What is a Celebrity Assistant?

What is a Celebrity Assistant?

A celebrity assistant is a role that has a lot in common with that of a personal assistant, however, the big difference is that you’re working for someone famous, in the public eye.

While many of the duties are the same as those of a standard assistant, being an assistant to a celebrity comes with another layer of responsibilities and challenges.

It’s a position that can be tough, but it can also be incredibly rewarding and exciting.

You could find yourself mingling with the rich and famous at events, or hounded by the press, trying to get you to break your confidences and let slip some gem of gossip about your boss.

One day you could be mundanely working on accounts or replying to emails, and the next, jetting off to the other side of the world.

A celebrity assistant is many things, but they are never idle. You could be an office manager, an event organizer and a personal confidante, all at once.

There’s very little downtime, and the expectation is that you’re available whenever you’re needed. Being a celebrity assistant to a superstar gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘full-time job’.

The key to being a great celeb PA is to become invaluable, but this in itself is a double-edged sword, especially when you’re trying to have a day off.

Becoming a celebrity assistant is not the faint-hearted, but it’s certainly an amazing opportunity for someone young, free from commitments, with a lot of energy, an outstanding work ethic, and a desire for a remarkable action-packed daily life.

What does a celebrity assistant do?

As a celebrity assistant, you’ll undertake many tasks.

The work can be incredibly varied and will differ depending on your client, but if you’ve already worked as a PA, many of the duties you’ll be expected to perform will be familiar to you.

You’ll be dealing with the correspondence and fielding calls, organizing your employer’s calendar and scheduling engagements, and arranging travel.

You may be involved in their personal life too, perhaps taking responsibility for household staff, or getting involved in organizing projects around the home such as renovations or planning events.

As with any PA position you could find yourself running errands or even doubling up as a babysitter or personal shopper on occasion.

We’ve got a full guide detailing exactly what a celebrity assistant does that is worth a read too.

What are the perks of being a celebrity assistant?

Having a high-profile employer can be exciting, and it will certainly make your resume look more impressive.

Working for a celebrity can often involve a lot of foreign travel, perhaps visiting places you’ve only ever dreamed of, flying on private jets and staying at hotels you’d never ordinarily be able to afford, all while working!

You may well also get to meet other celebrities and influential people as you accompany your employer to star-studded events.

You’re unlikely to ever get bored, so if you’re the sort of person who likes to always be on the go, being a celebrity assistant could be perfect for you.

What are the disadvantages of being a celebrity assistant?

The hours can be long and you may be expected to be on call 24/7 should your celebrity employer need you.

You may be required to jet off overseas at a moment’s notice, which can be incredibly inconvenient if you have your own home, family, pets etc. to take care of.

You really do need to be able to be incredibly flexible if you’re going to pursue this type of career.

Some celebrities can be very demanding, and can certainly test your patience.

What type of person makes a good celebrity assistant?

Having PA experience is very important, so you can step right into the role knowing what you’re doing.

This type of work is also best suited to people who don’t have commitments, due to the all-encompassing nature of the work.

You need to have good problem-solving skills, be excellent in a crisis, and have a lot of patience.

You should be a good communicator with impeccable organizational skills and a drive to go the extra mile.

In addition, you’ll need to be discreet; celebrities like their private lives to stay that way. It’s a high-energy job that is only truly suited to people with endless enthusiasm and a can-do attitude.

Is being a celebrity assistant a glamorous job?

While there may be the occasional glamorous moments, on the whole, being a celebrity assistant is most certainly not the glitz and showbiz lifestyle you may be imagining.

When you’re a PA for a celebrity, hard work and stress are far more likely to feature in your day-to-day work life than strolling up the red carpet or shaking hands with your favorite actor or rock star.

Anyone going into this career should definitely be wise to the realities of the position.

While it may be your dream job, and it may impress your friends, the bottom line is that this work can be incredibly demanding, the hours long, and the duties so varied you’ll feel like you’re constantly juggling tasks with no room for error.

It’s not uncommon for celebrity personal assistants to burn out and quit, particularly as the years go by and it’s harder to find a balance between your work commitments and trying to enjoy your own life.

For instance, being a celebrity assistant is an incredibly difficult career to maintain if you have young children.

How do you become a celebrity assistant?

To become a celebrity assistant, you’ll first need experience as a personal assistant.

Celebrities don’t tend to hire the inexperienced, so you’ll need to build up your resume before you start applying to work for celebrities.

The job market for these positions is very competitive, so you’ll need an exceptional resume and a skillfully crafted cover letter.

Industry-relevant qualifications will also give you an advantage. We offer a unit on becoming a celebrity assistant within our popular Personal Assistant Certification courses we offer online here at the Personal Assistant Institute.

Once you are an established personal assistant, you can approach specialist agencies that supply staff for celebrities and wealthy individuals. If you’re accepted onto their books then this puts you in a good position to be able to access these specific roles.

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