Job Ad Tells Mushy Pleasers, Vapid Granolas to Keep Walkin’
The Yahoo! headline caught my attention, but it was the actual job description and posting that shocked me. Let’s first take a look at the complete description below:
The House’s most unique and courageous conservative seeks smart, happy interns (of all ages and backgrounds) for the remainder of the year. Alas, we cannot pay you. Schedules and start/end dates are negotiable if you’re worth it. We do not insist on specific, arbitrary submissions: send us whatever personal materials you think will give us reason to hire you, even if that’s just a standard boring resume and canned cover letter. Writing samples are encouraged, but not required, because even a short cover letter belies and betrays a lousy writer. Brevity is the soul of wit. This Member is not a jerk, and neither loathes nor avoids interns, but loves them, and actually speaks to them. If you are selected for this internship you will have extraordinary access to the Member and to meaningful projects that go well beyond the standard intern grunt work (or your money back). Personality and ideology are important. Please bring a confident, vigorous intellect and no drama. Ideal candidates will be true patriots who can count up to 17 in trillions, and care more about future generations than they do about sucking up to current leadership. Mushy pleasers/appeasers keep walkin’. HINT: vapid granolas who fear guns, hate babies, are ashamed of America, and think Islamic terrorists and illegal aliens are just misunderstood will not be comfortable here.
If you’re thinking, Did I really just read that? My answer to you is “yes”—and, trust me, I felt the same way after drawing a blank.
I looked at the other 13 internship ads on the GOP Job Bank website and this one for Rep. Stockman was definitely one of a kind. All the other job descriptions /ads sounded “typical” using more professional language, were to the point and did not include clever phrases or sentences.
For example, the intern ad for Majority Whip Steve Scalise reads:
The Office of Majority Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01) is seeking fall interns, part and full time, available to start immediately. Interns will be put on a rotational program through both the leadership and personal offices of Congressman Scalise. Previous Hill internship experience and/or Louisiana ties are preferred but not required.
The above ad sounds like what we’re all used to, right? But, as I reread the ad allegedly for Stockman, I wondered if its uniqueness is a good thing in an attempt to go against the grain and spice up its job description to attract top talent, or if this form of being “set apart” is a major fail.
Let’s look at the ad again—this time a little more in depth:
The House’s most unique and courageous conservative seeks smart, happy interns (of all ages and backgrounds) for the remainder of the year. Alas, we cannot pay you.
The first line certainly catches your attention. Instead of saying, “John Doe seeks an intern” the ad shows a bit of creativity in how it describes the employer, which can reflect the employer’s culture. Plus, although unpaid, it’s great to know this information upfront instead of reading through an attractive job description only to finally discover at the end that it’s an unpaid gig.
Schedules and start/end dates are negotiable if you’re worth it. We do not insist on specific, arbitrary submissions: send us whatever personal materials you think will give us reason to hire you, even if that’s just a standard boring resume and canned cover letter. Writing samples are encouraged, but not required, because even a short cover letter belies and betrays a lousy writer. Brevity is the soul of wit.
The add keeps job seekers interested because of its lax submission guidelines, and it shows that the employer cares more about quality than a long list of requirements or “traditional” recruitment methods. Yet, telling job seekers that you’re only willing to negotiate schedules and start/end dates if they’re “worth it” is a bit off-putting.
This Member is not a jerk, and neither loathes nor avoids interns, but loves them, and actually speaks to them. If you are selected for this internship you will have extraordinary access to the Member and to meaningful projects that go well beyond the standard intern grunt work (or your money back).
Again, this wording appeals to job seekers, demonstrating that the employer is more relaxed and carefree. It also tells them because it shows that the potential boss will actually view the intern as a human being instead of just another intern. The ad conveys the message that the employer intends to build a working relationship with the intern as opposed to being an unapproachable boss.
Personality and ideology are important. Please bring a confident, vigorous intellect and no drama. Ideal candidates will be true patriots who can count up to 17 in trillions, and care more about future generations than they do about sucking up to current leadership. Mushy pleasers/appeasers keep walkin’
This section will certainly appeal to younger generations as studies show that millennials desire to do meaningful work. This portion of the job description appeals to Gen Y’s overall career ideals, which is a great attraction point.
HINT: vapid granolas who fear guns, hate babies, are ashamed of America, and think Islamic terrorists and illegal aliens are just misunderstood will not be comfortable here.
This wording is a bit harsh and may turn off many job seekers. Although the job posting attempted to be clever here, the wording reflects a more sarcastic tone, which may not appeal to some. Not everyone who believes in gun control fears guns just as it doesn’t mean those in favor of abortion hate babies. Also, the part about “think Islamic terrorists and illegal aliens are just misunderstood” may be tiptoeing around a very fine prejudicial line.
Overall, I think the job ad certainly stands out from the pack and includes creative wording that will appeal to younger job seekers, but I also think it includes a few phrases that can be considered a turnoff and deter talented candidates.
What do you think? Is this job description keeping up with the times and attracting younger workers or did it cross the line and fail at trying to be “cool”?