- When I decided to start my career as a personal assistant, I didn’t expect to learn so much.
- It’s a much more intimate job than I expected, and I’ve become a better listener and communicator.
- I like that I can be counted on to accomplish tasks, big or small, and be a part of my boss’s successes.
Like many people, when I think of the unique relationship between a personal assistant and their employer, the first thing that comes to mind is Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs in The devil wears Prada. And while I’ve worked with a fair share of Miranda Priestly types, I’ve also had the privilege of developing meaningful relationships with others I’ve worked for as a personal assistant.
When I made the decision to change careers and become a personal assistant, I didn’t think I would learn anything profound. I thought managing someone’s life would be easy: scheduling appointments, responding to emails, do the shoppingorganize travel and be the point of contact for other staff members.
These tasks, while seemingly easy to accomplish, gave me insight into the person I would be working for and how integral my role in their life would become. I never expected the deep relationship I would develop with my employer and what it would teach me about true partnership. A relationship based on mutual trust, understanding and respect.
Being a personal assistant is a much more intimate job than I expected
They trusted me to take care of the most delicate aspects of their world, and being able to count on such trust was something I had never experienced before. I had only ever been responsible for myself, but now I was also responsible for making sure this person’s life went smoothly. I felt useful and felt that my contributions added value to the company as a whole, even if that contribution was just a contribution. reorganize the day’s schedule to accommodate a last minute appointment or urgent doctor appointment.
In the past, I’ve worked in jobs where all I knew about my boss was how he took his coffee. I didn’t know their allergies, the intricate details of their personal lives, or their favorite vacation spot. Now this knowledge is just an extension of my job description. I know every detail of this person who was once a stranger – their dreams of one day have a big familytheir anxiety after a difficult health diagnosis, their determination and ingenuity when starting a new business, and even their anger at intolerance in the professional world.
Being a personal assistant is an unconventional partnership with your employer, one that forgoes typical workplace professionalism due to the closeness of your collaboration. I have gained so much true fulfillment because I love having the opportunity to help someone pursue greatness, care for them when needed, and ensure their world continues to spin on its axis.
When my boss was traveling business trip abroad and their transportation from the airport to the hotel did not arrive, I was responsible for ensuring that they arrived at their destination safely. That’s when I really realized how important my role was in their lives. I held the pieces of their lives together and gave them the opportunity to devote their time to their rapidly growing business, their family, their friends, and the parts of their lives they never had the chance to prioritize previously.
I feel like my boss’s success is also my success
Many companies advocate promoting a collaborative work environment, but I had no idea what that actually meant until I started working with someone so intimately and learned the value of “we” in the workplace. Their victories were my victories because I played a small part in their success. When I helped host a networking event for industry professionals and the company was featured in a top publication, or when we closed a $10,000 branding deal with a conglomerate of well-known beauty, these are steps that we took together because we had both put in hours and hours of work. Our shared success has never been more rewarding because we achieved it together, as partners.
To succeed individually, we had to work well together to achieve our goals. I believe my success in this role can be attributed to the fact that I did not work for a Miranda Priestly type, but rather was seen as the second half of a whole and not simply a job title .
Solidifying my role as a meaningful counterpart in this unique partnership allowed me to examine the other relationships in my life and how they have developed through my career. I am a better communicator and listenerand I am more empathetic, attentive and adaptable. I know what it takes to be a great partner and how using our individual knowledge and skills can ultimately lead to our mutual success, whether in my professional or personal life.
People say life takes a village, but in this case I think you need an awesome personal assistant.