Let’s Roast.
A “cool” job post can sell you a lifestyle while hiding the only number that actually matters. This week, Jen and Paul roast a Toronto designer posting that asks for a unicorn, promises global travel, and (somehow) forgets the pay… right as Ontario’s salary transparency rules arrive.
If you’ve ever wondered whether job ads are written to inform candidates or to project power, this one’s worth a lunch-time listen.
Follow along with the full job ad here :
The Bigger Picture
How do you design a job posting that attracts the right talent without using vibe-marketing to obscure workload, compensation, and true role scope? This matters because hiring isn’t persuasion. It’s system design, and the “inputs” you optimize for determine who applies, who accepts, and who burns out.
At a Glance: The Job Profile
Job Title: Designer/Intermediate Designer
Report-to Title: Unknown
Company Size: 1,300 (Globally)
Industry: Advertising Services (Agency)
What do they do?: “We are a global creative agency, with unrivaled social media expertise. Work with the world’s biggest brands, including Adidas, Samsung, Netflix, and Google, to reach the right people in a strategic, relevant and effective way.”
Head Office Location: London, UK
Job Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Geographical Operating Area: Global
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent
For the Job Seekers
Did you come across a job ad like this? These questions might help you shed some light on what working there is really like:
What is the salary range and what level (designer vs intermediate) are you actually hiring for?
Which skills are must-haves vs nice-to-haves (motion, typography, AI, illustration, photo retouching)?
What does “work from anywhere / passport program” actually mean (duration, eligibility, tax/visa guardrails)?
How often are “client and industry events,” and is that content capture work or business development pressure?
What does “career and growth conversations” translate to in practice: mentorship, budget, promotion criteria, timelines?
What are the real hours and pace (peak periods, turnaround expectations, weekend work)?
What does success look like at 30/60/90 days — and what gets someone fired?
For the Job-Seeker Seekers
Are you writing a job ad for a similar role? Consider these hidden issues that might impact the success of your recruitment campaign:
Unicorn requirements → weak signal + mis-hires. Outcome: great candidates self-select out; you hire desperate generalists. Fix: split into core requirements + “we’ll train” list, or hire a pod (motion + brand/typography + production).
“Vibe” language → exclusion risk. Outcome: you unintentionally screen out strong candidates who don’t identify with “meme culture” framing. Fix: describe behaviours and outputs, not identity markers.
Missing salary (especially under a new law) → trust damage + legal exposure. Outcome: lower applicant quality, reputational hits, possible complaints/investigations. Fix: publish a realistic range with internal levelling, and explain how offers are set.
Events in a designer role → role creep. Outcome: unclear expectations, burnout, resentment. Fix: clarify purpose (content capture vs BD), frequency, and comp/time-in-lieu policy.
AI prompting as a requirement → fear + backlash. Outcome: candidates assume they’re training replacements; morale issues. Fix: clarify ethical tool use, IP stance, and how AI supports (not replaces) craft.
Benefits list without operational reality → Glassdoor gap. Outcome: “promise vs practice” becomes your employer brand. Fix: add concrete examples (meeting-free blocks, workload norms, feedback loops, manager training).
The Verdict
Paul Austin-Menear: 7 / 10
It was pretty good, despite my despite my criticisms of it. The one thing that I would kind of do differently if I was the the person writing this, I’d put out less fluffy wordy, ad agency BS. It comes across as insincere. Critical thinkers can smell that a mile away.
Jennifer Houle: 7 / 10
I find that the the actual meat of what the role is quite short and the rest is a whole lot of fluff. “Look how cool we are!”… which is totally fine, if you’re looking for sauce instead of substance. I can’t penalize them too heavily given that Ontario’s pay transparency rules have been in force for five days, as of the date we recorded. I would have been much harsher on that point six months from now. Don’t fuck around with people’s livelihoods, ever.
Roast the Post is a passion project of Jen Houle and Paul Austin-Menear. The show helps job-seekers and employers get dud job ads out of their lives. We use tips to help pay for our production costs, and donate anything raised beyond our costs to charity.
