And what a yummy hat it was. I leave it to the readers of this article to judge how artistic my vision really is. They do publish the anthologies, and do include writers who agree to publication. But the hopes they hold out to contributors, like the contests they run, are fake. The books never see the inside of a bookstore, and because publication is offered without regard to quality, inclusion isn't considered a legitimate literary credit.
Many writers think that entering and winning contests is a way to build a writing resume.
But of the many, many contests out there, only a very few have this kind of clout. I'm not trying to be snobbish here. There's nothing wrong with entering contests for fun, or to challenge yourself, or to win prize money. Just be realistic about your expectations. Keep in mind that not all contests are created equal, and that winning won't necessarily build your career.