Need a job? Don't use a Mac

When it comes to some big-name companies, Macintosh users may have a tough time landing a job.

It's not just that the business world is dominated by Windows-based computers. It's because, at a number of large companies, Mac users literally can't apply.

At American Express, for example, job seekers are greeted with this warning: "At this time, the system does not support Mac environments. If you don't have access to a PC at home or work, please check out a local public library for Internet access, local Internet cafes, or the nearest government Work Force Center."

The financial-services company, like a number of other well-known businesses, uses an outside talent management company, BrassRing, to manage its online job applications. However, the current generation of BrassRing's software doesn't support Mac browsers. A company representative said it hasn't incorporated Mac support because clients haven't been clamoring for it.

"However, we are seeing a gradual increase in demand," said BrassRing spokesman Doug Jensen. "Therefore, BrassRing Enterprise 8, which is coming out in December, will be Firefox-compatible to support Mac users."

For now though, online job seekers to a number of companies are likely to see problems. Target Stores and Sears are among the other companies that use BrassRing's software to handle some or all of their online applications. While American Express offers a warning on its Web site, job seekers at Target and Sears may just get an error message or have their browser crash when using Apple's Safari browser.

Despite the warning on the American Express site, some people reported being able to file an application online using Safari or Internet Explorer for the Mac, while others encountered glitches.

Representatives of Sears, Target and American Express were not immediately available for comment.

One job seeker, who asked to be identified only by his first name "Peter," said that he found it unbelievable that a Fortune 100 company like American Express would shut out Mac users.

"Yes I know I could go to FedEx/Kinkos but I don't have time for that," said Peter, who didn't want his full name used because he is still deciding whether to apply for the American Express job. "American Express has created a big barrier to hiring some candidates simply because we are Mac users."

Although Windows-based computers dominate the markets for both business and consumer PCs, Apple has been steadily gaining share. The company saw its Mac unit shipments rise 48 percent in the third quarter. That gives the company a 4.3 percent share of the U.S. market, according to IDC, up a full percentage point from last year.

One Word

FireFox

one word?

Firefox is two words made into a conjunction.. so its more fitting to say two words made into a conjunction.. because, besdies for it being a browser, it is not a word.

[mentalbarcode]

Open Source Talent

Safari, Opera, and Firefox rock. Check out the difference on
www.ostalent.com when you use those browsers and with IE6.

One Word

FireFox

one word?

Firefox is two words made into a conjunction.. so its more fitting to say two words made into a conjunction.. because, besdies for it being a browser, it is not a word.

[mentalbarcode]

Open Source Talent

Safari, Opera, and Firefox rock. Check out the difference on
www.ostalent.com when you use those browsers and with IE6.

JobCentrePlus Uk

It's the same here in the UK, have to revert back to Internet
Explorer.

JobCentrePlus Uk

It's the same here in the UK, have to revert back to Internet
Explorer.

[S R]

https://css/Partner_505_216_mac.css

Their programmers need to be fired. One of the css style sheets
that they want in the page has a reference as in the subject.

https://css/Partner_505_216_mac.css

Is it even a valid reference? No wonder things crash!

ITA

In this day and age, I do not see how it is that a huge multinational corporation would even THINK of leaving out an entire group like that.

When I did tech support for a large ISP, I found the Mac users to be the most knowledgeable about their machines because they did not expect support. That was 1999. C'mon, peeps, move a little!

P.S.: No offense to you Windows users, I use Windows myself... but that's only 'cause the box was a freebie.

[S R]

https://css/Partner_505_216_mac.css

Their programmers need to be fired. One of the css style sheets
that they want in the page has a reference as in the subject.

https://css/Partner_505_216_mac.css

Is it even a valid reference? No wonder things crash!

ITA

In this day and age, I do not see how it is that a huge multinational corporation would even THINK of leaving out an entire group like that.

When I did tech support for a large ISP, I found the Mac users to be the most knowledgeable about their machines because they did not expect support. That was 1999. C'mon, peeps, move a little!

P.S.: No offense to you Windows users, I use Windows myself... but that's only 'cause the box was a freebie.

[zigziggityzoo]

What about IE?

So Safari isn't supported? There's a reason for why Every Mac ships
with MS Internet Explorer installed. C|Net, wise up. It helps to
actually try this stuff out before you publish it, or at least research
it a bit.

[KBlumpkin]

re: What about IE?

Macs haven't shipped with IE for quite some time now. Wise up!
Plus Safari is the default browser on Macs...should work with Safari.
Plus, even Brassring themselves say they are not Mac-compatible.
Does IE totally work for this? If it does, then they should state this
so that users don't get the run around. Poor execution by
Brassring! You'd think the decision makers at American Express,
Target, etc., would find this obvious gap in Brassring's product
offering to be wholly unacceptable.

[zigziggityzoo]

What about IE?

So Safari isn't supported? There's a reason for why Every Mac ships
with MS Internet Explorer installed. C|Net, wise up. It helps to
actually try this stuff out before you publish it, or at least research
it a bit.

[KBlumpkin]

re: What about IE?

Macs haven't shipped with IE for quite some time now. Wise up!
Plus Safari is the default browser on Macs...should work with Safari.
Plus, even Brassring themselves say they are not Mac-compatible.
Does IE totally work for this? If it does, then they should state this
so that users don't get the run around. Poor execution by
Brassring! You'd think the decision makers at American Express,
Target, etc., would find this obvious gap in Brassring's product
offering to be wholly unacceptable.

[M C]

Another unresearched story designed to get clicks - Macs work fine

If the author had done even the minimum of research, she would have discovered...

IT WORKS!

I sent an application using Safari just fine.

[Oleg Simkin]

Read the story before posting

READ THE STORY before you start posting. It clearly states in the story that FOR SOME users the process works just fine and yet for others it does not.

[i_made_this]

ditto that - MACS work just fine

i too sent in an app on my MAC. rather than unnecessarily concern tens of thousands of people, perhaps C|NET might've titled the article "Need A Job? Don't Use the Safari Browser For Now". Not as snappy sounding - agreed - but the truth and where "jopurnalism"'s concerned, the truth works best for reader and publisher alike.

BUT

Did you get the job ? Or at least, did you get a (positive) response ?

[M C]

Another unresearched story designed to get clicks - Macs work fine

If the author had done even the minimum of research, she would have discovered...

IT WORKS!

I sent an application using Safari just fine.

[Oleg Simkin]

Read the story before posting

READ THE STORY before you start posting. It clearly states in the story that FOR SOME users the process works just fine and yet for others it does not.

[i_made_this]

ditto that - MACS work just fine

i too sent in an app on my MAC. rather than unnecessarily concern tens of thousands of people, perhaps C|NET might've titled the article "Need A Job? Don't Use the Safari Browser For Now". Not as snappy sounding - agreed - but the truth and where "jopurnalism"'s concerned, the truth works best for reader and publisher alike.

BUT

Did you get the job ? Or at least, did you get a (positive) response ?

[roninkai]

idiots rule

its called virtual PC for mac....

[Jonathan F]

What about cost?

Don't you think it's a bit much to ask a Mac user to pay for an emulation program just because they used something besides Windows?

Imagine if colleges declined applications from students whose political beliefs didn't match the dean's - unless they wrote him a personal cheque. I don't think anyone would stand for it, and it's not much different here.

[roninkai]

idiots rule

its called virtual PC for mac....

[Jonathan F]

What about cost?

Don't you think it's a bit much to ask a Mac user to pay for an emulation program just because they used something besides Windows?

Imagine if colleges declined applications from students whose political beliefs didn't match the dean's - unless they wrote him a personal cheque. I don't think anyone would stand for it, and it's not much different here.

[mgreere]

Mac stories get hits (n/t)

...

[mgreere]

Mac stories get hits (n/t)

...

FUD FUD FUD!!!

The person who wrote this article has never set foot in any of these businesses. If they did they would have found MAC users working happily in the graphics, marketing, sales and executive departments at most of them.

[SmokieUK]

RE:

What are you on about? The story is about how [b]most[/b] Mac users can't apply for the job, due to the lack of support provided by the company who provides the online application (BrassRing), not the working environment of those companies.

[TV James]

Not really!

The Mac users might be happy, but not the IT team forced to support them.

Mac users, as a stereotypical group, are non-conformists who demand things be done their way, bring in their own machines, and then complain when:
- we demand they put a virus-scanning program on their computer
- we want to even touch their computer
- they can't access information because the application doesn't exist for their computer
- they can't access stuff on the network

For us, we've had to grin and bear it because we're "preventing them from doing their jobs" if we ask them to use Macs. (And we're not talking about graphics designers or video producers -- those guys are reasonable and we have a working relationship with them.

There are lots of solutions, the best being Microsoft's Remote Desktop/Terminal Services. But in some cases, they're simply out of luck. Maybe there's a reason that we've standardized on the PC running Windows.

That said, it is incredibly stupid that a web-application as well known as Brass Ring fails on some Macs. That's just really poor coding.

FUD FUD FUD!!!

The person who wrote this article has never set foot in any of these businesses. If they did they would have found MAC users working happily in the graphics, marketing, sales and executive departments at most of them.

[SmokieUK]

RE:

What are you on about? The story is about how [b]most[/b] Mac users can't apply for the job, due to the lack of support provided by the company who provides the online application (BrassRing), not the working environment of those companies.

[TV James]

Not really!

The Mac users might be happy, but not the IT team forced to support them.

Mac users, as a stereotypical group, are non-conformists who demand things be done their way, bring in their own machines, and then complain when:
- we demand they put a virus-scanning program on their computer
- we want to even touch their computer
- they can't access information because the application doesn't exist for their computer
- they can't access stuff on the network

For us, we've had to grin and bear it because we're "preventing them from doing their jobs" if we ask them to use Macs. (And we're not talking about graphics designers or video producers -- those guys are reasonable and we have a working relationship with them.

There are lots of solutions, the best being Microsoft's Remote Desktop/Terminal Services. But in some cases, they're simply out of luck. Maybe there's a reason that we've standardized on the PC running Windows.

That said, it is incredibly stupid that a web-application as well known as Brass Ring fails on some Macs. That's just really poor coding.

[System Tyrant]

Seams like a good place...

to insert a comment about web standards.

If all these companies would support web standards and IE would conform to more of them then problems like this would be even more minimal.

W3C recommendation are much better than for creating webpages than anything IE has and support for non platform specific technologies should be the goal of all companies.

[David Arbogast]

Bad Argument

the argument in favor of standards is a good one. But suggesting that companies insist upon standards to make Microsoft change is silly. Most companies have zero interest in changing the business practices of Microsoft. They want a solution that works and fits their budget. What you suggest is the every person and company become an activist, choose and use a minority operating platform, simply in the interest of "sticking it to MS." 90% of the world is using IE. Given the strength of the standards argument, would it not be easier for other browser manufacturers to do things the way 90% of the installed browsers do them? FAR simpler, and still upholds the ideals of standards... but of course, it does not adhere to the "beliefs" of the evangelical crusaders of open-source.

[System Tyrant]

Seams like a good place...

to insert a comment about web standards.

If all these companies would support web standards and IE would conform to more of them then problems like this would be even more minimal.

W3C recommendation are much better than for creating webpages than anything IE has and support for non platform specific technologies should be the goal of all companies.

[David Arbogast]

Bad Argument

the argument in favor of standards is a good one. But suggesting that companies insist upon standards to make Microsoft change is silly. Most companies have zero interest in changing the business practices of Microsoft. They want a solution that works and fits their budget. What you suggest is the every person and company become an activist, choose and use a minority operating platform, simply in the interest of "sticking it to MS." 90% of the world is using IE. Given the strength of the standards argument, would it not be easier for other browser manufacturers to do things the way 90% of the installed browsers do them? FAR simpler, and still upholds the ideals of standards... but of course, it does not adhere to the "beliefs" of the evangelical crusaders of open-source.

Programming Jobs

What about programming jobs? I think you can still find a job if
you're Mac user looking for a programming and development job,
especially if you're programming in a UNIX environment.

Brian.

Programming Jobs

What about programming jobs? I think you can still find a job if
you're Mac user looking for a programming and development job,
especially if you're programming in a UNIX environment.

Brian.