Critique my Help Wanted ad

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-09-2008, 10:10 AM

I'm placing an ad on Craig's List for a part-time helper. pay is $10/hour.

Too vague? Should I use a temp agency instead? I've just done the math and am losing more $ by not getting things done than I am hiring someone to take care of tons of day to day details and organization.

Office Assistant needed

I have a growing boy's clothing company and need a part time jack or jill of all trades. there literally is no job description because you will be helping with everything. Must be energetic, innovative, self-starter and hard-working. extremely laid-back office, parking no problem and we're right off the 71 bus line.

2 days per week to start, will evolve to full time in January if you want and it works out.

Please send a resume and short cover letter on why you would be good for this job.

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

Sounds like a decent gig to me for the right person.

svandamme · svandamme's Garage

Recent experience as a stripper will be considered a plus, own portable pole not required

Heel n Toe · 10-09-2008, 10:19 AM

If you need this person to have any sort of computer skills, you may want to roughly sketch those out... "Capable in Excel, Powerpoint, and Solitaire."

Come to think of it, if there's any kind of skill that you know you will need out of this person, you should mention it... saying "energetic, innovative, self-starter and hard-working" is fine, but most people probably wouldn't want to spend time writing why they are best for a job if they don't know a little more about it.

M.D. Holloway · 10-09-2008, 10:22 AM

Looks good - great for a student. $10/hr is a little low for the Northeast. You may be getting what you pay for.

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

... You may be getting what you pay for.

Since when does anyone, NOT?

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

"extremely laid back office" sounds like lazy. Casual and relaxed office would denote a nice friendly place to actually work your ass off.

Office - admin skills, computer skills, writing skills, people skills, organization skills, etc.

The more specific you are, the better your chances of finding someone right. The wrong person can make your day much worse.

Good luck!

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-09-2008, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

If you need this person to have any sort of computer skills, you may want to roughly sketch those out... "Capable in Excel, Powerpoint, and Solitaire."

Come to think of it, if there's any kind of skill that you know you will need out of this person, you should mention it... saying "energetic, innovative, self-starter and hard-working" is fine, but most people probably wouldn't want to spend time writing why they are best for a job if they don't know a little more about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryH

"extremely laid back office" sounds like lazy. Casual and relaxed office would denote a nice friendly place to actually work your ass off.

Office - admin skills, computer skills, writing skills, people skills, organization skills, etc.

The more specific you are, the better your chances of finding someone right. The wrong person can make your day much worse.

Good luck!

good advice. they will need basic excel skills, but thinking now, they must be super organizers. still vague, I know, but they will touch every aspect of running a small business including . it is a good opportunity for someone that can grown with the job, from keeping track of basic admin to helping me develop marketing campaigns to getting seasonal production out the door to helping launch the Joey & Rex books and products in January including researching ancillary product development like injection molded urethane patches on backpacks.

it's a big opportunity, one that I can't seem to capture concisely.

Terry, good call on "lazy."

Heel n Toe · 10-09-2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

it is a good opportunity for someone that can grown with the job

That is a good skill to have. No sense in keeping one's feelings all bottled up. I groan about something related to my job at least once a week.

Pazuzu · 10-09-2008, 10:51 AM

You're not looking for a gopher, you're looking for a serious assistant. Craigslist is not the way to go.

I'd contact your local high school, community college or college. They all have various business learning groups for the students. You'd be more likely to find someone who is young, but interested in learning the true ins and outs of running a small business by going to a place where those people naturally congregate.

I got my high school job through a program like that, and it advanced to running a $50k per month warehouse, with sales, engineering, and field work over a few years.

HardDrive · 10-09-2008, 10:59 AM

Damn shame I'm not in your area.

svandamme · svandamme's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Damn shame I'm not in your area.

he needs somebody to work while he wastes time on PPOT, not somebody to waste time on PPOT while he works...mmmkaay?

The Gaijin · 10-09-2008, 11:16 AM

Shaun - Man: You need to be like Kramer when he organized the 'KrayAmerica Corporation" and got himself an intern.

I would go for a young cutie taking some kind of "entrepreneurial business" class.

With the way corporate America is going, $10 an hour and real world experience would prove to be invaluable..

SlowToady · 10-09-2008, 11:32 AM

I take it you're not paying for relocation...? Haha.

This seems like exactly the type of work that always seems to find me, and I'd say both myself and my employers have benefited greatly from it. Good luck on finding a suitable candidate!

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

This is a good one.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/adg/836109998.html

M.D. Holloway · 10-09-2008, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

This is a good one.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/adg/836109998.html

The way things are going after the election she may need some extra income.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-09-2008, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gaijin

Shaun - Man: You need to be like Kramer when he organized the 'KrayAmerica Corporation" and got himself an intern.

I would go for a young cutie taking some kind of "entrepreneurial business" class.

With the way corporate America is going, $10 an hour and real world experience would prove to be invaluable..

G9Girl at full tilt I had 12 interns all working in one summer. they were amazingly hard workers, supersmart and 3 were way too attractive and wore too little. 9 did the work of your average 30-something in PR, marketing, web and product development. They required a lot of care, but well worth it. BUT, I think they were so into it for the girl power angle. they took it very seriously.

I honestly don't want interns RIGHT NOW. I will in the spring when we launch the "get dads to read with their boys" campaign, but right now, I want a worker bee over the next 2 months with growth potential to even manage interns this spring and summer.

scottmandue · 10-09-2008, 12:16 PM

What time do I show up?

You have an office fridge stocked with beer right?

Shaun @ Tru6 · 10-09-2008, 12:21 PM

what kind of beer do you like? the fridge is pretty big.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Don't forget to post those ads on the bulletin boards in laundromats/JP Licks/eateries around town. Go to the neighborhoods around colleges (pretty much 80% of Boston, I know) and you should find decent help. Have some Emack & Bolios for me while you're at it.