'No Karens' | Firm takes gamble with 'brutally honest' job ad, and it may have paid off

A “brutally honest” job advert featuring a huge list of criteria of who SHOULDN’T apply has hit headlines, attracting a mix of reactions including high praise from an HR manager, and putting a spotlight on the importance of striking the right tone in a job posting.

Shorties, a dessert shop based in Cwmbran, South Wales, recently took to social media in their search for a new Assistant Manager to take on responsibilities including supervising shifts, supporting the store manager and the business by driving performance and exceeding targets, and delivering “a fantastic experience every time” for customers.

All very reasonable expectations for an assistant manager position, but it was the long list of criteria the shop WASN’T looking for which gained more attention - receiving more than 1,400 comment, 2,000 shares, and hitting national headlines.

And while many of the responses attacked the post, many more including an HR manager leapt to the defence of the business and its owner Phillip Shortman for being “brutally honest”.