I read a short sales ad for a Sales Rep that was only 7 sentences long. But the brevity of the ad did not stop the author from being unconsciously contradicting.
The open:
Person must be an achiever, with excellent communication skills. Previous Marketing and Sales experience is a must with a proven track record and cold calling experience.
Later is states a Bachelor’s degree is required. Why? If there was a Bachelor’s degree for selling, I would deem this requirement important.
The contradiction comes in the last sentence:
No phone calls please.
I know I have mentioned this before but please don’t do this. The beginning of the ad is asking for a cold calling-experienced salesperson yet the end of the ad asks them not to do the very thing you will require them to do in the position. Take the call, listen to the salesperson, start qualifying them from the first contact.
Any candidate who calls in on this ad should get extra credit. Those candidates are displaying the very skills this company is requesting in spite of the poorly constructed ad.