Reveal

The Anatomy of a Job Description - Warning Signs

Job descriptions reveal so much about the company, before you even apply. Warning signs pop up in the context. If you are careful, you can save yourself a lot of grief and hardship by reading very carefully about who they want, or better, who they don't want. Let's dissect one.

Boutique Marketing & Promotions Agency in Santa Monica is looking for a Partnership Marketing/Promotions Manager for our Television department. This position is not an ordinary job where you come in a do nothing all day... It can be stressful which is why the candidate MUST have experience and be thick skinned.

Stop here. Already, in the first paragraph, they have told us that they are small (boutique) and overbearing, demanding and/or very unhappy with the person who was in this position last (not an ordinary job where you come in and do nothing all day). But that last line also says more, it says they are sarcastic. When exactly did an ordinary job become one where you got to come in and do nothing all day? Did I miss a memo? Am I doing way too much work? This spark of attitude toward "ordinary" jobs comes off as condescending, mean spirited and outright misinformed. It can be stressful which is why the candidate MUST have experience and be think skinned. Translation: Make no bones about it, we can and WILL abuse you. Your clients can and will abuse you. And you will be expected to sit and take it or else be deemed thin skinned and unworthy. Experience being abused, and taking it like a pro, is mandatory.

As if we needed more proof that this company is a dud, lets move on.

We are searching for candidates who have the following qualities/skills:

Job Description
-Candidate must have an extensive background working in television marketing and/or sales.
-Must have or be able to develop relationships with Creative Service Reps and Marketing Directors at broadcast stations and cable systems within the top 50 Nielsen rated markets.

-Responsibilities: include developing tailored promotions that will air nationally on broadcast stations and cable systems.
-Candidate must be computer literate and have knowledge and experience in Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
-Must be detailed oriented and work well in a fast paced environment under tight deadlines.
-Must have basic understanding of third party tie-ins. Candidate should have some production experience to help produce on-air promotional announcements.
-Must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to handle miscellaneous projects as assigned.

Ok... not too cooky. They are reeling your confidence back in from the slap that was the first paragraph. Like the abuser who takes their victim out for dinner and follows with an evening of romance, this part says... don't worry honey, this is a real job. Look how normal it is. We're using all the buzz words. Shhhhh.... stop crying. This is normal.

Then comes the second slap, even harder this time.

-Time must be flexible: Come in early and leave late in order to get the job done!
- Able to take direction and effectively execute tasks
- Must be a creative thinker
- A candidate that can hit the ground running is a BIG plus.

This is not for someone who has bare minimum experience

Please DO NOT APPLY if you DO NOT have the above experience!!!!!

Translation: We own you. Don't think that when you work for us that anyone else in your life matters more than us. We tell you when your job is done. We will micromanage, order you around and tell you what is effective what is not. We will demand that you are creative and then berate you when that creativity isn't our way of thinking. Oh yes, and if you can start being abused immediately, that's what we prefer.

If you haven't been treated like crap before in a working environment and aren't positively addicted to low self-worth, hyper-criticism and pain, please don't apply.

We're not just looking for any bitch, we're looking for the RIGHT bitch.