Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, has been offering advice to Katie Zacharia, who recently left her position as White House press secretary after just five days. Scaramucci’s own stint in the role lasted roughly 10 days in July 2017, earning him a pop-culture reference point for short-lived political appointments, known as a “Scaramucci” or “Mooch.”
Scaramucci initially tweeted his support for Zacharia, betting that she would “make it” in the role. However, by mid-Friday, he was addressing her departure, stating that “records are made to be broken” and expressing no pleasure in her pain.
He also offered Zacharia direct advice, telling her to “turn off the news and go enjoy your family” and that “in time you’ll realize that the Universe did you a major favor.” Meanwhile, the internet has been creating math equations to measure Zacharia’s tenure in “Scaramuccis,” with some suggesting that she become the new benchmark.
A “Scaramucci” has become a unit of time to measure short-lived political appointments, with Zacharia’s five-day stint being equivalent to half of a Scaramucci. The internet has been debating how to measure her time in the role, with some creating equations to calculate her tenure in Scaramuccis.
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Leadership consultants say that quick moves with more responsibility and opportunities to build skills can strengthen a résumé, and that quick changes in roles can be seen as a sign of ambition and adaptability rather than instability. Zacharia’s departure has also sparked a debate about the use of the “#Opentowork” tag on LinkedIn, with some recruiters viewing it as a “red flag” and others seeing it as a way to receive more messages from hiring managers.
Data from 2024 shows that workers with the public green tag receive 40% more messages from LinkedIn Recruiter than those who use only the private signal. Zacharia’s LinkedIn profile picture with the infamous “#Opentowork” tag has taken off on X, with many users sharing and commenting on the post.
As Zacharia handles her next steps, she may find that her short stint as White House press secretary is not necessarily a hindrance to her future career prospects. With the right approach and a strong résumé, she may be able to turn her experience into an opportunity for growth and development.
