- 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 enjoy being supported for tasks big and small and sharing in my boss’s successes.
Like many people, when I think about the unique relationship between a personal assistant and their employer, the first thing that comes to mind is Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs The devil wears Prada. And while I’ve worked with my fair share of Miranda Priestly types, I’ve also had the privilege of developing meaningful relationships with others for whom I’ve worked as a personal assistant.
When I first made the decision to change career paths and become a personal assistant, I didn’t think I would learn anything profound. I thought it would be easy to manage one’s life – make appointments, answer emails, grocery shoppingmaking travel arrangements and being the point of contact for other staff members.
These tasks, while seemingly easy to complete, gave me a glimpse of the person I would be working for and how integral my role would be in their lives now. I never expected the deep relationship I would develop with my employer and what it would teach me about true partnership. A relationship built on mutual trust, understanding and respect.
Being a personal assistant is a much more intimate job than I expected
They trusted me to handle the most delicate parts of their world, and to be so fully supported 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 ran smoothly. I felt needed and how my contributions added value to the company as a whole, even if that contribution was just rearranging the day’s calendar to allow for a last-minute appointment or an emergency doctor’s appointment.
In the past, I’ve worked at jobs where the most I knew about my boss was how they drank their 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 about this person who was once a stranger – their dreams for one day having a large familytheir anxiety after a difficult health diagnosis, their determination and ingenuity when starting a new business venture, and even their anger when faced with bigotry in the professional world.
Being a personal assistant is an unconventional partnership with your employer that forgoes the typical workplace professionalism because of how closely you work together. I have gained so much true fulfillment because of how much I love having the opportunity to help someone pursue greatness, care for them when needed, and make sure their world continues to spin on its axis. .
When my boss was in one business trip abroad, and their transportation from the airport to the hotel did not arrive, I was responsible for making sure they reached their destination safely. It was at this moment that I truly understood 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 fast-growing company, their family, their friends, and parts of their lives that they never had the chance to. to give him priority before.
I feel like my boss’s success is my success
Many companies preach about fostering a collaborative work environment, but I had no idea what that really meant until I started working with someone so closely and learned the value of “we” in the workplace. Their victories were my victories because I had played a small part in their success. When I helped organize a networking event for industry professionals, and the company was featured in a prominent publication, or when we secured a $10,000 brand deal with a well-known beauty conglomerate — these were milestones we achieved together because the two of us had set up hour after hour of work. Our shared success had never felt so rewarding because we had done it together, as partners.
For us 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 didn’t work for a Miranda Priestly type, and instead, was seen as the second half of a whole rather than just a job title.
Cementing my role as a meaningful counterpart in this unique partnership allowed me to look at other relationships in my life and how they have grown because of my career. I am one better communicator and listenerand I am more empathetic, considerate and adaptable. I know what it takes to be a great partner and how utilizing 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 it takes a badass personal assistant.
