The beginning of a personal assistant career
Personal assistants to the UHNW
Take comfort knowing you don't have to live in a major city like Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, or Miami to get a good assistant job.
Celebrities, sports figures, best-selling authors, executives, and high-net-worth families live throughout the United States and need trustworthy assistants. Because I had stars in my eyes, I took the glamorous route and moved to Los Angeles.
I have worked in the service industry since beginning my professional career at the ripe age of 15 (with a work permit in hand). It was excellent training because it taught me that going the extra mile really counts.
I won't bore you with all the details of my work history, but by the time I arrived in Los Angeles, I had a career plan that I was ready to tackle. My priority was to work in places where celebrities congregate, and my first stop was a fitness center in Beverly Hills.
I was a Personal Trainer and Membership Counselor at a gym close to the famous Rodeo Drive. It was fabulous because I wasn't stuck behind a desk and met many great people, celebrities included. Did I mention that the gym is down the street from 20th Century Fox Studios? That certainly didn't hurt our client base.
We did have a lot of big stars come in, but I focused my attention on the road less traveled—producers, publicists, casting directors, and entertainment lawyers. Firstly, the movie stars that came in already had overly protective Personal Trainers. I gave my attention to the people who were being neglected, relatively speaking.
Being a membership counselor helped because I signed up the "behind the scenes" people and learned who they were. To make a long story short, I learned a lot about the entertainment industry. I got some stellar recommendation letters because I cared for my clients. It's all about networking and building relationships!
Celebrities, sports figures, best-selling authors, executives, and high-net-worth families live throughout the United States and need trustworthy assistants. Because I had stars in my eyes, I took the glamorous route and moved to Los Angeles.
I have worked in the service industry since beginning my professional career at the ripe age of 15 (with a work permit in hand). It was excellent training because it taught me that going the extra mile really counts.
I won't bore you with all the details of my work history, but by the time I arrived in Los Angeles, I had a career plan that I was ready to tackle. My priority was to work in places where celebrities congregate, and my first stop was a fitness center in Beverly Hills.
I was a Personal Trainer and Membership Counselor at a gym close to the famous Rodeo Drive. It was fabulous because I wasn't stuck behind a desk and met many great people, celebrities included. Did I mention that the gym is down the street from 20th Century Fox Studios? That certainly didn't hurt our client base.
We did have a lot of big stars come in, but I focused my attention on the road less traveled—producers, publicists, casting directors, and entertainment lawyers. Firstly, the movie stars that came in already had overly protective Personal Trainers. I gave my attention to the people who were being neglected, relatively speaking.
Being a membership counselor helped because I signed up the "behind the scenes" people and learned who they were. To make a long story short, I learned a lot about the entertainment industry. I got some stellar recommendation letters because I cared for my clients. It's all about networking and building relationships!
Gearing up to become an assistant
5-star hotel experience leads to jobs in private service
After working at the gym ran its course, I eventually started in the 5-star hotel industry. By working at The Beverly Hills Hotel -- arguably the world's most famous hotel, I got access to all the big stars. I planned to refine my business acumen, improve my resume, and get more vital recommendation letters.
I liked the hospitality industry in Beverly Hills because I got to see the stars up close and work with them directly. I got to deal with their assistants as well. That was a valuable learning opportunity because I saw what worked well in an assistant and what didn't. I would have paid the hotel to work there because of the exposure and training I received.
Generally, 5-star hotels in Beverly Hills are a haven for celebrities because they know the employees must sign iron-clad confidentiality contracts. In short, it's not unusual to see illicit rendezvous between already-married A-listers. However, not all activities are secret; the high-end hotels in Beverly Hills also host special events, celebrity weddings, and award show after-parties for Hollywood's elite, which is another excellent way to learn the mechanics of the entertainment industry.
At the same time, I also networked outside of my full-time hospitality job by doing "extra work" on TV and movie sets. I enjoyed being on the studio lots. More than anything, it helped me ground myself. One of the most valuable lessons I can pass on to aspiring assistants is that they need to be calm, focused, and not star-struck. By working at the hotel and on movie sets, I got the nervous excitement of being around celebrities out of my system. Moreover, I got to see A-list actors working on the set. I wanted to know about the process because I knew it would help me serve future celebrity clients, which it did.
While still working at the hotel, I landed my first part-time Personal Assistant gig with an extended family member of the Johnson & Johnson clan, including some Estate Management duties. At first, I did some remedial things like running errands and picking up dry cleaning. As the family's comfort level with me grew stronger, I was assigned more tasks. Eventually, I took care of the house, cars, and animals while they were away on vacation.
I liked the hospitality industry in Beverly Hills because I got to see the stars up close and work with them directly. I got to deal with their assistants as well. That was a valuable learning opportunity because I saw what worked well in an assistant and what didn't. I would have paid the hotel to work there because of the exposure and training I received.
Generally, 5-star hotels in Beverly Hills are a haven for celebrities because they know the employees must sign iron-clad confidentiality contracts. In short, it's not unusual to see illicit rendezvous between already-married A-listers. However, not all activities are secret; the high-end hotels in Beverly Hills also host special events, celebrity weddings, and award show after-parties for Hollywood's elite, which is another excellent way to learn the mechanics of the entertainment industry.
At the same time, I also networked outside of my full-time hospitality job by doing "extra work" on TV and movie sets. I enjoyed being on the studio lots. More than anything, it helped me ground myself. One of the most valuable lessons I can pass on to aspiring assistants is that they need to be calm, focused, and not star-struck. By working at the hotel and on movie sets, I got the nervous excitement of being around celebrities out of my system. Moreover, I got to see A-list actors working on the set. I wanted to know about the process because I knew it would help me serve future celebrity clients, which it did.
While still working at the hotel, I landed my first part-time Personal Assistant gig with an extended family member of the Johnson & Johnson clan, including some Estate Management duties. At first, I did some remedial things like running errands and picking up dry cleaning. As the family's comfort level with me grew stronger, I was assigned more tasks. Eventually, I took care of the house, cars, and animals while they were away on vacation.
Becoming invaluable as an assistant
Find HNW specialty shops in your area
That first part-time job was invaluable because it taught me the ropes. I learned when it's best to be quiet and when to express my opinion. I got to be an integral part of party planning and gift-shop for discerning clients. Meeting famous people at my boss' house common.
I also had to disconnect myself from the idea that high-net-worth individuals are like us because they aren't. Sure, they "put their pants on one leg at a time," but that's where the similarities end. When people have a lot of money to spend, their whims are different.
It was common, for example, for the family to have me fetch "takeout" from a 5-star restaurant. The cost? A whopping $350 to eat food out of plastic containers. The sterling silver forks and $500 bottles of wine completed their living room picnics very nicely. Minus the wine, I did sometimes get to enjoy a small portion of the feasts in the next room—very quickly, of course, because I knew another assignment was only moments away.
I learned that there are myriad unique products for the super wealthy that I did not even know about -- and they are ridiculously expensive. Need exceptional pet food for the crazy-expensive Egyptian cat? No problem, $20 per serving. Need special tea for brunch on Sundays? No problem, $300 per container. Most of the "specialty stores" in Beverly Hills that cater to the eccentric whims of the ultra-rich are not well-known to the average Joe, but I got to know them all well.
In the end, the point I would like to make is that by having the 5-star hotel job and working out my "nervous energy" on the movie sets doing extra work, I was able to get myself into my very first role as an assistant without looking desperate or rough around the edges. The stack of recommendation letters I already had was only icing on the cake because I was chosen for the job over many other more qualified candidates, bringing me to another valuable lesson.
I also had to disconnect myself from the idea that high-net-worth individuals are like us because they aren't. Sure, they "put their pants on one leg at a time," but that's where the similarities end. When people have a lot of money to spend, their whims are different.
It was common, for example, for the family to have me fetch "takeout" from a 5-star restaurant. The cost? A whopping $350 to eat food out of plastic containers. The sterling silver forks and $500 bottles of wine completed their living room picnics very nicely. Minus the wine, I did sometimes get to enjoy a small portion of the feasts in the next room—very quickly, of course, because I knew another assignment was only moments away.
I learned that there are myriad unique products for the super wealthy that I did not even know about -- and they are ridiculously expensive. Need exceptional pet food for the crazy-expensive Egyptian cat? No problem, $20 per serving. Need special tea for brunch on Sundays? No problem, $300 per container. Most of the "specialty stores" in Beverly Hills that cater to the eccentric whims of the ultra-rich are not well-known to the average Joe, but I got to know them all well.
In the end, the point I would like to make is that by having the 5-star hotel job and working out my "nervous energy" on the movie sets doing extra work, I was able to get myself into my very first role as an assistant without looking desperate or rough around the edges. The stack of recommendation letters I already had was only icing on the cake because I was chosen for the job over many other more qualified candidates, bringing me to another valuable lesson.
Beating more experienced applicants
Learn how to beat more experienced applicants
There will always be applicants who are more qualified than you are. I have had the good fortune of beating out those competitors because of my determination, personality, and "can-do" attitude. It works! Nobody likes a cocky attitude, but they do like confidence.
You have to go into interviews believing in yourself. If you still lack confidence, just fake it. Eventually, it will be real. I always rehearse my interviews in the mirror or in front of friends because I don't want to make mistakes when it really counts—in the interview.
One of the techniques I used to be strong in job interviews was to meet with a voice coach. It wasn't because I wanted to learn how to sing. I wanted to know the tricks that great public speakers use when working their magic. That step I took to better my voice changed my life in more ways than one because not only did I become a better speaker in everyday life, I met my next celebrity boss.
When determining what coach I would work with for voice training, I started asking questions around town; I got a list of the best in Los Angeles. My original plan was to try several of the top five. Luckily, my first choice made me happy. After studying with the coach for several sessions, my voice showed improvement. I felt more confident at work and in subsequent interviews for assistant jobs.
Miraculously, while studying with my voice coach, I learned he was in between assistants and needed a new one. After spending days getting a strategy together, I wrote him a letter. I explained how he was actually losing money by not having me as his assistant. With the letter I sent him, I included an updated resume (that looked great) and several recommendation letters. He hired me the next day!
It's worth mentioning that several of my past employers said that my overall presentation, including my resume, was the deciding factor for getting hired. In the end, if an applicant is up against someone equally or more qualified, the best resume and overall presentation are what take the cake. Why? Let's get into the mind of the employer. If a candidate can't even present a resume with a lot of "wow-factor," how can they possibly be in charge of maintaining schedules, planning events, or managing a household?
You have to go into interviews believing in yourself. If you still lack confidence, just fake it. Eventually, it will be real. I always rehearse my interviews in the mirror or in front of friends because I don't want to make mistakes when it really counts—in the interview.
One of the techniques I used to be strong in job interviews was to meet with a voice coach. It wasn't because I wanted to learn how to sing. I wanted to know the tricks that great public speakers use when working their magic. That step I took to better my voice changed my life in more ways than one because not only did I become a better speaker in everyday life, I met my next celebrity boss.
When determining what coach I would work with for voice training, I started asking questions around town; I got a list of the best in Los Angeles. My original plan was to try several of the top five. Luckily, my first choice made me happy. After studying with the coach for several sessions, my voice showed improvement. I felt more confident at work and in subsequent interviews for assistant jobs.
Miraculously, while studying with my voice coach, I learned he was in between assistants and needed a new one. After spending days getting a strategy together, I wrote him a letter. I explained how he was actually losing money by not having me as his assistant. With the letter I sent him, I included an updated resume (that looked great) and several recommendation letters. He hired me the next day!
It's worth mentioning that several of my past employers said that my overall presentation, including my resume, was the deciding factor for getting hired. In the end, if an applicant is up against someone equally or more qualified, the best resume and overall presentation are what take the cake. Why? Let's get into the mind of the employer. If a candidate can't even present a resume with a lot of "wow-factor," how can they possibly be in charge of maintaining schedules, planning events, or managing a household?
