In a job listing that sounds part Gosford Park, part Devil Wears Prada, and part total parody, a staffing agency says they're offering "$175,000 +" to the Higgins/Holloway hybrid who has what it takes to be the "BEST Personal Assistant for an extremely creative client in Noe Valley."
According to the listing on The Help Company, "a premier staffing and placement agency serving Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco," "This client has recently remodeled their 10,000 sq foot home and is looking for an Assistant/House Manager who can help run their day to day lives. You will be responsible for calendar management for this family of 5 (plus a puppy!), help with travel planning, restaurant reservations, to running local errands and organizing closets and pantries."
Please tell me the puppy has a calendar. Please!
"We are looking for someone who can set up systems for this new home and organize everything from a gift database to cleaning routine for the housekeeper and groundsmen," the ad reads. Groundsmen! That certainly is a fancy term! You're right, these people are creative!
Froofy liberal arts degree-holders, take note: "Anyone with a background in architecture or art would be a bonus to this client - as they have an extensive art collection comparable to a museum!" So in between OpenTabling and pantry organization I guess you're expected to talk art with your boss? Or something?
That art collection's not the only glamorous aspect to the position, as your prospective employer also "loves to entertain HIgh Profile friends from around the world." OK, so, yeah, the way the ad is written makes it ripe for mockery (though to be fair it wasn't written by the family, it was written by the placement agency). But the salary they're offering is no joke: Dependent on experience, the art-expert-errand-runner will pull down "$175,000 +"
Applicants should have "a minimum of 10 years experience" and "a deep level of commitment to service and understand white glove service," which knocks me out of the running. But I'm sure one of you guys is qualified...and if you apply and get an interview, you'd better tell me all about it.
[h/t Leah Garchik]