Blind ads are an option used to maintain anonymity for the person or company placing the ad. A blind ad does not include the name or address of the company or person placing the ad and is typically used in newspaper and online help-wanted or position-wanted advertisements. Whether an employer is seeking to fill a position or a worker is seeking to secure a position, blind ads can offer a sense of privacy that may be needed for a variety of reasons.
When a company is posed to eliminate a staffer in a key position, it may be necessary to find a replacement before the person in the role is actually let go. To avoid any hard feelings or negative impact, a blind ad can generate applicants without making it known what company is really doing the hiring. After the interviews are conducted, it is typically necessary to reveal the name of the company in order to make an employment offer to a candidate, but the offer can be contingent upon confidentiality.
When a company is considering creating a new position, running a blind ad allows evaluation of the potential candidates and their expertise. Whether or not the company actually decided to create and fill the position can be based, in part, on the pool of applicants seeking the position. The blind ad allows the company to remain anonymous in the event it decides not to fill the position
Workers looking for a position in a particular field may place a blind ad in order to test the job market. The blind ad allows a worker to test the employment market without risking offending his or her current employer. The blind ad enables the worker to remain anonymous and receive job offers from potential employers.
In order to allow communication between the party placing the ad and the respondents, a post office box number or telephone number is typically used. When a blind ad is placed with a newspaper, the replies are generally sent to the paper, which in turn, forwards them to the company or person who placed the ad. This process maintains the confidentiality of the process.
By law, some classified advertisers may not use the blind ad process. In the United States, real estate agents are typically prohibited from placing blind ads. Agents are typically licensed by the state, and are thereby required to disclose their licensing information when they advertise property.
