Help Needed For Help Wanted

A job search can reveal a lot about a job seeker.  How many jobs are they willing to look at before giving up?  What type of jobs?  That’s just scratching the surface.  A job search reveals there is no continuity among job posts.

Businesses often say they have a tough time finding candidates that fit what they’re looking for.  Maybe, just maybe, the problem is the wrong message being sent to job seekers.  I mean, how can a confusing job posting lead to finding ‘the one’?

Case in point, why title a vacancy as “Entry-Level Marketing”, then specify a requirement of 5+ years of relevant experience?  Regardless of profession, if an employee has 5 years of experience and is still considered entry-level, something is likely wrong.

How do we fix the disconnect?  I think consistency is key.  Every post should include a description of the position, with desired (and/or required) qualifications.  If you state a need for 3-5 years experience, please don’t title or categorize the post as entry-level.  As any job seeker can tell you, nothing is more aggravating then setting parameters for an online job search, then be served a list of jobs that blatantly don’t match what is being searched for.  There is no reason why someone specifying ‘entry-level’ as a level of experience should be served with management vacancies.

A job post should reflect the organization/person seeking to fill a position.  Often, a post that was created using a cut-and-paste corporate template is an indication of how a company operates: cookie-cutter in every sense.  If a company consistently posts ‘entry-level’ positions requiring years of experience, there is a disconnect with expectations and employees.

I feel the best organizations already have, or can quickly produce, job descriptions for every position.  Maybe the ambiguity of some job postings should lead companies/organizations to evaluate their in-house talent prior to posting the next vacancy.  After all, how do you truly find the best candidate to help reach your objectives if you don’t have an accurate read of who’s already on the roster?