As an army child I moved around often it seemed and I grew up in a world of opposites at times too. I got to travel, but I had no real sense of home, I  got to start fresh everywhere I went, but I don’t have the stories to share about growing up with people in school, I made friends and I lost friends. During the short year I spent in Pennsylvania I became best friends with my neighbor, Zara. We were as thick as thieves and when I moved to Massachusetts we decided that we would stay in touch. And we did.

I use to get beautiful letters from Zara, they’d have drawings in them, updates on life in Edinboro and little notes telling my brother he’d best not touch them or else. Over time we lost touch, I always had a new address, or was busy, or life just had its way of springing up. Then this wondrous thing happened called ‘Facebook.’

I did a search and found Zara. We have reconnected and shared a few messages, but nothing like the letters we use to share. That got me to thinking about technology in general. How in one way technology has made life fast, efficient, and in another, how that sort of ruins small pleasures. Not just in letters, although the decline is most prominent there I would wager, but with phone calls, which are now text messages (ttyl), and with finding jobs now too.

What ever happened to filling out an application and then being called in for an interview? I remember my first job at a grocery store, when I took the time to fill out an application for employment, they in turn took the time on me. It gave me as an underdog with no employment history a chance in many ways. Even if you don’t have the best resume, or the longest list of experience, you  still had the opportunity  to walk into an interview and wow someones socks off. Gone are those days.

I understand that to today’s employers, being flooded with applications and having every single person come in for an interview is inconceivable.  But, shouldn’t that at least meet you, if say, you are a top contender?

I had applied for a position as a Managing Editor for a company in Plymouth. I knew I was putting myself out there for this one and in all likelihood they would have hundreds of better qualified candidates. I took the chance anyway figuring, I had good experience with The Mainsheet at Cape Cod Community College, great instruction from my professors and the wonderful skill of adaptability, not to mention I am quick on my feet. Plus, you never know unless you try, right?

Amazingly enough I heard back from someone within the company. I got a quick email stating that while I have had some good experience within school they were looking for someone with a number of years experience in writing/editing and publishing/magazines. (OK- first thought here was, how am I suppose to get this experience if no one will even give me a shot at it.)

While I was thrilled to even get a grunt out of someone, I have to admit I was very disappointed. If said company felt I had done well, well enough to at least shoot me an email response, (which let me say, you usually don’t even get that much) then why on Earth couldn’t they at least call me in for an interview, or set up a phone interview at the very least? Lazy? No faith in the inexperienced? Nah. What happened I imagine was this, sending an email was a speedy way of getting the message sent and delivered. With that done they wouldn’t have to make the phone call, set up the interview and then end up hiring someone with a few more notches in their belt anyway. No time wasted.

Time. Isn’t that what it all boils down to? A text is quicker then a phone call while an email is faster than a letter, or face to face. Still, scrolling down reading my inbox message, my electonic letter, while saving time on the writer, spoils the thrill of receiving, everytime.