To all employers posting open positions:


1. When you contact a candidate by telephone and do not like what the answers you receive, do not tell the person “I have an urgent call on the other line, I will call you right back”. Candidates are not stupid. Use your common sense and intelligence, and open your conversation with “I am conducting a short telephone interview; if selected you will be called/emailed on Friday to set up a face to face interview.” While we understand you have a large pool of candidates, we are not stupid, and common courtesy defines you as an employer and your company’s image.

2. An Executive Assistant is just what it is. A glorified babysitter. They make appointments, maintain calendars, are the right hand of the CEO, handle correspondence, review documents, maintain confidentiality, etc. IT DOES NOT MATTER which industry they have previously worked in. Hedge funds and financial companies seem to be convinced that they need Executive/Administrative Assistants with financial background. Unless the person you are hiring is mentally challenged, this belief is completely erroneous.

3. DO NOT insult us with $8, $10, $12, $15 per hour rates. When a NYC rent is at least $1,200, these rates are insulting. Wishing you luck in finding a qualified, educated individual for those rates.

4. Employment agencies - please stop posting and re-posting the same position, calling people in with the promise of positions that you do not have. While we understand that some of you have quotas to fill, some of us cannot afford to spend time and money on a worthless trip into the city.

5. NO, we do not click on Apply Here links. With all the identity theft cases these days, we are less than excited about the idea of our personal information finding its way into the grubby hands of someone who will apply for a few credit cards on our name.

6. DO NOT ask for pictures, post your interest for a female admin only, or for a young person, etc. It is sexist and discriminatory. As is a request for GPA and a “top-notch university”. Not all of us can afford an expensive education which does not automatically defines us as less qualified.

7. “Must present a professional image”. This is one of the most used, least intelligent statements an employer can use. Anyone looking for employment will not be presenting at your office in less than professional attire. Birthday suit will definitely not do.

I wish you luck in finding your imaginary dream employee, and I wish all the best to all those looking for work. It’s a nightmare out there, there is a lot of us to choose from and some potential employers are taking advantage of this sad situation.