We commiserate with your compensation, which is commensurate with experience.

What happens when spell check can’t save the day

From a job posting on Craigslist:
Compensation commiserate with experience

Come again?
This just struck my funny bone: A greeting card company located in the Pacific Northwest is hiring. Only problem is that their compensation (salary) is commiserate (we’re sorry to say) with experience.

The word we’re looking for here is commensurate, which means corresponding in amount, magnitude or degree. As in, you will be paid in accordance with your experience.

Commiserate means to feel or express sorrow or sympathy.

There’s quirky humor in the idea that a greeting card writer (specializing in sympathy cards) will be commiserated for her experience.

Even stranger (to me) is a faux pas like this coming from a company that stakes its reputation on effective communication.

There are times when spell check does you no good. This is one of them.
There are times when people truly don’t know the difference between two words. This might have happened.

Careful editing – which includes having a co-worker review your copy – will ensure that your words work…your company’s credibility is preserved…and some wise-cracking rich writer can’t commiserate with you about broadcasting your boo-boo.