# Can I post a help wanted ad? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 25, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984 "2008-01-25T17:50:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/21 "2008-01-30T21:28:56Z")
[QUOTE=Uncommon Sense] I think he’s stretching it a bit by saying that asking for help is the same as spamming the boards. [/QUOTE] But that’s what we do in ATMB . . . people need help of various kinds and we help them. That’s not spamming. If he’s referring to the “help wanted” ad, that’s a legitimate someone offering a real job. Or should be. That’s not spamming either – and if it was, our dedicated community would let us know and we’d be all over it. There’s a big difference between someone who comes to the board and says “JOBS NOW!!!” or some such and this situation. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/22 "2008-01-31T00:09:35Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] But that’s what we do in ATMB . . . and if it was, our dedicated community would let us know and we’d be all over it. There’s a big difference between someone who comes to the board and says “ **JOBS NOW**!!!” or some such and this situation. [/QUOTE] I know I’d clamor to keep it if it said “Get Paid to Surf!” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/23 "2008-01-31T00:10:31Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] If he’s referring to the “help wanted” ad, that’s a legitimate someone offering a real job. [/QUOTE] So is a lot of other spam, I bet. It’s not all scams, but it all stinks just as bad. If **Plan B** wants to put an ad on the boards, **Plan B** can sign up with an advertising affiliate service and put one in the text ad box below the threads so I and others like me can block it. We _can_ keep the SDMB free of junk, therefore we _should_. ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/24 "2008-01-31T00:25:22Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] So is a lot of other spam, I bet. It’s not all scams, but it all stinks just as bad. If **Plan B** wants to put an ad on the boards, **Plan B** can sign up with an advertising affiliate service and put one in the text ad box below the threads so I and others like me can block it. We _can_ keep the SDMB free of junk, therefore we _should_. [/QUOTE] You’re saying a paid up and **contributing** member of the boards offering a job is **morally equivalent** to a automatic system posting adverts? Seriously? I don’t care if those automatic systems _are_ offering real jobs / products / services. I can see a big difference. I can still see a big difference if it’s not an automatic system and it’s an underpaid Nigerian. I’m not going to define **your** morality for you, but I’m gonna say: You’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/25 "2008-01-31T01:17:44Z")
Now, now, he’s not wrong. He just gray blind. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/26 "2008-01-31T02:53:29Z")
[QUOTE=essell] You’re saying a paid up and **contributing** member of the boards offering a job is **morally equivalent** to a automatic system posting adverts? Seriously? [/quote] Yes. Because there is no way for me to block it, so it pollutes the part of the SDMB _I_ pay to use. If **Plan B** wants to find someone to do a job, there are plenty of websites that specialize in such things that I can trivially ignore. Polluting the main area of the SDMB with such nonsense is only ignorable if I let my payment go down the drain. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/27 "2008-01-31T03:26:15Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Yes. Because there is no way for me to block it, so it pollutes the part of the SDMB _I_ pay to use. If **Plan B** wants to find someone to do a job, there are plenty of websites that specialize in such things that I can trivially ignore. Polluting the main area of the SDMB with such nonsense is only ignorable if I let my payment go down the drain. [/QUOTE] The SDMB is also polluted by threads on reality shows and sci-fi books and TV, not to mention RO threads and cheerleading in the Pit. BFD. You can ignore help wanted threads just like I can ignore those threads. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/28 "2008-01-31T05:35:56Z")
This thread reminds me of [Matt](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php). I miss that guy, he really was an interesting and creative fellow… just a bit odd so also misunderstood as a spammer. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/29 "2008-01-31T11:00:18Z")
Actually I saw it more as “I have a job that needs doing, I’d rather hire a Doper.” There’s a strong community aspect to this board and as such this fits in perfectly and is quite the appropriate thing. ---
**Author:** ![SomeUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/30 "2008-01-31T11:05:34Z")
[QUOTE=essell] You’re saying a paid up and **contributing** member of the boards offering a job is **morally equivalent** to a automatic system posting adverts? Seriously? [/QUOTE] I don’t agree it is spam but I can sort of see his point. If _every_ **contributing** member of the boards were like **Plan B** and we all had a job offer and we all placed an ad in MPSIMS then it would get pretty cluttered. Finding posts we may actually want to read may be harder to do. I guess if it is was on a user by user basis and mod approved it might be okay but then again the mods are opening up a can of worms there as well. I can see the pit threads now. “Mod let so and so post an ad but won’t let me”. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/31 "2008-01-31T12:25:26Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Yes. Because there is no way for me to block it, so it pollutes the part of the SDMB _I_ pay to use. If **Plan B** wants to find someone to do a job, there are plenty of websites that specialize in such things that I can trivially ignore. Polluting the main area of the SDMB with such nonsense is only ignorable if I let my payment go down the drain. [/QUOTE] Following that theory, we should also ban threads where people are trying to find homes for pets, or ask for financial advise, or have questions about computers (just to pick a few random examples). After all, there are plenty of websites devoted to those subjects. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/32 "2008-01-31T12:28:26Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] Actually I saw it more as “I have a job that needs doing, I’d rather hire a Doper.” [/QUOTE] That’s the way I saw it, if someone was genuinely unsure as to who (outside of the boards) to hire, I’d like to think they wouldn’t just blindly ask for someone to hire and would instead ask for any recommendations for companies. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/33 "2008-01-31T16:43:48Z")
[QUOTE=SomeUserName] If _every_ **contributing** member of the boards were like **Plan B** and we all had a job offer and we all placed an ad in MPSIMS then it would get pretty cluttered. [/QUOTE] Well, if job offer threads become too common, then the PTB can change the policy. And so? And if people whine that everyone else got to post job offers, and it’s unfair, so what? ---
**Author:** ![SomeUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/34 "2008-01-31T17:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] Well, if job offer threads become too common, then the PTB can change the policy. And so? And if people whine that everyone else got to post job offers, and it’s unfair, so what? [/QUOTE] If they don’t allow it at all then it would save them heartache later down the road if it became an issue. I think we have all seen rules change and some could care less while others bitch up a storm. I could care less either way. Just bringing up point really. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/35 "2008-01-31T19:50:54Z")
We do handle some things on a case by case basis; this is just one of them. You’ll note that those exceptional threads that do wind up on the board usually have right up front “I asked and received permission from management in advance.” This is not a bad thing. We do try to say yes when possible . . . it’s not always possible. So yes, it could happen that we said yes to that guy and no to you; the circumstances were different. Sorry. It’s a flexible board, things change. There’s stuff that goes on here everyday we never used to allow and stuff we used to do that we don’t do now. All part of the ever-changing panorama of life here. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/36 "2008-02-01T00:40:33Z")
> [@SomeUserName](#): > > If every contributing member of the boards were like Plan B and we all had a job offer and we all placed an ad in MPSIMS then it would get pretty cluttered. Is that even plausible? > [@SomeUserName](#): > > If they don’t allow it at all then it would save them heartache later down the road if it became an issue. The same is true of everything. Why don’t we go ahead and ban cat threads too, just to be safe? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/37 "2008-02-01T01:37:06Z")
**Hostile Dialect** : Was that a whoosh? **LurkMeister** : You’re joking. If you aren’t, pick up a newspaper and notice how they keep all the help wanted ads segregated to one section. It benefits everyone, including the people who actually want to read news. **TubaDiva** : You’re speaking like a PR flack. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/38 "2008-02-01T05:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] **Hostile Dialect** : Was that a whoosh? [/QUOTE] Nope. Does anyone here honestly believe that: A. every single Doper would want to post help wanted ads B. enough Dopers would want to post help wanted ads at one time to flood MPSIMS or C. the moderation would actually allow that to happen, considering that permission is granted on a case-by-case basis? If so, I’d love to hear their reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![SomeUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/39 "2008-02-01T10:17:48Z")
It was not a whoosh. [QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] Is that even plausible? [/quote] Probably not. As I already stated I don’t care either way it was just a point to consider. I know some things are done case by case and I also have no issue with that. I was just voicing what may might happen. I don’t feel it was paranoia more of a comment. [QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] The same is true of everything. Why don’t we go ahead and ban cat threads too, just to be safe? [/quote] Oh no not that. Anything but that 😛 ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2008, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984/40 "2008-02-01T10:40:30Z")
Hah, I am so happy you guys replied to\*\* Derleth’s\*\* post. I thought he was writing some three-way dialouge to an absurdist stage production. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-post-a-help-wanted-ad/434984.md?page=3)