What’s your take on corporate talk? You know, the words that never seem to go out of fashion when you read a news release, or a job description, or a What We Do page on a company website?
Are you a fan of the big words and the sprawling descriptions? I’m genuinely curious, because often I wonder if it’s me who should be thinking bigger and describing things differently.
Here’s an example of what I mean:
The Social Media program is a fast-paced, high-intensity, high-visibility program working with agile methodologies to deliver high-quality solutions in the tightest possible timeframe. Reporting to the Manager of Social Media, the successful candidate will be responsible for managing key stakeholders, scoping projects, develop project schedules, charters and develop all aspects of the deliverables relating to Social Media.
The Project Manager will remove roadblocks, procure technology solutions and obtain resources for roadmap items in advance of projects in order to stage projects for success. The Project Manager will oversee all aspects of the projects within the program and provide regular status reports on the program including schedule and budget performance, issues and risks.
The successful candidate will have proven leadership skills, basic understanding of programming concepts, strong analytical skills, a track record of innovation, an ability to proactively identify opportunities and quickly implement solutions, a positive attitude and a passion for exceptional customer service. Further, the successful candidate will be an exceptional communicator.
This is the job description from Canada’s leading mobile technology company. I look at it and I think snooze button. Yet knowing the company involved (I’ve worked on projects for them), it’s also indicative of why they’re falling behind to younger, fresher competitors (to my eyes, at least).
Couldn’t they just position the role as, “Strong candidate needed to work with Social Media Manager, to take our company to the next level with industry-leading strategies and projects. Must know their shit.”
Okay, it wouldn’t be as simple as that, but I just wonder if companies are putting potential superstars off working from them, by making the job sound as boring as hell to start with.
Or maybe it’s just me, like I said. I don’t know – what’s your take? Would this job description inspire you?
image: nishwater
Yes, some jobs are positively stultifying. At least the write up you provided makes no attempt to conceal that.
” . . . deliver high-quality solutions in the tightest possible timeframe.” The description would be truer if it read “we don’t plan anything, but that’s not an excuse for producing crappy work.”
Here’s a portion of a job description I read just today for a Technology Sales Representative:
Perform out-bound prospecting and campaign telesales to assigned accounts, soliciting sales for goods and services.
Deliver effective sales presentations by phone and WebEx. Track outbound activities, opportunities generated and sales.
Record names, addresses, purchases and reactions of prospects contacted, along with notes from each contact in CRM Database.
Recommend appropriate software, services and/or configurations based on customer input.
Provide technical information in support of discussions or quotations.
I’m not sure if these write ups happen to requisitions after HR has its say, or whether managers truly believe that they’re the essential precursor for valuable customer relationships.
We have met the enemy and it is us!