Skills You'll Need to Get Hired
Every celebrity personal assistant will have various duties that are specific to the profession of the person they're working for, but the following are some basics that you should not be without. And don't forget, the more you have to offer an employer, the more likely they are to hire you, and the more you're likely to get paid.
Persuasive Communication
"Liza [Minnelli] didn't have a clue how to live in the real world. If she wanted something, she expected it to be there. One Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., she called me into her dressing room and told me that since we were doing a benefit matinee on Sunday afternoon, she wanted me to decorate all the dressing rooms and fill them with flowers. It never occurred to her that all the florists and stores were already closed.
"By thinking on my feet and dropping Liza's name (and money), I was able to talk a florist into working half the night. I found one party store that was open on Sunday. I was there when they opened, then I talked a couple of my friends into going to the theater with me. We hung crepe paper and valentines and the flowers arrived and the dressing rooms were beautiful when the actors arrived. It never occurred to Liza that accomplishing this was something of a feat." - Linda Brumfield, former Celebrity Personal Assistant
Your celebrity doesn't care how you get something done so long as you get it done. From getting the florist to work all night to getting the concierge to keep his mouth shut, celebrity personal assistants need strong skills of persuasion to be able to work the 'small miracles' stars seem to require on a daily basis.
As a celebrity personal assistant, you are at least part miracle-worker, and this requires being able to convince others to help you out when you need it. While this may come naturally to some people, others will need to learn techniques and practice them in order to be persuasive when your celebrity needs something.
A lot of persuasive communication is psychological, and involves understanding the needs, motivation and drives of others in order to convince them that whatever you're suggesting is in their best interests. There are tons of theories about how the best way to go about persuading people is; the most important thing is to find a technique that works for you.
Anyone who has a background in sales, politics, law or psychology may already have many of these skills, having used them on a daily basis or studied them in school. In fact, if you are interested in this subject you may be able to take a single course in interpersonal communications at your local college as a night course or as part of a degree program.
For those who cannot find a course available nearby or want a less expensive option, two helpful books are "" and "".
Style and Etiquette Skills
You may want to brush up on style and etiquette skills, even if it's as simple as how to dress at different functions. As a celebrity personal assistant you'll be expected to interact and move comfortably in the realm of wealth and fame. You may end up attending movie premieres, art openings, etc. with your celebrity, or he or she may expect you to plan a party of their own (see Section 2.3.1 of the guide for tips on this subject).
Remember that you will often be the first point of contact for people who wish to get in touch with your celebrity, and as their representative, your appearance and demeanor must be impeccable. Your celebrity may even ask for your advice on social interaction, and as their assistant, you'd better either know the answer or have a quick and effective way of finding out.
Etiquette and style knowledge may even help you in interview situations, and overall, they are an asset to anyone's skill set. Take some time to familiarize yourself with some of the etiquette resources listed in the guide and bookmark them for future reference. You will probably want to read at least one book on the subject from start to finish as well, so you are not caught off guard.
One warning about your personal appearance: it is generally advised that celebrity personal assistants and other types of 'household managers' try to maintain a look that is neat and classy without being alluring or attractive. You don't want to steal attention away from your celeb (nor should you try to!) and also, the 'significant other' of your celebrity may experience jealousy, especially if you are the opposite sex of your celebrity-or at least of the sex he or she is attracted to!
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10 Steps to a FabJob as a Celebrity Personal Assistant (article)
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The above is only a small sample of the valuable information in the FabJob Guide to Become a Celebrity Personal Assistant. The complete guide describes the many other skills that can help you get the job, along with detailed information on how to get hired as a celebrity personal assistant. Visit FabJob.com for more information.
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More than a dozen celebrity personal assistants (lead author, John C. Havens, Tag Goulet, Rhonda Markowitz, and Jason Simas, to name a few.) contributed their insider knowledge to the FabJob Guide to Become a Celebrity Personal Assistant guide. They have achieved their dream of working with stars (including several Academy Award winners). In this e-book they share with you insider information to help you launch your career and get hired as a celebrity assistant.
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by John C. Havens
John C. Havens is an actor and writer living in New York City. As an actor, he most recently appeared as a featured performer opposite Rene Russo and Denis Leary in The Thomas Crown Affair. Coming soon he'll be featured in the film Prisonsong, produced by Robert De Niro. He has appeared on television in Third Watch, Law & Order, Spin City, and Disney Channel, among others. He interviewed more than a dozen personal assistants to celebrities, including several Academy Award winners, and shares his advice on how to get hired to work with a star in the FabJob Guide to Become a Celebrity Personal Assistant. Visit FabJob.com for information.
FabJob.com is featured in Woman's World Magazine ("Land Your Dream Job" article, April 2007).
FabJob Guides have been featured in stories at The Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur Magazine sites.
