Dear Miss Know It All,

How does someone become a personal assistant? I can’t stand
traditional work environments! I am 38 years old, have a masters
degree,am single,and am able to move anywhere in the world! I have
mind-blowing organizational skills…so how do I connect?

FootlooseDear Footloose,

Great question! What I liked is that you have a Master’s Degree. That’s a big plus with a lot of celebrities. Also, you’re the perfect age to enter the field. Check Shelley’s older blogs and you’ll see she has written extensively about what you need to be in this business. You seem to be perfect. So to answer your question, go through the agencies listed in our resources section. They LOVE people who are willing to relocate.

Good luck. This job isn’t for the faint of heart.

MKIA

Dear Miss Know it All,

How can I find the courage to ask my boss for a vacation? I work for someone in their home so it’s not like I get regular holidays off and the like.

Tired

Dear Tired,

This is the Chinese Year of the Tiger, did you know that? So time to take the tiger by the tail and summon up the courage to talk to your boss. Is there someone you know who could fill in for you while you take some time off? Giving the boss that option will help you for sure.

MKIA

Dear Miss Know it All,

You write a very positive column, but are there ever times when you really want to throw in the towel?

Skeptic

Dear Skeptic,

Sure! Next question! LOL

Seriously, I usually look at every problem as an opportunity. And I have a healthy understanding of the world of the absurd. In other words, I laugh a lot. Try it some time. Smile and everyone wants to know what you’re up to. It beats jumping off tall buildings.

MKIA

Okay I guess I’m weird. I have a boss who travels a lot and wants me to come along. I am married with kids at home. I really don’t want to do this. How would you handle this?

Homebody

Dear Homebody,

If you weren’t told that this was part of your job when you interviewed, then you have every right to say you won’t go. But only you know the work dynamic. It is a matter of life or death whether you travel or not? In other words, what would be you doing that couldn’t be done by someone else?

I know celebrities that hire people JUST to travel with them. Suggest that option. It’s wouldn’t be a full time job and therefore they would save money in the long run and you would save your sanity.

Miss Know It All

Okay, you write and answer silly sometimes. But I seriously want to know what it is like to work as a celebrity personal assistant. Seriously!

Need to Know

Dear Need,

Okay, seriously think of yourself as the babysitter of a 3 or maybe even 2 1/2 year old. You are locked up in a beautiful mansion, er, I mean beautiful room from 9 to 5 everyday.

The kid has tantrums and expects you to know what to do since you are the grown up and have better coping skills than they do. They look to you to feed them, clothe them, play with them, make them laugh, tell them when to take a nap or have a time out.

And you make sure other kids don’t bully them or make them over tired or cranky.

At the end of the day, if all goes well, you share a cookie together and sometimes a hug.

Seriously.

Miss Know It All

Dear Miss Know It All,

I’ve always wondered what celebrities do for the holidays as far as shopping? I mean, I doubt I am going to see Brad Pitt standing in line at my local Wal Mart!

Sugar Cane

Dear Sugar,

Why do I think that isn’t your real name? LOL Some stars actually are able to shop in the stores – the manager will close the store for them – but many use specialty organizations like Distinctive Assets to do shopping for them. Or if they are too cheap, they use their personal assistants to do it for them.

Some celebrities, to be clear, don’t even gift gifts but give to charity instead. Wouldn’t surprise me if that’s what Brad and Angie do.

Miss Know It All

I work for a diva who always wants everything at the last minute! It’s so frustrating! Why do they do that?!

Perplexed

Dear Perplexed,

One word: power grab! Okay, that was two words but you get my drift. Look at it from the diva’s perspective: I always get what I want when I want it so why change?  You can train a diva to WAIT – I kid you not – but they have to trust you and that takes time. In the mean- while, have you heard of this neat product called Tylenol? Or better yet, chardonnay? Cheers!

Miss Know It All

I don’t understand the world’s fascination with “celebrities” and their private lives. What’s it like working for a celebrity from their home? I would think it would be weird.

Not a Peeping Tom

Dear Not,

I don’t get it either. I guess we all want to have what we think “they” have. Working out of the celebrity’s home is easier than in an office, in a way,  because you can come to work in jeans and a shirt and not have to deal with office politics.

That said, you do have to deal with the household staff, the celebrity’s relatives, lovers, pool guy, gardener, assorted construction people, managers, lawyers, over the top fans, etc etc etc.

If you enjoy variety, you will never be bored. As for their private life, you can work for a long time in this business if you can learn to look the other way.

Miss Know it All

I hear that being a celebrity personal assistant requires you to basically work 24/7. When do you ever get a chance to take a break or
a vacation?

Curious Cathy

Dear Curious Cathy,

When the celebrity goes out of town! Seriously! We are often left to handle things while they are gone, but it’s that old teacher’s saying: I’d get a lot more done if there weren’t any students. Believe it or not, we do get paid vacation time but often some disaster will occur and our vacation time gets cut short. The best thing to do for a break is to go far away – like out of the country!

Miss Know it All

(This was actually asked in a tweet!)

Dear Miss Know it All,

I have just ordered your book! I am not a celebrity assistant but would love to be one.  Have you got any advice for me?

Andee

Dear Andee,

Thank you for ordering my book. My advice: don’t do it.

Miss Know It All