So you want to be a celebrity PA?

It’s the one question that almost every private PA asks — how do I become a celebrity PA? With visions of travelling the world, attending lavish parties and brushing shoulders with the world’s elite, it’s a career that many aspire to. However, with a 24/7 schedule, demanding workload and tasks ranging from laundry to lifestyle management, the reality of working as a personal assistant to celebrities can be a little different.

What is a celebrity PA?

A celebrity assistant job involves the high-level support of a high-profile and publicly known individual. As their right-hand man or woman, their PA will usually work incredibly long hours in a pressurised environment — after all, you’re working for someone who is used to getting what they want, exactly when they want it. A personal assistant to a celebrity will provide extensive diary management; organise all domestic and international travel; manage all communication; liaise with other members of the support team and look after all personal errands.

What skills does a celebrity personal assistant job require?

A fantastic celebrity PA is incredibly organised and more than capable of juggling many tasks at one time, shifting priorities and responding to changes while under pressure. They can go from confidante to communicator in one swift turn and as such, need to be able to think on their feet and act with the highest levels of discretion at all times.

A personal assistant to celebrities will also have fantastic written and verbal communication skills, be a whiz at planning events and parties, and have exceptional research skills, confidently hunting down information or goods as required, often very last minute.

Finally, a successful celebrity PA will possess outstanding interpersonal skills, as they need to work closely with their principal, as well as other members of the team and external collaborators.

What are the benefits and challenges of a celebrity personal assistant job?

While it is hard work, there are perks to a celebrity assistant job. It offers a hugely variable workload and the chance to really make the job your own. Due to the demanding nature of the role, it can also be a chance to solidify your skills and transition into a true 1:1 gatekeeper. This kind of experience is only a positive to employers when the time comes to start looking at new opportunities.

Supporting someone that closely also comes with its own set of challenges. Simply put, your own life goes on hold. Having to provide 24/7 support means you can’t commit to dinners or events with friends or family. A celebrity assistant job can also be a very lonely role, as while there are lots of people around you, you are often working by yourself without anyone to bounce ideas off, delegate tasks to or confirm your thinking.

How do I become a celebrity PA?

Becoming a personal assistant to celebrities requires a long-term plan. As with any private PA role, the key to securing and succeeding in a celebrity personal assistant job is building up your experience supporting a UHNWI. If you are a business PA, look to increase the amount of private support in your role. Even if this starts at an 80–20 split, this is a great base on which you can build your experience. Over the next few years and your next few roles, look to increase this split until eventually you are comfortable supporting an individual on a completely private basis. From there, it’s about networking and finding out about opportunities to support a celebrity or UHNWI. A recruiter like Tiger Private can often help in this case, proving your experience follows a similar route to above.

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Tiger Private often recruits for celebrity PAs in London and internationally. Should you be a private PA looking for work as a celebrity PA, make sure to get in touch.