Something for the weekend: Some job adverts are written and designed to stand out to potential employees, occasionally in a controversial way.
Within the recruiting hell subreddit on social media website Reddit, a job advert was shared that has raised some eyebrows with its unusual requirement.
The advert was for an executive assistant role to a chief executive officer (CEO) at a real estate management organisation. At first glance, it appeared to include the usual responsibilities and desirable traits, highlighting the need for someone who is organised, efficient, and capable of multitasking. Being a “go-getter”, “goal-oriented”, and possessing “high integrity and energy”, were also mentioned.
Then, one particular detail caught the eye of Reddit users and subsequently went viral. It said: “Must be in good physical condition – able to run three to five miles at 12-13 minute pace.” A bit unexpected!
The advert also said: “This is not your typical office job. You’ll experience ski trips, water skiing, running, and other activities.”
This has left users questioning what exactly the CEO is looking for in their new assistant.
They soon weighed in, joking that the boss seems to have confused the job advert with a dating profile on an app, while others suggested it was a way to hire someone slim or of athletic build.
One user said: “I think this is a back-door way to make sure their assistant is good-looking, [or] at least narrow down the pool of candidates”.
Another wondered if it was more innocent, saying: “Maybe he does 5-10k runs and wants you to follow along with his phone, reading emails aloud and responding.”
However, a different user said: “This is a red flag for me.”
Despite the reservations of Reddit users, the original poster commented: “And yes, I applied”.
Sounds unusual to us. Perhaps this will be complemented with physical health benefits such as discoounted gym membership to support the running requirement?
