No Need to be a Devil or Wear Prada to Use a Personal Assistant
Relates how more and more everyday people are using personal assistants to help manage their busy lifestyles and how this growing demand is helping to expand the professional personal assistant career field.
Memphis, TN (PRWEB) July 10, 2006 -- The hit movie “The Devil wears Prada” stars Anne Hathaway as a personal assistant to an extremely demanding fashion executive played by Meryl Streep. The story explores the relationship between boss and personal assistant and the unrealistic and incredibly difficult demands made by Streep, who plays the powerful editor of an international fashion magazine.
“The situation portrayed in The Devil Wears Prada certainly can occur but is the exception rather than the rule,” according to Walter White, owner of Regent Hall, LLC – (http://www.RegentHall.com) a company that provides personal assistants to private households.
“Personal assistants to high level executives and celebrities are often portrayed as ‘glorified gophers’ in the media – a common misconception fueled by sometimes outrageous requests and decidedly abusive behavior from a relatively few clients,” says White. “Yet, the reality is that most personal assistants are highly competent professionals that work for clients who really appreciate the value of having a personal assistant. In fact, the majority of people who use personal assistants treat them as a trusted colleague and confidant rather than an indentured servant.”
Many people use personal assistants on a part-time basis these days – and they aren’t just the rich and famous. Professionals, executives, dual income families and others use personal assistants for everything from grocery shopping and daily errands to helping plan and organize dinner parties for personal and professional guests. The demand for this type of assistance has created a growing career field for people who like to help others manage their day to day affairs.
In response to this growing demand for personal assistants, White also created http://www.PersonalAssistantPro.com, a website exclusively devoted professional and aspiring personal assistants, personal concierges, and lifestyle managers. The site contains articles on various aspects of starting and running a personal assistant business – from how to select a business name and determine what services you will provide - to interviews with actual personal assistants to celebrities. It also includes a members-only discussion forum where assistants can share experiences, advice and expertise.
So what can you do if you have decided to try using a personal assistant yourself? White recommends looking in the yellow pages under personal assistant or concierge services first. This is your best chance to find someone who is seriously engaged in the profession as a business. Another option is to get recommendations from people who currently use personal assistants themselves. And you don’t necessarily have to live in Los Angeles, New York or London – you are just as likely these days to find a personal assistant in Nebraska or British Columbia.
There is no reason you can’t wear Prada – but don’t be a devil. You won’t keep a professional personal assistant that way and it may make it more difficult to find one in the future.
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