how can i become a personal assistant?

i am still in high school. im 17 years old and i do very well in school. i have always wanted to become a personal assistant but i dont know how to go abouts becoming one... any tips would be great! thanks

Katie, the best way to start is small. You have to be very organized and very independent. You need your own car and a planner. Start by walking dogs, pet sitting, helping the elderly with shopping, or anyone else for that matter. But you have to start small. Then, the older you get, the better you get. You can also start with secretary jobs or simple grocery shopping.

Katie,
I am a PA with six years of experience and I also know four other PAs. We all have a different story. Erika seems to be giving you a way in if you want to work doing elder care or something on a part-time basis.

I don't know what your intent is, but if you are 17 years old, doing well in school and have ambition and the desire to work hard. I am happy to report that you can make six figures live in a huge city and live a fairly glamous life. However, I also have to report that it wasn't always that way. I would recommended going to the best public school you can get into and afford. Keep your grades high and aim for a good school. I was a first generation college grad and worked really hard through college. I started out working as a Nanny for a very wealthly family. I was a self starter and very organized naturally so they took full advantage of this and my role progressed into a family assistant. I was driving kids to/from activites, planning those activites, helping the family by grocery shopping, travel planning, bill paying and all sorts of other small tasks. After two years, I decided to leave this positon (I was 24 at the time) and start a Nanny Placement Agency...through that I met a women who was wonderful, but her life was very busy. I worked with her full time as a Personal Assistant for a Year while finished up my senior year at school. I traveled with her all the time and was her shadow. I learned a lot! It was a great position!Finally, a few years later (I am now 26) I have moved to NYC (one of my life long dreams), I have made six figures before the age of 30 and I am blessed with a wonderful Personal Assistant job. I know work for a very wealthy couple and I manage their estates, house staff, travel, calendars and I still on occasion do gift shopping, errand running and answer their phones. Katie, I think that if you want to be a Personal assistant you first need to define what that is to you and work hard to fulfill that dream.

PA In New York...

I like your take home...I was born and raised in Las Vegas. Have been involved in Personal Assistant/Concierge area for years. I am now living in Orange County, Ca. If you happen to have any leads...I could use a hand here..Tough finding work. Emails 150-300 per ad. for 1 position.

You had an interesting share...Maybe your employer knows someone out here that needs a PA, House Estate Manager...

Hello! I getting ready to start my own Personal Assistant Service in 2 more days here in Las Vegas, NV. I allready have 6 clients lined up for March, 2010. I will be getting my business lic on 01-29-10. I don't really know what i'm doing, however I really no how to show my friends a good time when they visit me here in Vegas. I work full time so i will have to do this on part time basses for now. If anyone have any advice for me please let me know. bgrich36@sbcglobal.net. Thanks in advance! BG

Hey guys
I'm sort of in the same position as Katie.
I'm on my 2nd semester in College. I am 18 yrs old and I want to work as a Personal Assistant. But i have a dilema. It's not really easy to find that kind of job around here if you don't know the right people unfortunetly :( I've looked in the internet but almost everywhere they are looking for people with 2+ yrs of experience. I worked for my aunt as her 2nd personal assistant & secretary back in PR a couple of yrs ago and I was a Monitor in HS here in NY. I also worked for the Board of Elections on Sept 14,2010. But even with the experience i have, I'm not quite sure if that'll help me to get the job. What can i do? :(

katie120 in Portland, Oregon said: i am still in high school. im 17 years old and i do very well in school. i have always wanted to become a personal assistant but i dont know how to go abouts becoming one... any tips would be great! thanks

It really depends on what type of Personal Assistant you are attempting to pursue.

I've been in the "administrative support" field for over 15 years and only the past five has been as a Personal Assistant.

If you are referring to the PA that walks the dog, picks up the dry cleaning and has the car detailed - and taking into account your spelling and grammar, you should have no problem.

Having been a mentor to PA's and aspiring PA's for the past two years, speaking from experience, if you are talking about the kind of PA that handles: scheduling, meetings, travel, business development, finances, insurance (personal/professional), etc.then experience, and much of it, is the only key.

As for household management as a PA - again, unless you are walking the dog and getting the kiddies off the bus, which is a nanny or a housekeeper - you will still need some years of experience under your belt - unless the job is handed to you.

Please understand I am not trying to be discouraging. I am being REALISTIC.

One simple note you should have taken is the annual salary of a PA - one does not graduate begin making as much as a personal, business, or household management PA.

I have been a PA to several very high profile people, having had offices in Albany and Manhattan, having traveled and lived in many locations I can tell you - across the board - you have your work cut out for you. I'll be glad to answer any questions you have that are well thought out, prudent and intelligent. Please narrow the scope of your interest other then "I want to be a PA how do I do it" - be concise and deliberate w/ your questions.

Best regards!

I am in the same position, I am 18 fresh out of high school and I want to become a personal assistant. I have had one year of experience and I have been putting in applications like crazy and I don't know what to do. Any suggestions on how to go about it? Do you any of you know who needs a personal assistant? Contact me at dorothyhaines20@yahoo.com

TatiannaKing in Chicago, Illinois said: Well yhu could work for meh i am an up and coming artist and im looking for my Excluzive team i am a singer actor and more so yhu could fit perfit for the job what are yhu offreing to do?
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What did you just say? Envy who?

I too am very interested in becoming a Personal Assistant. I've been a secretary, administrative assistant, clerk; the whole nine yards, and would like to try my had at becoming a Personal Assistant in the entertainment field. Any information you might have would be greatfully appreciated.

How much would you pay your personal assistant. I am also interested

Hi. I went to a community college in Va. for two years, majoring in secretarial science after graduating from high school. I had a job as a secretary for a little while and then I got married. I did home school for a number of years. Then I had to start supporting myself. I've had a few jobs, but nothing for any long period of time. I'm 61 now, but people tell me they would've guessed that I was about 40-45, so I look quite young for my age. I'm hoping someone may have some help for me.

I've been trying to find my niche in the past several years. I feel that I'd be a good assistant/helper for someone, whether it's in the office typing, sending emails, helping with bill-paying, making bank deposits, running errands, and filing or helping out an elderly person.