Is this appropriate for a Help Wanted ad?

[savalez]

Last edited Thu Jan 5, 2012, 11:15 PM - Edit history (3)

A friend who is looking for a job emailed me this link. At first it appears to be your standard run-of-the-mill ad:

"MUSIC INDUSTRY'S Leading Independent Artist & Repertoire Company needs a WELL ORGANIZED, EXCEEDINGLY BRIGHT, VERY ARTICULATE, AMAZINGLY PERSONABLE SELF-STARTER"

It goes on and on, no biggie. Then there's this:

Monday-Friday 9-6 (NOT flexible) hours, and a nice work environment in Calabasas, CA. College grads only!!! No slackers, hipsters, or self-entitled douche bags please.

Do you think this is acceptable or unnecessarily abusive to job seekers?

Here's the ad: http://www.entertainmentcareers.net/Taxi_Independent_A_R/Customer_Service_Rep/job/131302/

[JaneQPublic]

1. "self-entitled douche bag" = Republican (nt)

[Fresh_Start]

2. My reaction is this place

doesn't need a self-entitled douche bag because that position has already been filled by whoever wrote this ad.

[savalez]

9. Effen aye

you got a hardy laugh outta me with that one. Thanks.

[MineralMan]

19. DUzy!

[MicaelS]

3. Acceptable, especially the part about hipsters! n/t

[meegbear]

14. +1

[EC]

4. Sounds like they want someone serious and reliable.

Willing to actually work and be able to speak. The ad is on taxi.com and an entertainment career site. It's acceptable to me...sounds like they are tired of getting douche bags.

[sharp_stick]

5. It doesn't bother me

although it may be abusive to slackers, hipsters and self-entitled douche bags.

It looks like they're trying to use humor aimed at a certain age group to show potential applicants that it's a pretty laid back place to work.

[MADem]

13. I think you nailed it, particularly with regard to the demographic they are seeking.

Laid back, but you're going to actually have to work, is the message I take from it.

[Speck Tater]

6. Just sounds like plain, old-fashioned straight talking to me. They told it like it is. nt

[KansDem]

7. Man!!! I was going to apply!

Until I saw "WELL ORGANIZED, EXCEEDINGLY BRIGHT, VERY ARTICULATE, AMAZINGLY PERSONABLE SELF-STARTER," then I knew I'd be wasting my time...

[Muskypundit]

11. I saw that too

and all I can think is that no one fits that definition. They want liars to apply lol.

[Journeyman]

8. What would you rather read, fluff and pablum that paints a rosy picture . . .

or an accurate reflection of the type of people you'd be applying to work with?

[treestar]

10. Not appropriate or professional sounding

Maybe if they said what the job actually was they'd narrow the pool of applicants to those qualified.

[Quantess]

12. They're just trying to narrow down the pool of applicants, nothing wrong with that.

But I doubt it will be effective in discouraging "self-entitled douchebags", since they won't recognize themselves in the description.

[Ian David]

15. "Self-Starter" usually means they want to sell you a franchise opportunity.

Or, at best, pay you on commission-only.

[notadmblnd]

16. Very unprofessional

and personally I wouldn't want to work for someone that refers to people as douchbags.

[savalez]

25. The person

who sent me the ad felt similarly.

[badtoworse]

17. I like the ad

I'd love to see the resumes that come in.

[quakerboy]

18. Are "slackers", "hipsters" or "self-entitled douche bags" a protected class now?

If so, I was unaware of their new status

[savalez]

22. My mistake. All three were not what I was referring to.

I edited it to highlight just the "self entitled douche bag" part. But no, none of them are or ever should be.

[MrCoffee]

20. Other than the obvious redundancy, it's fine with me

[RZM]

21. Seems applicable in an ad seeking and A&R person

Plenty of douchebags in that profession already, methinks.

[JustAnotherGen]

23. That's something my boss would write

If I wasn't here to polish him up! Oh - and the company would probably get hit with a Class Action Suit from Self-Entitled Douchebag Cell Phone Users.

[RebelOne]

24. It would be more appropriate as a Craig's List ad. n/t

[slackmaster]

26. Self-entitled douche bags are not a protected class under either federal or California state law

If someone doesn't want to hire one, that is perfectly OK.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

27. Multiple personality disorder. 1st part written by the lib persona; 2nd written by the Repugnican

aspect of this person's personality disorder.

[totodeinhere]

28. I don't see a problem with it. I think they were trying to inject some humor.

They want prospective job seekers to know that it's a fun place to work and not uptight.

[Shankapotomus]

29. It's misogynistic.

They were not thinking there are women browsing those ads, as well.

[Buns_of_Fire]

30. Other than the fact that everyone knows that "douchebag" is one word, I've no real problem with it.

I'd love to see what kind of "engaging cover letters" they get. Let's see... "Dear Asscarrot..."

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. lol. n/t

[Art_from_Ark]

32. What, exactly, is a "self-entitled douche bag"?

Someone who doesn't want to work 9 hours for 8 hours pay? Someone who is expecting to get some sort of health insurance for working full-time? Someone who expects to get a few holidays and sick days off?

Enquiring minds want to know.