u/Awkward_Horror1025

Working in corporate has genuinely made me realize how many people completely forget basic human decency once they get a title attached to their name.

Like damn… I’m not asking for a friendship bracelet or for us to unpack our childhood trauma in the elevator. I’m literally talking about a basic “good morning.” Eye contact. A nod. ANYTHING.

Half these executives walk around like they’re heads of state. You pass them in the hallway and it’s like you’re invisible unless they need something scheduled, printed, fixed, moved, or cleaned up. Meanwhile I’m over here acknowledging EVERYONE because that’s how normal humans function?? And the funniest part is the people with the biggest egos are rarely the busiest or most important ones. The truly high level, secure executives usually act the most normal. It’s always the random corporate ladder climbers acting like their shit doesn’t stink because they got a bigger office and a LinkedIn headshot. I don’t even get deeply involved in my execs’ personal lives either. I like professionalism and boundaries. But professionalism should still include basic courtesy. You can run a division and still say “morning” to the people around you without collapsing from the effort.

Corporate culture sometimes feels like, smile downward only, ignore support staff unless needed, pretend warmth is weakness and mysterious and important 24/7. Like relax, Michael. We all still badge into the same building.

I support multiple executives and most of them are honestly great. But there’s one in particular who sometimes acts like I’m supposed to be available 24/7 and it’s starting to get under my skin.

For context: my working hours are basically 8–4. Earlier this week he was traveling internationally for an offsite in Colombia. Normally, when he travels, he just Ubers himself to/from the airport and handles it independently. His calendar literally said “Uber to airport.”

But because this offsite had local admin support, they arranged a car service for him while he was there. On Monday there was confusion locating the driver, and he got understandably sketched out because he wasn’t sure if the car was legit. I was fully responsive during business hours, helping troubleshoot, offering to arrange a backup black car if needed, etc. No issue there.

Fast forward to Thursday on the return trip home. He messages me asking me to call him. I reply during normal working hours asking if this is about the evening call we had scheduled for Monday. No response.

Then at like 9 PM MY time he suddenly replies “I’m free now.”

Sir… I am not a 24/7 EA. I was literally in bed taking a nap because my workday had ended HOURS earlier.

What’s frustrating is the mixed expectations. If you normally Uber yourself and your calendar still says Uber, then why am I suddenly expected to be actively monitoring transportation logistics at 9 PM?

And before anyone says “that’s executive support”, I get that emergencies happen. If his flight got canceled, passport lost, safety issue, whatever, of course I’d help. But this wasn’t that. It feels more like the expectation is just “be available because I decided I’m available now.”

I genuinely can’t tell if he realizes how unreasonable that is sometimes or if he knowingly pushes boundaries because people usually accommodate him.

How do other EAs handle executives who slowly start expecting after hours availability for non emergency stuff?

They call it administrative business partners or executive business partners, curious to know what it’s like on the other side

Hi everyone I could really use some honest perspective.

I’ve been in my current role for about 4 months now. Before this, I was at my previous company for almost 4 years, so I’m not someone who jumps ship quickly. That’s part of why I’m second guessing myself now.

On paper, this job is “good.” I make $100K, I support a few execs (two are great, one is a bit difficult but manageable), and it’s a stable environment. But a few things are starting to get to me.

The biggest one is compensation, when I really break it down, it feels like I’m losing a big chunk of my hourly value in taxes, which has been pretty discouraging. I also know there are similar roles out there closer to $140K -160 k which makes it harder to ignore. Like I have to stop myself from looking at LinkedIn because it will make me start applying.

Then there’s the commute. I live in New Jersey and go into Midtown East every day, bus + train and it’s honestly draining. I didn’t think it would bother me this much, but it’s starting to wear on me.

Culture wise… this might sound strange, but I don’t really feel like I fit in. The other EAs are polite, but it’s very much “show up, do your job, go home.” No one talks badly about anyone, which is obviously healthy, but it also feels like no one is genuine or open either. There’s no real connection.

At my last job, I actually liked the people I worked with, we were friends, we had fun, there was personality. I was just severely

Underpaid. Here, everything feels very buttoned up and polished. Happy hours aren’t really a thing unless it’s tied to clients, and even those feel more like networking events for senior leadership than something social. I’ve never gone, and honestly it feels like I’d get sideeye if I did.

I’m also one of the younger people on the team (most are 50+), and I definitely feel that gap. Even the dress code threw me off, when I started, everyone was in full suits. I came in wearing a more feminine blouse, heels, dress pants… totally appropriate, but still felt out of place. At my old job I barely wore makeup, and here I feel like I have to just to look like I’m putting in effort.

Overall, it just feels… dry. I don’t see myself staying here long term, but I also don’t want to look like I’m job hopping after only a few months, especially since I had a solid 4 year run before this.

So I guess my question is: how long is “enough” to stay before leaving doesn’t hurt you? Is it reasonable to start looking now if I’d only move for something around $140K?

Or am I just overthinking this and need to give it more time?

Appreciate any advice, even if it’s blunt.

I work as an EA supporting senior leadership and just got pulled into coordinating an international trip across multiple countries US, Singapore and Thailand with less than two weeks’ notice.

Flights alone are long haul, there are multiple stakeholders across time zones (NYC, Singapore, Australia), and several of the execs already have existing commitments that week. Keep in me and exec are in nyc.

My leader suggested a very tight itinerary like it was plug-and-play, but another senior EA (supporting the most senior exec involved) pushed it out by over a month, which honestly seems much more realistic.

Am I overreacting, or is it common for execs to throw out “ideal scenarios” that don’t match actual logistics? How do you handle situations where expectations are unrealistic, but you’re expected to “make it work” anyway without pushing back too hard?