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An Instagram influencer faced criticism for a job listing requesting skills like carpentry, Photoshop, and sewing — for minimum wage

Luca Fersko sitting down on a bench before a fashion show, with his arms crossed.
Fersko's job listing garnered some snarky reactions.Victor Boyko
  • Model and fashion influencer Luca Fersko put out a call for a multi-faceted assistant.

  • Some commenters said the listing was incredibly unrealistic, given it asked that applicants be "ok with minimum wage."

  • Fersko later clarified that pay would be commensurate with skill level.

Luca Fersko, a 24-year-old model and fashion influencer with upwards of 225,000 followers on Instagram, put out a recent call for an assistant with a long list of requirements, including proficiency in carpentry, Photoshop, and sewing.

But the creator seemed to have garnered immediate backlash — especially for noting that candidates should be "ok with minimum wage" – or $15 per hour in New York, where the position would be based.

Even though Fersko clarified in subsequent Instagram Stories that he would be open to paying more for qualified applicants, the online outrage had already begun. Some felt the listing was both entitled and exploitative.

The listing, which was first shared to his Instagram on Monday, stated he was looking for an assistant in New York City or Brooklyn with an extremely long and specific list of criteria. Most of them ranged within construction work, including "basic carpentry skills" as well as "general knowledge on different screws" and "knife sharpening." He did not specify the nature of the construction project.

A screenshot of Fersko's job listing.
A screenshot of Fersko's job listing.instagram.com/lucafersko

The ideal assistant would also be proficient in office software, including "know how to use printers" and "soft wear [sic] like Photoshop," he wrote. Finally, Ferkso had certain personality traits in mind, including someone who was "gentle in nature" and "discrete."

At the end of the list, Fersko said candidates must be "ok with minimum wage" – though in a later Story he noted that "pay will vary depending on level of help and expertise."

Even still, on the subreddit r/NYCinfluencersnark, a forum dedicated to scrutinizing the actions of NYC-based creators, Ferkso's listing was posted with impassioned snarking, with some saying the job listing was "delusional."

"Jigsaw….? He wants a quiet person to iron jigsaw puzzles & oil bikes? For MINIMUM WAGE?," one snarker wrote. Another added: "So a carpenter who has experience with software and sewing? Lol, ok."

Other commenters said they had friends or family members who had comparable skills as art handlers or carpenters but earned six figures annually. "My husband and I own a welding company," one commenter wrote, "and half of the things on this list we pay people $28 an hour to start."

Fersko did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Fersko later clarified the ask.
Fersko later clarified the ask.instagram.com/lucafersko

In subsequent Stories, he attempted to clarify the parameters of his search and pay. "I would like to hire someone with all those skill sets and more, and be able to pay them what they are worth," he wrote. "Of course more than minimum wage."

However, he continued, "if you don't have the majority of these skill sets and I have to teach you, that is ok too, but you can understand that the payment would be lesser than someone who has all the skills I listed."

Ferkso added that he might be open to hiring multiple people to suit all of his different needs, though one assistant would be ideal.

Though he did not address any criticism directly, he concluded with a kind of mea culpa: "I'm starting out, I'm still a beginner…So please give me a chance and I will give you a chance."

Read the original article on Insider