Craigslist, Job Searches, Secretaries / Administrative Assistants

A Passive-Aggressive Craigslist Ad

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A reader drew our attention to a mildly amusing “help wanted” ad on Craigslist. Says our source: “Now that I’m a lawyer myself, who previously worked for an a**hole boss, I find this ad for a new legal assistant pretty funny. You can tell he thinks his boss is an anal-retentive douche, but doesn’t know how to say that.”

“I also like that he wants the applicant to send a photo and résumé but redact all personal information except the phone number — isn’t the entire résumé personal info? Also note the e-mail address…. Anyway — enjoy.”

So here’s the ad….

It appears on the Craigslist board for Los Angeles. The ad begins:

Part-time legal assistant needed for a law office of one! It will only be you and the lawyer in Santa Monica; an office literally ½ a block away from the promenade – good people watching spot on lunch break. I am the other legal assistant and I need to find someone to work the days I will be in school and all of August 2010. Training would start next week (Tuesday, July 20th).

During training you would only be paid $8.50 an hour. After training, pay would go to $15 an hour.

+ flexible scheduling
+ amazing ocean view
+ work with good people (it’s a big open office with other companies here)
+ pay increases if you’re a quick learner & honest

Note that, in the list of benefits, “amazing ocean view” comes before “work with good people.” And “work with good people” seems to refer to the people at other companies in the same building.

Sponsored

Now, the downsides (which the advertisement is candid enough to list):

– last minute calls for you to come in (if you’re not available, then you’re not available, but if you’re not out of town, he will likely ask you to drop your party plans)

– last minute changes on documents you’ve been working on

– then you’ll probably change everything back to the original way you had it

In case the boss sees this snarky job posting, the assistant covers his rear:

all-in-all, I’m sure most lawyers are like this one – so if you’ve worked with one, this will be nothing new :).

The ad closes with an odd request:

Sponsored

Please send a résumé and a photo (please block out all personal information except a phone number)!

Email to: bestlegalassistant @ hotmail . com
(no spaces, obviously.)

A photo? We’re always suspicious of “help wanted” ads for law firms that request a picture. Especially when the ad is for a legal secretary.

Still, the economy is dreadful, so this ad should receive tons of responses. Lawyers are being asked to work for free — and are lining up for the privilege. So a paying position for a legal assistant, in an office just steps from the beach, sounds like the support-staff equivalent of a Supreme Court clerkship.

So what if the boss is a bit of a douche? Most bosses are. That’s why they call it “work.”

Legal Asst to be Hired Very Soon (Dwntn Santa Monica) [Craigslist – Los Angeles]

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