I might make this a regular feature because I think pointing out some of these bad job listings in a humorous way may help some businesses figure out how to attract great web developers and designers. I’m hoping this will be both funny and educational. This is an example from Fresno’s craigslist. I’m going to copy it here stripping out most of the identifying information to protect the guilty.

Here’s the listing:

X company is a highly established, respected company in the Central Valley for over 45 years. We are looking for a few motivated, self-driven individual to join our Team. We are looking for a Professional web person that is looking for long term employment. Candidates must have a friendly disposition, a Professional appearance, be able to take direction and work independently. Website needs to be reconstructed, maintained and updated regularly. This position also will include some clerical work as well. The position pays $10.00 hr and is a full-time position 40 hrs a week, 5-day work schedule Monday - Friday. SKILLS:

  • Strong concept development and graphic design ability
  • Excellent understanding of composition, color, imagery, typography
  • Strong working experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and XHTML / HTML
  • Solid experience creating websites and online store enviroment with Database
  • Ability to self-manage projects and work within time deadlines
  • Team oriented, self-motivated

If you think you are the candidate we are looking for, we would like to meet with you and discuss your possible future with X. Please email resumes to X

There is so much wrong with this job posting I don’t even know where to start. First of all, it’s really hard to find someone who has both solid experience creating database-driven web sites and strong graphic design ability. If you’re target audience is Fresno, you may as well just stop right there because I haven’t met a single person in this town who meets that criteria. Second, ten dollars per hour? You are out of your mind if you think you can find a professional with solid experience in any field for that amount, let alone a professional with solid experience in a high-demand field like web development and design. Have you done any research at all into how much these types of people get paid even here in Fresno? You need to almost triple that figure to attract anyone worth your time and please don’t ask that person to do clerical work because you can hire someone else to do that.

Lets briefly mention software experience. If you can find me a single professional web designer that doesn’t have at least a decent understanding of Photoshop and Illustrator, then I owe you some beer. Also, do some more research because it’s 2010 and nobody uses Dreamweaver anymore. If they do, then you don’t want to hire them. So really your post should say, “must have no recent experience working with Dreamweaver”.

Are you sure you also want your ideal candidate to manage their own projects? You should be aware that this addition makes you look disengaged and lazy. Basically you’re coming across as lazy, clueless, out-of-date and irrational. If I were a potential candidate I would expect these characteristics to enter our working relationship making me frustrated and possibly rubbing off on my own character.

I know this comes off as insulting and it is that. On the other hand, these job listings are insulting to me and other local professionals. I hope my insults can be taken in a very general sense rather than a mean-spirited and personal one. I don’t mean to attack anyone in particular, only to help anyone reading figure out why their job postings aren’t working and help them improve and hopefully do it in a lighthearted way.

Update Feb 15 You’ve gone and made it even worse by adding e-commerce experience as yet another requirement. Have you had anyone apply who’s not still in high school? This is still only $2.00 over minimum wage. I can’t even get a guy to come lay tile in my bathroom for that price. Now you’re just asking for it, I’m putting up a link to this shameful job posting..