Job application etiquette
 

I'm applying for a job. I found it on Monster. They listed themselves as confidential.

However in the course of the job description they accidentally mentioned the name of the company.

When writing my cover letter, should I pretend I didn't notice? Or should I be blatant about it? (It goes without saying that in either case I'll dig up whatever dirt I can find to use.)

if they mentioned the co. name in the description, they more than likely filled out the monster listing incorrectly.

Context leads me to suspect that they did intend to be confidential--they repeatedly use third-person language like "our company is the leading supplier of X in New England." In the middle of a laundry list of responsibilities they talked about developing strategic relationships between Company X and external partners.

I'd say go ahead and mention it. I don't know what sort of job it is you're applying for, but in most cases, employers prefer honesty from their staff, so you might as well open a frank discussion about what you plan to do for them if they like your application.

Que?

Why would anyone apply for a postion for an un-named company?

What you do is ignore it, but use the information to your advantage. Look up their details and figure out what their needs are.

Do you know why they would want to hide the name? Unless there's a damn good/obvious reason for them to hide it and you to "resoect" that, then if it's natural flow of things for you to mention it in your application, I would do so. Maybe it's a test? Whatever the reason they neglected to hid it, if it were me, I'd want to hire the observant applicant rather than the one who didn't notice or pretended not to in order to brown-nose.

A lot of companies hide the name of their company because they use employment agencies to do the initial round of interviews. This is time saving of course. So, hiding the name saves the employing company from a) having people just show up wanting to press their case when it's not convenient and, b) makes life easier for the employment agencies.

That's particularly true in SD's line of work, where agencies are used regularly. Often you can find 3-4 agencies all listing the same position.

And all the agencies are fucking incompetent. (Just my experience, mind.)

And if that is the only reason for not providing the name, then there's no real reason not to mention it. That said, doubt it'll do you much good until you get past the agencies.

Good Luck with it all.

If you let on that you know the company name, the agency will not forward your resume since they will assume you have already contacted the company directly.

Contact the company directly.

I don't think it's going to matter one way or another to the company. The listing was either put up by an agency, or by some low-level HR assistant, and either way the decision-maker who actually looks at your resume is going to simply assume the company name was in the listing, they'll never even consider the possibility that you were all clever in finding it among all the other generic instances in the listing.

On the other hand, if there is even the slightest chance that you will ever use this cover letter as a template for another application, by including a company name you will be setting yourself up for a real screwup by accidentall leaving the wrong company in the letter. I say generic is safer.

In the light of all this expert advice, I change my vote to don't mention it.

Is beestie's suggestion to go straight to the company viable? or will they brush you off because they don't want to deal with first stage applications?

Going straight to the company means they don't have to pay a fee to an agency. They'll be happy about that.

I just noticed you are in Ann Arbor. I was just there last Monday. Bought some Christmas presents in some of those cool shops down on Main Street. Didn't see Bob Seger, tho.