Can you define ‘difficult’?

March 13, 2006

In my never ending search for a real job in municipal parking, I am constantly perusing the NYC DOT Employment page. To my delight, I discovered this job for

Principal Administrative Associate – Level I – Brooklyn Street Maintenance  http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/employ_rrm0227.html

whose job description is as follows:

Under general supervision, with some latitude for independent initiative and judgment, performs difficult administrative functions for Brooklyn Street Maintenance. Prepares reports, charts, tables, and data entry. Responsible for modernizing and enhancing the existing methods of maintaining and filing records. Must respond to telephone inquiries. Assist supervisor with various special assignments. Serve as main support staff for Brooklyn Street Maintenance.

The Salary Range for the job is: $38,205 – $48,665 .

I was concerned with how difficult the ‘difficult administrative functions’ would be and started dreaming of ways of modernizing their filing system. I wasn’t really sure if the salary was good enough, so I clicked on the next job for:

Principal Administrative Associate – Level II – Brooklyn Street Maintenance

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/employ_rrm0226.html

whose job description is as follows:

Under general supervision, with some latitude for independent initiative and judgment, performs difficult administrative functions for Brooklyn Street Maintenance. Prepares reports, charts, tables, and data entry. Responsible for modernizing and enhancing the existing methods of maintaining and filing records. Must respond to telephone inquiries. Assist supervisor with various special assignments. Serve as main support staff for Brooklyn Street Maintenance.

The Salary Range for this job is: $42,747 – $54,033

That’s just so wrong.