Zomato’s controversial Chief of Staff role has attracted thousands of hopefuls, despite the job offering no salary in the first year and requiring a hefty Rs 20 lakh
Zomato’s controversial Chief of Staff role has attracted thousands of hopefuls, despite the job offering no salary in the first year and requiring a hefty Rs 20 lakh fee. Here’s what the buzz is all about.
Introduction: A Job Listing Like No Other
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal recently stirred the pot with a unique job posting that’s been turning heads. The role, which has gone viral online, offers no salary for the first year and demands a Rs 20 lakh fee in the form of a donation. Despite these unusual conditions, Goyal has received over 10,000 applications, sparking a heated debate about the job’s legitimacy, ethics, and its appeal to young professionals.
So, why are so many people applying for this controversial position? Let’s break it down.
The job opening is for the position of Chief of Staff at Zomato, a high-profile role in a major tech company. But there’s a twist: the first year comes with zero salary, and the candidate must pay a Rs 20 lakh fee, which Goyal has described as an opportunity fee to fund personal and professional development.
Goyal laid out a very specific set of qualities for the ideal candidate. He’s looking for someone who:
It’s clear that Goyal isn’t looking for someone who expects to be pampered but rather a go-getter who is eager to dive into new challenges.
In the job description, Goyal promises an intense learning experience that he claims will teach more in one year than a two-year degree from a top management school. The role involves working directly with Goyal and the leadership team at Zomato, Blinkit, District, Hyperpure, and Feeding India—Zomato’s various business arms.
“Anything and everything to build the future of Zomato” is how Goyal described the job’s scope. It’s an all-encompassing role, where the candidate will be expected to contribute to a wide range of projects and business functions. For someone eager to build a career in consumer tech, this opportunity could be a huge learning experience.
The cherry on top? After the first year, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive salary of over Rs 50 lakh. The details of the second year’s package will be revealed only after the first year, but the potential for growth is clear.
While the job offer might sound enticing for some, it’s not without controversy. The idea of paying to work, especially at a high-profile company like Zomato, has raised eyebrows across the internet.
One of the major concerns is the lack of salary in the first year, which many people feel is unreasonable and even unethical. After all, in India, employing someone without paying them is illegal and violates the Minimum Wages Act of 1948, which guarantees a minimum salary for workers.
On top of that, the requirement to pay a Rs 20 lakh fee has been criticized by some as a “scam” or “get-rich-quick” scheme. Some users pointed out that this structure feels similar to the job scam calls many people receive, promising high-paying jobs in exchange for an upfront fee.
One Twitter user commented, “The conditions of this role feel like a job scam call we receive every day: Pay $$$ to get a high-paying job!” Meanwhile, others questioned the ethics of such a fee, calling it “unethical” and “against the law.”
But, there’s also the flip side: Zomato is a publicly listed company, and many believe it wouldn’t openly launch such a role without considering all the legal and ethical implications. Another user chimed in, “Do you think they didn’t consider all that? They’ve obviously thought about it much more than anyone commenting here.”
Despite the backlash, the fact that over 10,000 applications have been received tells a different story. Why are so many professionals interested in this controversial job?
While the job offer certainly raises questions about legality and fairness, there’s no doubt that it’s generating significant interest. Whether or not the Chief of Staff position at Zomato is a scam or a legitimate opportunity for growth depends on how the candidate views the trade-off between personal development and financial risk.
For those willing to invest in themselves and take a leap of faith, this could turn out to be the opportunity of a lifetime. But, as with any job that asks for an upfront fee, potential applicants should weigh the risks carefully and do their due diligence.
In the end, Zomato’s bold move is a conversation starter. Will it attract the next big tech leader, or will it fade into obscurity as a controversial experiment? Only time will tell.
Zomato’s Chief of Staff job listing has certainly caused a stir. It’s a bold, unconventional move that has sparked debates around the balance between financial rewards and personal growth. Despite mixed reactions, over 10,000 applications show there’s still demand for opportunities like this—where the right candidate could learn more than they ever imagined in just one year.
Will you be one of the applicants?
