Weird Requirement in Job Posting

[cytoglycerine]

Hi All!!


I'm sitting here browsing through job postings online (scoping out the scene for when I get to start my job hunt in ~6-8 wks time) and I came across one that had a requirement that I found to be very strange...


It's a job posted by a recruiting company for an 'Intermediate Accountant' position. The first line of the ad is "Our mid-town national client requires an accountant with a maximum of 3 years full-cycle accounting experience". And yes, the word 'maximum' was bolded and underlined in the ad.


I find this to be a super strange requirement. How could someone with 2 yrs 11 months experience be qualified for a job, but someone with 3 yrs 5 months of the same experience is not qualified for the same job?...I'm totally baffled...Why would they put a maximum amount of experience as a requirement?? I bet it's something really obvious that is just flying right over my head, but if someone could shed some light on this for me, that would be appreciated.


Thanks! ;D

[Sum Dum Gai]

That basically translates into, we're going to low ball the crap out of anyone who applies for this position, so those with experience shouldn't even bother applying since you'll never accept the pay. That would be my take anyway.

[Deleted]

Maybe they have to pay someone more with more experience? Maybe 'Intermediate' means between 1 and 3 years experience? Mabye it was a misprint?

If they wanted someone with NO experience, i would think they've been finding people trained incorrectly, or with bad habits, or just wanted someone who they could teach to do things the way they wanted them done... but ?

[LlamaLlamaDuck]

They could have meant "minimum"and have substandard proofing and typing skillls - I have seen typos like that - opposite thought of what the writer intended was written.

[cytoglycerine]

Mar 2, 2011 18:47:43 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

That basically translates into, we're going to low ball the crap out of anyone who applies for this position, so those with experience shouldn't even bother applying since you'll never accept the pay. That would be my take anyway.

I thought this might have been the case too, but at the bottom it lists a salary of $45k (which is average in my area for this kind of job) and boasts "great benefits"

Mar 2, 2011 18:49:11 GMT -5 LlamaLlamaDuck said:

They could have meant "minimum"and have substandard proofing and typing skillls - I have seen typos like that - opposite thought of what the writer intended was written.

I'm starting to think that this is the problem...Looking at the rest of the ad more closely, based on the duties listing, I'm thinking they'd want someone with more than 3 yrs experience, not less.

[cytoglycerine]

Mar 2, 2011 18:52:33 GMT -5 @toughtimes said:

Maybe they want a very stupid accountant so they can put him in an indictable position.

Too funny...Karma for you!!

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

Maybe 'Intermediate' means between 1 and 3 years experience? Mabye it was a misprint?


Well when someone majors in accounting in college, Intermediate Accounting follows the two basic accounting classes you take. The wheat is separated from the chaff in Intermediate.
This job ad likely does not refer to this...probably looking for a book keeper.

[formerexpat]

Sounds to me like a back door way of saying we don't want a former Controller or lifer staff accountant [same position for 20 years] that's been laid off applying for a position they're clearly over qualified for or were considered "the fat" in a round of company layoffs?

But maybe the rest of the duties suggest otherwise as your other post says; not sure.

[whoisjohngalt]

I would agree with Expat and will also add that sometimes you just don't want someone who has been "doing it for years and knows everything about everything". It can be harder to train or re-train a person if your company's needs are more specific. So, they might want someone with basic understanding of accounting and some work experience, but don't someone who will be telling THEM how things should be done.

Just an idea

Lena

[Deleted]

Or there's an inside candidate already slated for the job and they still have to go through the drill of posting the job.

[Anne_in_VA]

Karma to you bonnap! We think alike - in this instance anyway!

In my company, if they have an internal candidate already slated for a job, they'll post it because they have to go through the drill.

[jospaced]

They want someone young.

[cytoglycerine]

Wow you guys came up with a lot of compelling reasons - Thanks for the insight! I especially liked the one post about how they might want someone who doesn't have "old habits" or "know-it-all" syndrome. Maybe it's not a typo, maybe they really do want someone with less experience...


Good thing I wasn't hoping to apply to it - I'm waaaay overqualified ;D

[whoisjohngalt]

Cyto,
you are not suppose to be applying for ANY jobs, you suppose to be resting and getting ready for your chemo!!!!!
Lena

[cytoglycerine]

Mar 3, 2011 9:58:48 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

Cyto,
you are not suppose to be applying for ANY jobs, you suppose to be resting and getting ready for your chemo!!!!!
Lena

Lena - It's radiation, not chemo, but you sound just like my husband!! ;D


I wasn't going to apply either way...I'm just feeling out the job market situation for mid-late April when I start my job search. I guess I'm getting antsy to just "get on with it", and I want to be prepared. I always work 18 steps in advance.