Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal has posted a unique job advertisement on his social media accounts, seeking a "Chief of Staff" with exceptional qualities. The ideal candidate must be hungry, empathetic, and down-to-earth, with zero entitlement and a strong desire to learn. However, this opportunity comes with an unconventional condition: the selected candidate will not receive a salary in the first year and must pay a fee of Rs 20 lakh. During the same period, Zomato will contribute Rs 50 lakh to a charity of the candidate's choice. From the second year on, the Chief of Staff will receive a salary exceeding Rs 50 lakh per year.
"I am looking for a chief of staff for myself. However, this role is not a conventional role with the usual perks that such jobs come with. We are making this job unattractive for most people. There is no salary for this role for the first year. You will have to pay Rs 20 lakh for this opportunity. 100% of this 'fee' will be paid in the form of a donation directly to Feeding India. Second year onwards, we will start paying you the usual salary (definitely more than Rs 50 lakh, but something we will only talk about at the start of Year 2,'' Mr Goyal wrote.
See the tweet here:
Mr Goyal noted that Zomato is seeking applicants motivated by the role's potential for self-development, rather than external validation or financial rewards. ''We believe that people who apply for this role should do it for the learning opportunity it presents, rather than for a fancy well paying job which will make you look cool in front of yourself or the people you want to impress," he wrote.
Notably, this role will offer the selected candidate a chance to work on Zomato's high-impact projects: Blinkit, Hyperpure, and Feeding India. It's crafted as an immersive learning experience, mirroring the rigour and value of a premier MBA program.
"Put differently, think of this as a fast track learning program, for you both personally and professionally- whether or not you succeed at this role," noted Mr Goyal in the post. To apply, candidates must submit a 200-word cover letter directly to Deepinder Goyal, without including a resume. The selection process will be based exclusively on the letter's content.
The unconventional job listing has ignited a social media debate, with some praising its innovative approach to attracting growth-oriented talent and others condemning the substantial financial requirement and year-long unpaid work expectation. A few called it a "publicity stunt."
One user wrote, "Bad idea. Please pay. 3 months into it, if you feel the person is not the right fit. He will lose a lot of money. And will gain nothing but a bitter experience. Young people need money, not the afterglow of charity." Another commented, "We're trying to normalize working without a salary to seem cool and different, but let's be real, a job is supposed to help you pay bills and put food on the table. You can't expect people to work for free and also shell out ₹20 lakhs."
A third added, "This looks nothing more than another publicity stunt. You know well,how many people in our Country can actually afford 10 lacs at one go? Most of us do not even have that kind of savings in a decade."
