Insider tips about becoming a celebrity PA
This article has been updated and originally appeared on Ultimate Assistant
Where are the jobs for celebrity assistants?
Of course, Los Angeles and New York City are hotbeds for celebrity assistant jobs, but many of those types of positions working for high-net-worth families exist throughout the country. Believe it or not, almost half of the world’s billionaires either live in the US or have homes in America.
Between LA and NYC combined, there are only around 100 billionaires. What that means is there are hundreds of other ultra-high-net-worth families throughout the US that employ small armies of executive/personal assistants and estate managers to manage their personal and professional lives.
I get clients from every corner of the country asking for EAs and PAs. In fact, outside of Los Angeles and New York City there is a shortage. It’s very common for clients to pay to relocate a candidate.
Between LA and NYC combined, there are only around 100 billionaires. What that means is there are hundreds of other ultra-high-net-worth families throughout the US that employ small armies of executive/personal assistants and estate managers to manage their personal and professional lives.
I get clients from every corner of the country asking for EAs and PAs. In fact, outside of Los Angeles and New York City there is a shortage. It’s very common for clients to pay to relocate a candidate.
What are your top three tips for being a celebrity assistant?
In no particular order: thick skin, resourcefulness, and extreme flexibility. The bottom line is that there is no shortage of candidates who are willing to do the job, but there is a shortage of qualified candidates.
It’s easy to get sucked into the idea that being a celebrity PA is a “dream job”. And, in fact, it can be. But most people only hear about the rides in private jets and walks on the red carpet. The truth is that long hours and great pressure usually come with the job, and that doesn’t sit well for everyone. You must have a “service heart” if you’re going to last.
It’s easy to get sucked into the idea that being a celebrity PA is a “dream job”. And, in fact, it can be. But most people only hear about the rides in private jets and walks on the red carpet. The truth is that long hours and great pressure usually come with the job, and that doesn’t sit well for everyone. You must have a “service heart” if you’re going to last.
What does it take to be a celebrity PA?
I’m placing quite a few “hybrid” assistants these days. Many employers are looking for that perfect blend between a personal assistant and executive assistant. In the past, the worlds were usually separate.
Now I’m seeing a lot of the famous PAs becoming irrelevant because they don’t (or won’t) update their job skills. In short, you have to have the ability to work in the corporate world as well as a private home. And, lastly, you MUST be great at Microsoft Office Suite, which is where most personal assistants fall behind (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).
Now I’m seeing a lot of the famous PAs becoming irrelevant because they don’t (or won’t) update their job skills. In short, you have to have the ability to work in the corporate world as well as a private home. And, lastly, you MUST be great at Microsoft Office Suite, which is where most personal assistants fall behind (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).
What do people not really understand about the work?
I think one of the biggest shocks to executive assistants who crossover into the PA world is that all of the rules change. In corporate America, everything is quite structured because human resource departments manage everything.
When assistants move into a domestic environment, especially for celebrities and billionaires, they are going to be on-call 24/7, sometimes 365 days a year. Simply put, EAs are not used to that. And, most importantly, it’s called a “personal” assistant for a reason. You’re doing very personal things for the employer and sometimes it rubs some executive assistants the wrong way.
When assistants move into a domestic environment, especially for celebrities and billionaires, they are going to be on-call 24/7, sometimes 365 days a year. Simply put, EAs are not used to that. And, most importantly, it’s called a “personal” assistant for a reason. You’re doing very personal things for the employer and sometimes it rubs some executive assistants the wrong way.
What services do you offer assistants and clients?
For clients it’s pretty straightforward: I’m a headhunter, so I recruit elite domestic staffing candidates. I’ve recently moved away from the “employment agency” format, so I offer very personal service and work on a retainer.
Because of the overwhelming demand, I’ve started consulting services for candidates who either want to break-into the business, or for vets who want to elevate or reinvent their career. I offer A to Z perspectives including a new resume and, most importantly, a “no holds barred” critique on everything they are doing right and (especially) wrong.
Because of the overwhelming demand, I’ve started consulting services for candidates who either want to break-into the business, or for vets who want to elevate or reinvent their career. I offer A to Z perspectives including a new resume and, most importantly, a “no holds barred” critique on everything they are doing right and (especially) wrong.
How should someone apply for a position through you and how should a client reach you to post a position?
For candidates, they should simply email me their resume through the jobs page of my website. Employers should visit our contact page and submit a job description and salary range.
