The Unicorn Job Posting Isn’t the Problem

Every so often, a job posting makes the rounds in design circles for all the wrong reasons. You’ve seen them. Graphic designer… who also shoots video, edits motion, writes copy, runs social, maybe dabbles in 3D, and — why not — can build full websites if needed. The reaction is usually the same: frustration, eye rolls, and a quick post about how broken hiring has become.

I get it.

On paper, these roles look ridiculous. And sometimes, they are.

But I think we’re misreading what’s actually going on.

Because the real issue isn’t that companies are asking for too much.

It’s that they don’t actually know what they need.

The Shopping List Problem

They’re wish lists.

A collection of everything the team has ever needed, struggled with, or wished they had in-house—compiled into one role and handed off to HR to “find someone who can do it all.”

Design. Motion. Web. Social. Maybe a bit of strategy. Maybe a bit of production.

It reads like a lack of focus because, in many cases, it is.

But here’s the shift:

That confusion is the signal.

Capability vs. Outcome

When companies list everything, what they’re really doing is hiring for capability instead of outcomes.

They’re not saying:
“We need someone to improve our brand consistency across channels.”

They’re saying:
“We need someone who can use Illustrator, After Effects, Figma, and maybe shoot video.”

Tools instead of thinking.
Execution instead of direction.

And that’s where the disconnect happens, because strong creatives don’t think in tools. They think in outcomes.

So when you see a posting like this, the question isn’t:
“Do I check every box?”

It’s:
“What problem are they actually trying to solve?”

How to Read Between the Lines

This is where experience becomes an advantage.

Because most postings, even the messy ones, have a centre of gravity if you look closely enough.

A few things I always look for:

• What shows up more than once?
  If “digital,” “social,” or “campaigns” keeps appearing, that’s the real job.

• What feels like filler?
  Photography, motion, 3D — often nice-to-haves, not day-to-day expectations.

• Where does the business context point?
  Are they scaling? Rebranding? Struggling with consistency? That tells you more than the bullet list ever will.

• Who are they replacing (if anyone)?
  That’s usually the biggest clue of all.

Most postings aren’t written well — but they’re rarely random.

Red Flags vs. Green Lights

Not all “everything” roles are created equal.

Some are genuine opportunities disguised as messy briefs.

Others are exactly what they look like: under-resourced teams hoping one hire solves everything.

A few tells:

Red flags:

• Vague reporting structure

• No mention of priorities or success metrics

• Language that leans heavily on “fast-paced” and “wear many hats” without context

Green lights:

• Clear business goals, even if the role is broad

• A defined team structure (you’re not alone)

• Signs they’re growing, not just patching gaps

Again, it’s not about the list. It’s about the clarity behind it.

The Creative Director Lens

When I hire, I’m not looking for a unicorn.

I’m looking for clarity.

Clarity in how someone thinks.
Clarity in how they approach problems.
Clarity in what they choose to focus on — and what they don’t.

Because tools can be learned.
Trends will change.
Platforms will come and go.

But clear thinking scales.

And ironically, in a world where job postings try to be everything, that clarity stands out even more.

The Reframe

So no, the industry isn’t “broken” because job postings ask for too much.

If anything, they’re revealing something more interesting:

A gap between how companies describe creative work — and how it actually creates value.

That gap can be frustrating.

But it’s also an opportunity.

Because the creatives who learn to interpret, not just react…
who can walk into that ambiguity and define the role before it’s fully defined for them…

Those are the ones who move faster than the posting itself.