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I am a C Level EA with over 20 years of experience with several well-known global companies in a major financial hub in the US.

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Anonymous

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I am a C Level EA with over 20 years of experience with several well-known global companies in a major financial hub in the US. The last position I held was at the global headquarters of an engineering firm as a contractor. (I later learned there were 4 EA's working in that same position before me) I was instructed to only work 40 hours a week in a hybrid setting. The first 30 days I decided I would work at the office FT so that I could get to know the two officers I was supporting quicker and provide better support to both of them and their teams. In past positions, I provided support on more of a Chief of Staff level along with traditional EA support. Reporting, heavy calendaring, global travel, budgets, HR, board meetings, etc. In all my 20 years I have never worked at a job where I experienced the following at the engineering firm. I was instructed by the CFO to make a cup of coffee to his liking and have it in his office when he arrived and refresh it as needed. I was also expected to fetch lunch for him every day and place a china plate, silverware, and napkin on their desk as he did not eat out of take-out containers. Then I had to clean up his mess. He would also text me after hours asking questions about his travel while in flight sometimes as late as 11pm. I also had to work as his wife's PA making her travel arrangements and dog boarding. The other officer I supported would text me daily after hours requesting a certain type of lunch for the next day. One text was a long diatribe of why he no longer wants to eat romaine lettuce salads. Needless to say, I left that job after feeling like I was a secretary in the 1940s and my knowledge and skills were going to waste. Has anyone else ever experienced this type of environment?

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  1. Anonymous

    No, I have done a lot of Administrative work and I have never encountered this type of behavior.
    I would encourage you to (1) see the previous four candidates as a possible warning flag and (2) the lack of respect regarding business hours and using you as a PA for the wife as a RED flag. It sounds more like they were trying avoid paying for a PA. You may also want to look for forums for your line of work, it would give you a better idea of the ‘quirks’ you will encounter with Executives in that field.

  2. Anonymous

    If sorry that sounds like hell!
    Good for you that you could leave. Many companies are taking advantage of employees right now because we’re in a silent recession. People looking for work know what’s happening but our wonderful government is not willing to declare it yet! Quite frankly not sure that they will especially at this time. If you’re rich it doesn’t matter if there’s a recession unless it’s the French Revolution again. If you’re poor times are even more difficult and you’re brought that much closer to homelessness. If you’re middle class you’re the glue holding it all together but for how long? First of all, this employer needs to give salary pay and spell out the exact scope of the job. On top of that, they need to pay quite well to expect someone to do all these things for them. You were not hired to be a PA, housekeeper, maid, and doing whatever they want off hours. Making coffee for a boss and picking up after their meal is insanely in the year 2024 and insulting to a business professional. They’re basically reducing you to serfdom. Something better will come along and that company won’t be able to keep anyone at this rate! Hope they go out of business. Both owner and wife need to eat some humility and have humanity shoved where the sun don’t shine!

  3. Anonymous

    100% agree

  4. Anonymous

    This type of environment still exists at some nonprofits and private and family run businesses.
    Mostly because these businesses are prestige hobbies more than cutting edge successful businesses making a mark on the world. They found a niche and have settled in to be coddled and treated like they are someone on the world stage. Sometimes these family businesses last for generations due to wealth and insulation from the real world.

    They are usually harmless and silly.

  5. Anonymous

    A whole bunch of Nepo babies and their ingrown progeny running theses companies! Running them often into the ground after the initial owner dies and the kids take over! I work for one right now where they did say we’re like family. Always cringe for me because I wonder when someone’s momma or auntie wants to slap the heck out of me!

  6. Anonymous

    This company is not a nonprofit or family-run business. It is a very well-known global engineering firm that has a lot of government contracts all over the world, building nuke facilities and even space programs with NASA. I did not expect executives to act in this manner considering they work within government contracts and must abide by those laws. I felt demeaned and discounted which is why I left, it certainly did not feel harmless it felt abusive of power.

  7. Anonymous

    Sounds like our EA positions in Los Angeles in most of the film and entertainment industry. Dry cleaning also expected of the office EA. And pretty much on call at their whim. Pays well if that's what one's preference is (not for me!)

    I'm supporting executives in a major hospital position, and I always offer my boss a cuppa (she has a Keurig), and if I know her day is overly full of meetings, I offer to pick up lunch for her. It is never an expectation though. I empty our trash at the end of the day and wash her coffee mug because I'm doing my own anyway, and we don't like cleaning staff to come in our office suite. ?

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