Sunday, March 14, 2010

So Should I Add Facebook and Texting to my Resume?!

So I was in Cincinnati last weekend and I was in my hotel, bored, and reading through some local papers/ads I had picked up (in an attempt to familiarize myself with the town my husband will be living in for a year) when I skimmed across the following job posting:

"Marketing, Promotions, Event Planner Manager


Hiring for XXXXX in downtown Cincinnati on Fountain Square. This job will require booking parties, Happy Hour events, etc. by e-mailing, texting, telephone answering, operting the company facebook, working with the Convention Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and others."

Besides the fact that this is just a vague and I feel bad job description, I highlighted a few areas of interest. First being that the word operating is spelled operting. I think accurate spelling in a two sentence job posting is fairly important. Obviously, they are looking for a Marketing Editor as well….if anyone is interested.

Next, since when did booking parties by texting become the appropriate means of which to do business in the Marketing/Event world? I know I have been out of the event world for a few years but is this how things are done now?! “Big prty 2nite @ XXXX. Hope 2 C U there. RSVP 2 me ASAP. CU Soon!!” I mean, really. And BTW (just practicing for the job) when did actually texting become a skill set in a professional job?

Um, telephone answering? Besides the wording of this I just want to say DUH!! sigh Moving on.

Operting the company facebook. Now I realize that facebook is the new thing when it comes to marketing and many businesses are starting a facebook page and I think that is great because it is a fast way to have access to many people but does it need to be added to the job description in a newspaper ad right after telephone answering? Answer - not so much.

My point is, when I was looking for a job a couple years ago I started noticing how sloppy & unprofessional job descriptions were getting both online and in print and how places that I believe to be good places to work seemed to have very shoddy job descriptions. Now granted I know in this economy you can’t turn your nose up to every job just because you don’t like the wording in the job description, but a job description like this makes me think this job is nothing more than a joke. As much as I would love planning happy hour events, operting facebook, texting and telephone answering all day I think this job description sounds perfect for a 16 year old.

And this was not the only job description that had issues. Lazy.

Dear companies – Take a little pride in your available jobs, even if it is just facebooking and texting all day.


P.S. As an actual event planner, I am a bit insulted by how many jobs get labeled “Event Planner”. I think they just throw around that job title on any job that deals with scheduling something for a business because it seems hip and cool to have an Event Planner position. Anyone who has been a REAL Event Planner knows that, though it is a fun job at times, it is FAR more than just hosting parties and putting dates in a planner and it is a job that can kick your ass and is not always easy.

Ok, hold on while I find a way down from my soapbox.

I am not even looking for a job right now, but I can only imagine if this is how bad it is now what it will be like in a few more years!!

3 comments:

  1. I think you should share this with that company. Seriously. It is, and they should be embarrassed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was frustrating me that you were spelling operating wrong in your post, I know you were mocking them, but I kept stopping and trying to sound it out. I don't know how you could post that to a paper spelled wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think the only way the rationalize this is by paying said hired person for a very small salary. These "Event" positions are really entry level positions. If they are not, the person posting that job should be ashamed.

    ReplyDelete