Misleading Job Ads

[Boozy]

A doctorate degree can be considered a requirement for "entry level" positions in many fields. Academia, for example. It all depends on the field.

Entry-level doesn't mean "I show up with no skills or experience and you train me". It means that the position is the first step in beginning a career with that particular company. There is no lower position within that company that will put you on a career track with them.

The best way to get experience that you don't have is to take a non-related job within the right company, and pick up skills peripherally until you can get a lateral move. For example, if you want to become an insurance adjustor, but require experience, your best bet is to get hired as a receptionist - or even office cleaner! - at an insurance company.

[boringscreenname]

A temp agency around here is notorious for posting great jobs on Craigslist just to get you in for an interview, then they reveal that job didn't actually exist; they claim to call you with 'matching' jobs but never do. I'm also noticing job postings that are actually from an agency but are created to look like it's a private party...advertise what looks like a great hourly rate but when you reply, they reveal it's an agency and your real pay would be less than half that.

There's a temp agency around here that does the same thing. My husband registered with them, and they sent him to a job. The hours and pay looked great and they said it was a temp to hire position.

So he showed up at work for his first day along with another older guy. At the end of the day the factory told him, not to come back the next day, they just needed someone for one day and hadn't hired a single new person in over 5 years.

It turns out the temp agency was desperate to fill this position, they tried being honest with the majority of them, but quickly came to realize that no one wanted a one day job assignment. So they called my husband this older guy, then lied to them to get them to accept the assignment. My husband was very angry when he went to pick up his check from the temp agency and told them exactly what he thought of them in no uncertain terms. We have yet to hear back from them. Can't say I'm disappointed.

[telecom_goddess]

The best way to get experience that you don't have is to take a non-related job within the right company, and pick up skills peripherally until you can get a lateral move. For example, if you want to become an insurance adjustor, but require experience, your best bet is to get hired as a receptionist - or even office cleaner! - at an insurance company.

I did this....started at the phone company where I've worked at for over 8 years in customer care...NOT my dream job. But I did a very smart lateral move about 6 years ago doing what I wanted to do, which is way more tech oriented, switch programming, dsl programming etc. And it morphed through a couple more moves into the job I have now which is awesome.

[Imprl59]

YES I see that too. In some cases I've seen the required experience is on something so specialized that the only way to get said experience is to work for a company that uses it.

Also the entry-level support postings that specify '2-3 years experience in a company helpdesk environment'. I've never worked in a cube farm and my last official helpdesk position was 6 years ago, but I am versed in dealing with users. You don't have to have official proof to still be good at something.

I think employers are trying to weed out the people they might have to *gasp* train even slightly (they see it as wasting money).

One thing to consider when you see help wanted... You are dealing with human resources and the ads are written with pie in the sky dreams of this ideal new employee.

Think of it as you looking for a new car. You want one that is red and sporty with two doors and a big engine that goes fast but it has to get great gas mileage. Once you start shopping you figure out that you really need four doors for the family and the little engine gets better mileage and the blue one is already on the lot...

It never hurts to apply for these positions anyway if you think it is a job you can do. They are going to sort through all the applications and pick the person who best meets the needs for an interview. That person might be you if you meet the other qualifications or have additional qualifications they didn't think to look for.

[Imprl59]

There's a temp agency around here that does the same thing. My husband registered with them, and they sent him to a job. The hours and pay looked great and they said it was a temp to hire position.

So he showed up at work for his first day along with another older guy. At the end of the day the factory told him, not to come back the next day, they just needed someone for one day and hadn't hired a single new person in over 5 years.

I had a similar thing happen to me years ago. I applied for job X and when i got there job X was "filled" but they had another great job working overnights monitoring connetions. When a system dropped you dialed a number and left the client a message. The job pretty much sucked but I was desperate at the time and took it. Turns out after suckering me in to doing it one night that position was already filled but the guy had been sick and was coming back the next day... I wasn't a happy camper.

[tropicsgoddess]

I hate that with a fiery passion. Worse are the ones where they have these overly glorified titles for lowly positions and flowered up descriptions on the job and then come to find out how shitty it really is. Worse are the ones that claim it's an entry level job in management but it's nothing more than a pyramid scheme sales job you work you way up and hope to God you get the Management spot they initially advertised about.

[DrFaroohk]

lol I've had a few of those too. I remember getting assigned the duty "Security Chief" at the old gas station. My job was to do a quick inspection of the gas pumps and drop a giant measuring stick down into the gas tanks to measure our fuel levels. they reeled me in good.