Let’s Roast.
Thanks to special guest roaster, Katelyn McArdle of Functional Authority. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.
This isn’t just a job ad, it’s a time capsule. A nonprofit wants a Communications Associate to champion Revolutionary War battlefields in the United States… while explicitly banning them from the most powerful communications tool of the 21st century. For job seekers, it’s either a red flag or a dream gig (depending on your tolerance for irony). For hiring managers, it’s a masterclass in how not to design a modern role. Buckle up.
Follow along with the full job ad here:
The Bigger Picture
How do you design a communications role for the digital age while pretending the digital age doesn’t exist? This job ad forces us to ask: What happens when organizational identity (preserving history) collides with functional reality (needing modern outreach)?
The answer? A role that’s either a quirky labor of love or a cautionary tale about scope creep and cultural misalignment.
At a Glance: The Job Profile
Job Title: Communications Associate
Report-to Title: Director of Communications
Company Size: 11-50 Employees
Industry: Nonprofit Organizations
What do they do?: Acquire and preserve land and historical sites in the United States relevant to the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and American Civil War.
Head Office Location: Washington, DC
Job Location: Washington, DC
Geographical Operating Area: United States
Job Type: Permanent, Exempt, Hybrid
For the Job Seekers
If you’re a comms pro: Ask why social media is off-limits. Is there an agency handling it? A cultural aversion? Or just a missed opportunity?
If you love history: Does the mission excite you enough to overlook the role’s lack of creative freedom?
If you’re early-career: Where’s the growth path? This role reports directly to the Director—meaning no ladder, just a ceiling.
If you’re process-driven: Can you thrive in a role that’s heavy on logistics but light on innovation?
If you’re a writer: Are you okay with your words living in newsletters and print ads instead of viral posts?
For the Job-Seeker Seekers
Outcomes of these mistakes
Attracting the wrong candidates: You’ll get history buffs, not comms strategists—or worse, frustrated hybrids who leave fast.
Burnout: Without clear boundaries, this role risks becoming a catch-all for event planning, grant writing, and donor outreach.
Missed opportunities: Banning social media cuts off a critical channel for engaging younger audiences (who, newsflash, don’t read print ads).
Cultural clash: Demanding “entrepreneurial” energy while enforcing rigid processes will breed resentment.
How to fix it
Clarify the scope: Is this a coordinator role or a strategist role? The title and duties don’t match.
Embrace modern tools: If social media is off-limits, explain why—and redirect that energy into other innovative outreach (podcasts? Partnerships?).
Show the path: No one stays in a dead-end role forever. Outline how this position could grow.
Budget transparency: If this person is managing ad spend or donor pipelines, say how much. A $10K budget vs. a $1M budget changes everything.
Ditch the reference demand: Asking for references upfront is a red flag for candidates. Save it for the offer stage.
The Verdict
Katelyn McArdle:
5 / 10 (Job Ad)
4 / 10 (Role Design)
There was a mismatch between what the job ad communicated that the organization wants, and what it communicated that it needs. There’s some tension there, and it’s unclear at points what they truly are looking for in a Communications Associate.
Jennifer Houle:
7 / 10 (Job Ad)
4 / 10 (Role Design)
I gave them credit on the job ad—it listed a report-to, it clearly described benefits, it clearly described what they were after. The what they were after part was the problem—the role design is sorely lacking. There’s serious misalignment here.
Paul Austin-Menear:
8 / 10 (Job Ad)
5 / 10 (Role Design)
Holy sh*t, there were no typos or written errors. They must have proofread. It’s sad that this makes them stand out… and the job ad itself was pretty good. But the structure of the role? Not so much. Why aren’t they allowing this candidate to interact with what will probably be the most fun part of the job (social media storytelling)? That makes no sense.
Support the Show
Roast the Post is a passion project of Jennifer Houle and Paul Austin-Menear. The show helps job-seekers and employers get dud job ads out of their lives. There are several ways that you can help us on our mission to unf*ck the hiring process…
1 —> Share this episode with someone who’d like it.
2 —> Pick up a copy of our new e-Book, the Job Description Decoder and leave a review. Proceeds will be donated equally to Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon and the Toronto Humane Society.
3 —> Send us a one-time or recurring tip on Buy Me a Coffee. This helps pay for our production costs.
