  In some cases, it helps to have a manuscript, 
> in some cases, an outline is sufficient.  We started with an outline and 
> a proposal rather than a manuscript.
> 
> But for fiction writers that I know, having a manuscript is generally 
> considered the norm (so it seems to me).

Heh. Almost makes it sound like I could just sit here, write some crap 
about crap, give it to a publisher and make a stack of money. :-D

I rather doubt it's quite that easy though... ;-)

>>> The 300 word application box is a foot in the door.  It's not the
>>> entire interview process.  They learn the details after the first step
>>> is done.
>> Not if you're unsufficiently impressive to get an interview.
> 
> It's important to choose your words carefully.

That's what I'm getting at, yes.

You can describe your qualifications in a few short abbreviations, and 
this puts across what you know. [Stop laughing at the back there!] But 
explaining stuff you don't have a little certificate for is much harder.

> One of the things about a 
> limited space to enter that in is you can get an idea (as a prospective 
> employer) about the ability of the candidate to say a lot with few 
> words.

Probably, yes. I tend to whaffle a lot. :-P

>> Well, I'm currently looking at Wolfram in Oxford. That's about 30 miles
>> or something. I'd prefer a job in my home town, but I don't mind
>> something slightly further away.
>>
>> I don't care how much you pay me, I am NOT working in London.
> 
> Well, nobody said London.  But you also have a strong desire to not 
> relocate, so that limits you pretty much to what you can drive to from 
> where you currently are.
> 
> You have stated that it would be impossible for you to find a job in 
> another geographic area because you don't have a place to live there 
> first.  However, consider this:  People do this all the time.  They go on 
> job interviews with companies in other countries, other parts of the 
> country they're in, and on the other side of the planet.  Logically, it 
> must not be impossible to do.

Like I said, I'm looking at Oxford. I'd prefer not to move to Bristol or 
Leeds, but Oxford would probably be OK.

>>> That shows initiative (and follow-through), and employers like that.
>> All true in theory. In practice, applying to such a vast company, I
>> doubt anybody is going to notice. I also rather suspect most of their HR
>> will be in the USA. But it's worth a go I guess...
> 
> You'd be surprised.  I work for a pretty big company (compared to 
> Wolfram, certainly; Wolfram reportedly has about 400 employees, at least 
> in their US headquarters), and things like this do get noticed (I know 
> because I've referred people for jobs here before).  Independent 
> initiative/self-motivation is a very strongly sought after characteristic 
> in employees because it means less time having to manage the employee, 
> which equates to a more productive employee.

Heh, well, depends on the company culture I guess. (And how good their 
internal communication is.) Anyway, I'll give it a try at some point...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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