Quick one because I've been seeing this more and more. Applied to a 'Front Desk Coordinator' role in NoMad, small real estate office. The listing was normal: answer phones, greet visitors, schedule showings, light paperwork. I get the phone screen and suddenly it's 'we also need someone to maintain our Instagram, film quick office walkthroughs, and cover an open house table one Saturday a month.' All under the same title and no mention of extra pay. Is this just the new normal? Bait and switch? Feels like they want a receptionist plus a marketing assistant for one wage. Curious if anyone's seeing this outside of the obvious WeWork-ish spots.

Not just you, and not just real estate. I've been through three rounds of this in the last year while doing admin and hiring consulting. The pattern is pretty consistent: small companies realize that their front desk person, office manager, or junior admin is the cheapest known person who is physically present, so they start piling on 'brand presence' tasks. The job title stays the same because it's easier to advertise under a broad admin label and because they don't want to create a separate marketing line item.

Here's what I'd flag:

• Ask for a written breakdown of time. Is it 80% desk and 20% social, or 50/50? A title can hide a lot, but percentages make the scope real.
• Confirm which hours are non-exempt. In NYC, most front desk coordinators are hourly non-exempt. If they want Saturday open house coverage, ask how overtime is handled, not just 'occasionally.' An occasional Saturday may be legal, but regular Saturday work changes the schedule and should change the pay conversation.
• Ask who owns the content and equipment. If they expect you to use your phone to film walkthroughs, that's a personal device policy problem. If you use their phone, ask about account credentials and approval workflow.
• Separate the 'other duties' clause. Most admin job descriptions have it, but marketing is not the same as occasional file scanning or supply orders. It produces public-facing work and can be measured.

One thing that helps: during the interview say, 'I'm interested in the front desk role as described, but I'd want to understand what percentage of the week would be content creation or event staffing so I can plan my availability.' If they get vague, that's your answer.

Okay I thought I was the only one. I applied for an 'Office Assistant' spot in Williamsburg and they asked me during the trial day to make a TikTok for their candle brand. I made one because I was nervous lol. Then they ghosted me. Is that normal? Do I have a right to ask for anything? I didn't even think about the phone thing until this thread. Thanks for the tip about asking for percentages.

Run. If they can't list it in the posting, it's because they know the pay and the role don't match. I've worked front desk at a dental office uptown and the only 'extra' was straightening magazines. Marketing is a whole separate job. Same title, no extra pay? Nah. You might get one of those bosses who says 'just one or two posts a week' and then it's a full content calendar after the first month.

Adding some structural context, because the legal classification here matters more than people realize.

New York has pay transparency requirements for many posted jobs, but the posting itself can still blur the difference between an administrative role and a marketing role. If the employer is hiring a front desk coordinator and the actual duties are significantly different from what was posted, that's not just annoying—it can affect:

• Overtime eligibility. An hourly front desk worker is generally non-exempt, meaning they're owed overtime for hours over the threshold. If the same person is regularly doing social content from home after hours, or covering weekend events, the employer may be trying to classify that as 'part of a salaried admin role.' That gets messy.
• Pay range accuracy. If the advertised range was set for a receptionist but the real job includes content production, the role may be misclassified for local pay-transparency purposes. At minimum, it's worth asking the recruiter to confirm the range was based on the actual duties.
• Work product issues. Content you create is intellectual property. A handshake agreement to 'post on our Instagram' is not the same as a written assignment of rights. Freelancers handle that with contracts; employees still need to know what accounts they control and what happens when they leave.

My practical advice: ask for a one-page role summary in writing before the next round. If they can't produce one, that's a strong signal the scope is still moving. If they do produce one, use it to negotiate. Something like, 'I can cover the desk responsibilities at this range, but event coverage and content creation are outside the original posting. I'd want to discuss a title change or an adjusted rate for those hours.' You don't have to be confrontational—just precise.

Yep, seen this uptown too. I did two months at a place where the manager kept saying 'we'll capture a little B-roll on your way in.' Suddenly I'm the face of their Monday motivation posts. Get the deliverables in writing or they'll multiply on you. No writing, no extra pay.

Update: did the second call. They basically said it's three days desk, two days 'community content,' but the title and salary band didn't change. When I asked about Saturday coverage they said 'it's baked into the schedule.' I don't hate the idea of content work, but don't call it a front desk job. Might still take it if the hours are steady? Or not. Appreciate the feedback, especially the overtime point.

This is so timely. I'm new to the city and just got offered a 'gallery receptionist' role that also mentions 'helping with exhibition recap emails.' Should I ask for a revised offer letter now, or is it okay to accept and ask later? Also does anyone have a script for asking without sounding difficult? I don't want to lose it, but I also don't want to be making marketing plans at the front desk.