Want ads left wanting

When I pen an article, blogpost or advert, I try my best to be clear and honest. Which is why I find it terribly frustrating (OK - it really burns my nuggets) to read misleading, incomplete and bet-you-a-$100-it's-crap Craigslist job opportunities.

For example, I have lost count of the "Marketing Rep" ads that once clicked and opened, are nothing more than ads for $8-10/hr cold calling sales jobs  &/or 100% commission-based tele-marketing positions. Or how about the "market my painting business by going door to door and I'll pay you $10/referral" scenario? How is one supposed to take a prospective employer seriously when they are unclear about the differences between Sales and Marketing? (very quickly, now: 'Das Auto', 'Drivers Wanted', and even the complementary post-service car wash, etc. = Marketing; the salesperson at your VW dealership = Sales. Complementary concepts, sure, but often very different in approach and implementation.)

Think about it: You want someone to go door-to-door to 'market' your company's services? Well, at least be good enough to get permission from homeowners before your staff interrupt dinner (or worse!), and have a marketing plan in place before feeding your eager team to the wolves. Mind you, if you're paying $8-10/hour you likely cannot afford a marketing team; instead implement a unique marketing strategy. Try something really unique that will engage and capture the homeowners you desperately seek (I can't help with any specific ideas since you left out the most important bit: who you are and what you are selling - see below). It will take a wee bit more thought that posting an ad to Craigslist, but the payoff will be worth it.

There are also adverts that do not list the company, service, or rate of remuneration. The job poster will write 1000 words on the requisite qualifications and myriad responsibilities, but leave out the most salient and essential of details - like compensation and product. In fact, as a blatant weeding exercise, they ask the prospective employee to list salary expectations. This may appear as a tactical way to limit responses. I disagree. In fact, I see it as a turn off to potential star candidates. Follow the lead of those progressive organizations that are secure in who they are and what they offer: be clear about what rate of compensation you are offering, what type of business you are in, and provide the name of your company. In this way, YOUR time and that of the poor HR person charged with assisting you in the hiring process will not be deluged by myriad CV's; instead, I suspect you'll receive a more qualified group of resumes from respondents. And you'll then be able to provide a response instead of "due to the overwhelming amount of resumes we expect, we can only contact shortlisted persons...". This is often viewed as lazy and inconsiderate.

To those persons who are in positions of hiring, on behalf of those of us that are in career transition/job-hunting/freelancing etc., please ensure that the message in your employment ad is clear. It will make everyone's time management that more effective and, even better: it may ensure you uncover the best candidate that much sooner.