Gofer

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This article describes jobs that include running errands; for other senses, see Gofer (disambiguation). For the animal, see gopher.

A gofer or go-fer is an employee who is often sent on errands.

The term originated in North America, with the phrase dogsbody being a similar British term, and dog robber an American military one. ("Gofer" reflects the likelihood of instructions to go for coffee, dry cleaning, or stamps, or to make other straightforward or familiar procurements.) While often regarded by employers as a menial, many gofers see the job not only as an achievable position (similar to "working in the mailroom") for "starting at the bottom" of an industry, but also (especially in the entertainment industries) as a means of gaining the attention of influential figures who may be dramatically helpful to the gofer: Edward Burns's submission of his first self-financed production to Robert Redford is described as a successful use of the strategy.

Likewise gofer may refer to a junior member of an organisation who generally receive the most vexing and thankless work. Firms with a top-heavy management structure, having not enough junior lawyers to take care of menial yet necessary tasks can be referred to as having "too many loafers and not enough gophers".

One of the first known references to the term gofer as an occupation was made in Season 1 of the television series The Muppets when Scooter was offered the position by Kermit. The pun was that Muppets were based on animals and a gopher is also an animal.