Businessman Harsh Goenka took a humorous swipe at venture capitalist Vinod Khosla’s job listing for a Chief of Staff, poking fun at the demanding work hours and round-the-clock availability expected from candidates. Goenka’s post drew reactions from social media users, with several joining the discussion over the expectations from the role.
Reacting to Khosla’s job requirements, Goenka wrote on X, “Job description for the modern Indian corporate warrior- assistant to Vinod Khosla:” before listing the expectations in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
Goenka highlighted the demands with points such as being available 24/7, working 72 hours a week, treating sleep as a luxury and viewing personal life as a distraction. He also joked that prior experience assisting Infosys founder Narayana Murthy or L&T’s Subramanian would be a “MAJOR plus!”
Khosla’s original listing outlined expectations for the Chief of Staff role, including working in person in Menlo Park from around 8 am to 8 pm, maintaining availability at night and on weekends when required, and committing to the position for three years. Candidates were also expected to live near Menlo Park or relocate there, with relocation support and visa sponsorship available.
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Social media users react to Harsh Goenka’s postGoenka’s post prompted users to weigh in on the demanding expectations, with some joking about the kind of candidate who might accept the role and others criticising the work culture it appeared to describe.
One user commented, “He won’t get a Gen Z employee for sure. May be a boomer.”Another added that candidates should also be “able to work in a highly fast paced work environment.”
A third user suggested a business opportunity in the demanding schedules of corporate leaders, writing, “Someone should start a similar service like a house manager for the CEOs. Will be a good business.”
Another comment took the joke further, saying, “One more quality-the would be warrior must be resilient to come alive from death zone of being brain dead.”
A fifth user offered a broader criticism of such workplace expectations, writing, “I avoid companies where the founders have left their jobs, but not their employee mindset.”