Another day, another job ad that makes me throw up my hands in horror. I will add the link to comments shortly.
At first glance, it looks like a senior EA role: managing the CEO’s calendar, preparing board packs and investor decks, overseeing projects, coordinating across departments, handling client relationships, even providing personal support. Responsibilities that demand judgement, discretion, and business literacy. So far so good.
And yet, it’s advertised as a six-month internship, with only the possibility of full-time work at the end. No mention of pay at all. They may well be offering a salary, but the fact it isn’t stated is worrying.
Now, set that against the company’s brand values. Their website talks about “liberating individuals from complexities and worries, enabling them to embrace life to the fullest.” Their imagery shows carefree lives on beaches. The disconnect is striking. Values of freedom and authenticity for clients, but assistants expected to shoulder senior-level responsibilities with temporary, insecure contracts.
The EA who sent me this ad is currently looking for work. She described it as demoralising, even a slap in the face. And that reaction matters. Every time a role like this is advertised, it doesn’t just undermine the profession, it chips away at the motivation of skilled, experienced assistants who are already undervalued.
And then there’s the applicant data. More than 300 people applied. Almost half with a Master’s degree. Over a third already senior-level. Some of this may be explained by local employment rules. In Switzerland, where the role is based, jobseekers must apply for a minimum number of jobs each week to maintain benefits. But even so, the sheer number and seniority of applicants highlights both a saturated market and the confusion caused by a lack of well-framed opportunities.
This is bigger than one job ad. It reflects a systemic blind spot – organisations wanting the outcomes of senior-level partnership without recognition, pay, or progression. Building high-rises on cheap materials, and then wondering why the structure doesn’t hold.
Administration makes up a fifth of the global workforce. Assistants are not peripheral. They are the infrastructure that makes your brand values possible. If companies want the calibre of support their CEOs require, they must align scope with contracts, pay, and clear career frameworks.
Because brand values mean nothing if the people holding the organisation together are excluded from them.
