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The Importance of Reading the Instructions

Few things in life come with instructions. For instance:

Walking wrongways through a crowd on the street - no instructions. Lots of shoulder bruises.
Folding T-shirts - no instructions. Cotton wrinkles easily.
French Braids - no instructions, although many have tried. It's too hard to click "next" while your fingers are bound up in your hair.

Some things are made easier with instructions. For instance:

Microwave popcorn - instructions. If you follow them, you have a hot, healthy snack.
Automatic Car Washes - instructions. Without them, we'd have far fewer side mirrors.
Express Line - instructions. That guy with 13 items has to go somewhere else, thank GOODNESS.

Why am I writing about instructions today? Well, it's occured to me through a series of tests that some people just never will follow instructions. You see, I've had to post a few job ads recently, and as I described to one of the guys here in the office, I always sneak a test into the ad to see if the potential candidate is actually paying attention, or if they're just sending their resume to everyone in the want ads.

My test this time? "Do not attach a cover letter. Instead, explain why you are the best candidate for this job in 140 characters or less." It was listed as the veerrrrrrry bottom of the ad, right after the word IMPORTANT: in bolded, capitalized letters. Strangely enough, the percentage of people who actually read that and comprehend the test is about 10%. The percentage who get the reference to Twitter is about 2%.

Why are instructions important? Because they tell more about you than you realize. Are you an instructions-follower? Can you make a paper crane in thirty seconds thanks to that YouTube vid posted not too long ago? Are you methodical? Do you complete every step? Are you observant? Did you even notice that the instructions were there?

Yes, my friends, sometimes the fine print does matter. It's strange how few people are paying attention!

(That's my rant for the day - it's 10:19PM and I've had a tough day. It was either bore you with a lecture about paying attention or complaining about my constantly interrupted workflow today ;) )

Posted by Claire C. on 03/27/2009 08:46 AM

Comments (33)

Behind the Scenes on Active Rain in the ActiveRain Channel

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Originally posted at: Behind the Scenes at ActiveRain: The Importance of Reading the Instructions

Post is included in group: Diary of a Realtor

33 Comments on The Importance of Reading the Instructions

MAR

I too have written things with specific instructions about a specific way to contact me and am amazed at the number of people who either do not read or do not pay attention...maybe they just scan. Or perhaps they just don't get it?

Detail oriented is definitely a must...and would be a plus if the applicants see it ALL. :)

Claire, I guess the instructions on a job application make the vetting process pretty easy, you didn't get a call back because you didn't follow the simple instruction therefore we can't use you. If the world were so easy...if it were all black and white, but alas gray is the color of the day.

uh... so... I didn't get the job, right? :-/

OK Miss AROC, the problem is you are like me...a detail oriented person. Those who are creative stink at the details, while the details are not the greatest at creativity a lot of the time. Luckily we both have a little bit of each.

Hi Claire, What's that saying? "The devil is in the details." I hope today won't be as tough for you as yesterday was.

I had a teacher in 5th grade that taught us a similar lesson. We were given an assignement and at the top of the paper it said read this the entire way through before beginning with step 1. Well those that read the directions got to the last instruction that said, don't do anything above. The other started reading and doing, and in turn didn't follow directions.

I've been told I am strange because I read the manual first before I open the box, load software, etc. Save much time in the long run and I'm more efficient too.

How many people haven't read their car's owner's manual?

Rant away!

:) PS

So, AR is hiring. What for?

BTW: I did read my car owner's manual.

As time passes, I find there are situations where I don't bother reading the instructions, often because they are poorly written, hence incomprehensible. Of course, I have surveyed the contents of the packaging, the instructions and the like to determine if the instructions are of any value.

Now, on the other hand, if I were to respond to a job application, I woulld read through everything before beginning my reply.

I would be in trouble filling out applications. I cheat.. I have my husband proof read ....

I'm glad you ranted and let it go! Complaining will not do anything but bring more "of it" to you (The Secret).

The Real Estate Investment Lady

Claire - Funny post/rant. Only thing my tshirts showed up wrinkled. lol Nobody folded mine and Lisa's ha ha....

My microwave has a popcorn button preprogramed for those who don't like those instructions.

Instructions are as important as spell checks.

You're hiring? Wow wish I could get one of those jobs.

Have a great day.

Your new friends on the east coast. Bob and Lisa Hammerstein

For a picture of us see Bob Stewart. I just emailed our shots with the new tshirts as well as our childrens albums. Am still curious about our reviews. They haven't come in yet.

Boy, your strict! it did make me read the whole post. maybe there is a lesson for bloggers. The call to action might need to be in the first paragraph.

We had the same thing happen to us:

I posted an ad on Kijiji for occasional help, and in the first line said "do not reply via the form on the right-hand side of the page, instead, please call ____"

Sure enough, about 5 minutes after posting the ad, a reply came in via the form on the right-hand side of the page.

Makes you wonder, if you were to actually hire that person, how well they would listen or pay attention to details!

Carolyn B
Marketing Specialist & Assistant to Rob Johnstone
Calgary, AB, Canada

http://www.calgaryhomepros.com

Claire,

Good blog - in real estate with the filling out of contracts and following up on dates and activities we, as agents, had better be darn good at following instructions or it won't be long until we are in BIG trouble! Thanks for the reminder.

Tom McClaren

RE/MAX Edenton, NC

I always hated those "trick" questions, "trick" instructions...

once in Jr. High... our teacher handed out a multi-page test and a pencil with no eraser, and said... "read all the questions first, before beginning to answer"... it also had the same instruction printed at the top of the test.

Of course, many of the students began writing answers immediately. I read all the way through (we had the entire class period to complete the test.. .no hurry) and sure enough... the very last question said "Do not fill out any of the answers on your test. Just write your name at the top of the test, and then turn the test face down on your desk, stay quiet and observe the rest of the class... I will come by and collect your test". I did so, and the teacher picked up my test.

It was a very interesting "observation" as you could see when students arrived at the last question...

Great point, most people do not take the time to pay attention to what they are reading. They may read it but are not paying attention to what they are reading.

JR.. is that you?

Claire,

I wonder if the results would have changed if you put the "Important" instructions in the first line of the ad? I feel like there is an important lesson tucked somewhere into this experience; something deeper than what you explored in this post.

Ah, good morning, everyone!

Renee - It very well could be that they're like me. I tend to be able to look at a page and comprehend what's going on without reading every single word. However, it has discluded me from several jobs because they need someone who can absorb EVERYTHING. Down to the last drop (like Bounty! Or something!).

Sally - If I have to sort through hundreds of resumes in reply to an ad, then I suppose it's a quick and easy way to find out who's got their S together ;)

Steve - Everytime you leave a message for me, it's something kind of fluid and easy-going. You remind me a lot of the turtle in Finding Nemo ;)

Jeremy - I'm not AROC (much)! I'm just of the opinion that if you cast a wide net, you have to be willing to sort out the feeder fish.

Shirley - I'm convinced that today is going to be the most wonderfullest (yes, that's a made-up word), awesometastic, inconcievably gorgelistic day ever!

Kristin - I think we might have had the same teacher ;) She taught me an important lesson that day - mainly that paying attention is a good way to be recognized for your better assets, including attention to detail, ability to follow instructions, and on top of it, in other lessons, she taught us how to be creative within parameters.

Patrick - I admit...I rarely read the manual unless I can't figure something out when it comes to technology. In other aspects, however, the manual is close by - I keep my car manual in my glove box and yes, I've read it. I had to! To find out where the bleeping hazard lights were!

Andrew - Ever been to Ikea? Bwahahaha. Instructions - pssh.

Amy - I did more than that! Five minutes from home, I called my sister and told her I needed to walk off some serious negative energy. And apparently, I wasn't the only one. Someone else in our office had a rough day yesterday, too. I'm glad I wasn't the only grumpypants of the bunch.

Robert - I'm hearing that a lot of the shirts that were shipped in boxes managed to un-fold themselves and get rumpled. Stupid T-shirts! GRAR! In any case, I'm taking a different tact now so that they can be pretty and clean for the next surge.

Joe - I didn't think of that! I should have put a test in there for you guys, but... Meh. I think it's test enough that you withstand my adjectives on tough days, don't you?

Carolyn - It's strange. Some people do things like that so they can set up filters and make their lives a little more organized. My main priority was not handing Jon and Doug a stack of 200 resumes and saying, "These are the ones with experience. And...go!"

Tom - I've met plenty of Realtors who weren't good at the contract shuffle ;) I like to think of it like this...If I couldn't read directions and follow instructions, we wouldn't have a roof over our heads.

Alan - I always loved that test. I knew it was a trick the moment she said, "Read all of the instructions and then begin". And after that, of course, I suspected that every test was that same test, telling me only to write my name and the date at the top.

JR - Mike and I were discussing this on the way to work. It's very easy to read but not comprehend. In fact, this is why public schools measure comprehension scores; many kids are great at sounding out words and putting together sentences with the proper rhythm, but have no idea what the words mean, nor do they retain them.

Jon - I can send you ALL the resumes if you like? ;)

I was walking my dog one day and out of nowhere comes one of those fancy cats. You know the kind with a studded fake bejeweled collar and pedigree. Well, to make a long story short, after much to too between these two animals I said screw it and released the dog leash I clung so tightly too.

Point of the story, if I had instructions I would have known in advance that the stupid cat would just stand there believing it's pedigree bloodline would keep it from becoming my dog's dinner. Nice doggie. Good doggie :)

TLW...ROAR!

I'll have to keep that in mind next time! It is interesting the number that actually followed and I agree it is a great test for a candidate.

I must admit to failing to use the instructions while assembling various items in my life. Most of the time, the outcome was better when following instructions...except the ones written in China! Ironic the graphic to post comment says yang-yang!

Very smart Claire!! I will utilize this in my next employment ad. I like it a lot.

And to take it a step further... the same goes in Real Estate, when 'reading' what your clients want. So often, I get a buyer who has left another agent, because that agent did not listen. Clients can be hard to read sometimes, and often they don't really know what they want, but if you really pay attention, you as an agent can figure it out. Great post! Cheers,

Amy's Sweet Signature

I think on a job ad or PA instructions I do read them...anything important to me or those I work with I read them. Other things I skim through them.

Now can you explain to me why I always tanked at reading comprehension, but always aced those hidden instructions tests? It makes no sense to me... But - great post - whenever I have had to place employment ads, I have usually been guilty of throwing a little test in myself!

I live with two young boys, three dogs, and a husband. No one ever follows the instructions. I feel your pain ;-)

Made me think of a job interview I went to years ago. The guy hiring had a trick question he would ask. What is the difference between "it" and "its". If you didn't answer it correctly....you were no longer in the running.

MAR

Claire - I was going to respond to your post but I forgot what I was going to say...plus, I can't remember what you asked.

Good post, though. I'll try to be more observant.

APR

As a life-long instructions scofflaw, I had to laugh when I read your post! Although I do respect the Express Line at the grocery store.

APR

Ever since my teacher tricked the class with the old "read all questions before filling in the answers" trick, I (usually) read the instructions. At least if it's a test.

So are you seeking a professional Twitterer, or was that just for fun?

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