Some job postings say more about the company than about the position itself. You just have to read carefully to see what phrases are used and how often they are repeated.
In this series, I read real job postings as if they were medical reports. This approach stems from an observation I’ve made in my work: When someone posts a job opening, they’re almost always looking for a solution on a human level. Sometimes, however, the problem lies in collaboration or in the organization, and then the new hire is expected to handle something they can’t solve on their own. What I read in an ad is always a hypothesis, not a diagnosis. It only becomes meaningful when multiple signals point in the same direction.
The job posting
An owner-managed service company with a few dozen employees that has been in business for many years. They are looking for an executive assistant, primarily to work remotely.
At first glance, this seems like a perfectly ordinary assistant position: coordinating appointments, compiling key metrics, and preparing decisions. But if you read the job posting all the way through, something stands out. One idea keeps coming up—in the introduction as well as in the job responsibilities. And it has surprisingly little to do with being an assistant.
“You don’t just organize—you see things through to the end.”
That’s how the job description begins. A few lines later, it says: “And sometimes someone just has to make sure that a good idea actually turns into a completed project.” Shortly after that, the new hire is expected to ensure “that projects are not only started but also completed.” And the job description states: “You enjoy taking on responsibility and stay on top of a task until it’s completed.”
The same idea repeated four times in a single ad. When a sentence is repeated that often, it catches my attention. What I take from this is: There are plenty of ideas in this company, and a lot of projects get started. What’s missing is follow-through. Projects get stuck halfway through, and apparently management is aware of this enough to create a position specifically for it.
“…and ensure that agreements are carried out.”
This sentence appears in the job description, right after “follow up on open issues.” It sounds like typical assistant work, and yet there’s a great deal riding on it. After all, the agreement isn’t between the assistant and the others, but between management and the departments. The assistant is responsible for ensuring that the departments adhere to what they have discussed with management.
But how, exactly? An assistant has no authority to issue instructions to sales or other departments. She can send reminders and follow up. But if an agreement isn’t carried out because the department has other priorities or simply lacks the capacity, even the friendliest reminder won’t solve the problem.
“…where priorities can sometimes change.”
I find this sentence particularly honest. It appears right at the end, where the description of what the new hire can expect is outlined: an environment “where decisions are made quickly, priorities can sometimes change, and taking the initiative is expressly encouraged.”
Quick decision-making is a strength of many owner-managed companies. The downside is that new tasks pile up faster than old ones get completed. When priorities shift, some tasks get left behind. And it’s precisely these leftover tasks that the new hire is expected to pick up. This ties in with the last item on the to-do list: “You’ll provide support wherever it’s needed—even if a task doesn’t fit a traditional job description.”
Where the problem likely lies
When I put these signals together, a clear picture emerges for me. They’re looking for someone with the following personal qualities: “You have a strong hands-on mindset and don’t wait for every single step to be dictated to you.” The real question, however, lies at the organizational level—more specifically, with leadership. How are priorities set? Who decides what can be put on hold when something new comes up? And how binding is an agreement between management and the various departments?
In many owner-managed companies, the executive team is the driving force behind new ideas. This is a great advantage as long as the company is small and the executive team can follow up on things themselves. At some point, however, they no longer have enough time to do so. That’s when a new role emerges to handle follow-up tasks, acting as a bridge between the executive team and everyone else.
That’s exactly where I see the interpersonal aspect coming into play. Anyone who follows up with colleagues on behalf of management is quickly perceived as an extension of management. Colleagues realize: When she calls, it’s really about the boss. The assistant then finds herself caught in a triangle where she’s expected to pass on pressure without being allowed to make her own decisions. It has little to do with her as a person. It’s just part of the system.
A good assistant will still make a big difference. She’ll follow through and actually see many things through to completion. However, she doesn’t change the fact that so much gets left undone. She just makes sure you notice it less.
What Should Have Been Clarified Before the Job Posting
I wouldn’t write a better job posting either. The posting is well-written and honest. Before the position is filled, though, I’d want to clarify a few questions with management:
- Why is it that projects are started but never completed?
- Who decides which project can be put on hold when a new one comes along?
- How binding are agreements between management and departments today, and what happens if they aren’t honored?
- What can the assistant demand from the departments, and who backs her up if someone doesn’t cooperate?
Perhaps this will show that having an assistant is exactly the right solution, along with clear priorities and a well-defined mandate. Or perhaps it will become clear that management must first determine what it truly wants to accomplish.
A strong support staff is an asset to any management team. However, it can only see issues through to completion if someone has determined what those issues are. No one can make that decision for them except the management team itself.
