Exceeding Expectations

I read a lot of job boards. There are a number of fascinating projects under development right now, and its exciting to have a chance to work with people who see the Web in a different light. Of course, it’s a two way street - these entrepreneurial souls need to find quality talent, and that search can be like finding a needle in a haystack, if that’s how you set up the search. Today I ran across a posting for a designer and UI Engineer which immediately set off my red flag.

This confidential “elite” company is looking for “an equally qualified designer with a discipline in delivering creative work, on time, on budget and beyond expectation”. First off, if you’re an elite company, you don’t hide your brand, you exploit it any time you can. Your brand has power, not your claim of being elite. That’s the whole point of branding, to fill your name with significance, then use your name all the time. If these people think they’re weeding out bad candidates by staying confidential, they’re certainly weeding out the best candidates as well.

Secondly, anytime someone expects work “beyond expectation”, I laugh at the paradox. Don’t use this line. It’s absurd. A better practice is to tell prospective employees and partners who you are and exactly what you are working on. What purpose does the mystery serve? I’d love to know.