[whack]

> willing to basically do whatever I want him to do whenever and however long I want him to do it. In other words he’d be a good lackey.

This is unnecessarily condescending. When having to choose from a crowded field of seemingly-competent candidates, it's natural to want someone who is passionate and willing to go the extra mile. And as someone who is genuinely passionate to work in a certain industry or to work for a specific company, it is also smart to signal your dedication using tactics like what the author described.

Neither of the above warrants condescending to someone as "being a good lackey"

> Definition: a person who is obsequiously willing to obey or serve another person or group of people.

[BlackCherry]

While it's true that lackey is condescending, it's also accurate. We have euphemized "lackey" with less condescending terms like "gopher" or even phrases like "you'll do what it takes". He clearly signaled in his follow up email that he was willing to do "what it takes" to "get in" with the company: "Does the team need an office manager, receptionist, coffee runner, etc."

His telegraphed servility is exactly in line with the very definition you posted.