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A recent job listing for a private assistant to a retired company boss has stirred curiosity online after it mentioned one particular duty — to “assist the boss with exercise.”
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The listing, posted on a popular recruitment website, offered a monthly salary of HK$20,000 for a four-hour workday.
The job description included typical secretarial and administrative duties, such as arranging business trips, coordinating local and overseas activities, and handling minor accounting tasks.
But what caught people’s attention was the line specifying that “those who enjoy sports are preferred, as the assistant will need to help the boss exercise.”
The position required a minimum education level of Form 6 or above, with either part-time or full-time experience in Hong Kong. The job ad also listed personal qualities such as being “well-groomed, independent, detail-oriented, and responsible.”
Working hours were stated as 2.30pm to 6.30pm, five days a week, with the possibility of occasional overtime — compensated with extra pay.
Netizens question the meaning of “assist with exercise”
The post quickly went viral on social media, with amused users speculating about the nature of the “exercise.” Comments poured in: “What kind of exercise?” one wrote, while another joked, “Maybe badminton?” Others guessed it could simply mean “going to the gym together.”
Some noted that the same company had reportedly been hiring for the position for quite some time. “This post has been around for ages — must be hard to find someone who fits the description,” one user said. Another quipped, “It says salary up to 20K, but the tone makes it sound like 200K!”
Former applicant shares experience: “No inappropriate intentions”
Amid the online buzz, one user claiming to have interviewed for the same role a few years ago decided to share the experience — and to set the record straight.
According to the account, the boss was “a jewellery enthusiast” who conducted the interview in a small office that “looked quite ordinary — almost like a mini party room, with tea-making facilities and a poker table.”
The applicant said the “exercise assistance” mentioned in the ad referred to accompanying the boss downstairs for light activity.
“From what I remember, it meant taking a walk and stretching with him downstairs. Sometimes after work, there might be social gatherings — he’d invite friends over for drinks or poker games, and you’d just help pour tea or serve snacks.”
The poster emphasized that there was “nothing inappropriate” about the encounter.
“The boss seemed like a normal person. Probably just someone without close family who wanted company,” the comment read.
The story has since sparked more light-hearted discussions online, with many agreeing that while the job description raised eyebrows, it ultimately seemed harmless.
