Want To Work For Taylor Swift? She Reportedly Has A Strict Unwritten Rule For Potential Employees

Taylor Swift's journey to pop stardom began when she was just 14 years old, and over the last 20 years, she has shared much of her life in her songs while the press has worked to reveal the moments she tries to keep private. Like any celebrity, Swift has a team that works to make her look good in the public eye and, aside from a few controversies, they have not had to save the star from any seriously damaging stories that could hurt her career. Swift has a reputation of being an honestly good person who treats others with respect and isn't afraid to make fun of herself, adding to her image as someone who has stayed grounded despite her massive success, even when she held her star-studded wedding at Madison Square Garden. But one former personal assistant claims that the "Love Story" writer may be more superficial than she lets on.

Speaking anonymously to Star Magazine in 2014 (via Celebitchy), the assistant revealed one surprising qualification Swift looks for in a new employee: how hot they are. "She surrounds herself with models and always makes sure that they're in the background, like beautiful wallpaper or something," they shared. In the former employee's opinion, Swift's desire to be seen with beautiful people stems from her ego, which "is so huge that [she] really believes she's above average-looking people."

The accusation paints a different picture of Swift than most people have. Even the star's dressing room demands are shockingly simple, with snack requests like Diet Coke, Tostitos, and Twizzlers (though fans of Red Vines might be upset by that last one). The idea that Swift only hires attractive people doesn't seem to fit Swift's general image or what others have said about her.

The unnamed assistant's claim stands in stark contrast to how others who have worked for Taylor Swift talk about her. Heather Wirth, who was with Swift during 2015's 1989 tour, painted a different picture of the icon in the docuseries "Taylor Swift Vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood," saying, "Taylor is very down to earth. There is no fakeness to her, everything is very genuine, very real" (via The Mirror). She also revealed that, while Swift's music is often about her own life, she isn't quite as quick to open up to people in person, saying, "It takes a while for Taylor to let her guard down."

Swift has also become famous for the way she treats people who work on her tours. While Swift makes a staggering amount of money whenever she goes on stage, she isn't afraid to share it with the people who work behind the scenes. At the end of her Eras Tour, Swift handed out $197 million in bonuses, and not just to the upper-level people who work for her. From her dancers to the teamsters driving the trucks that carried the tour equipment to the caterers, Swift wrote personal messages to everyone who helped bring the tour to life — and included some reportedly big checks in the letters that left her employees in tears. TMZ reported that some people received as much as $100,000. 

Mike Scherkenbach, who ran the transportation crew on the tour, told Rolling Stone, "That generosity is a game changer for these people." Talking about it in the "End of an Era" docuseries, Swift explained her thinking, saying, "These people work so hard, and they are the best at what they do."