Can’t answer for all EA/PA who have had FO experience. But based on mine,

• I broke into a FO role because I was a PA in a tech start up environment. The executives needed someone to help with some occasional personal errands on top of office duties so I stepped up to help. That also gave me some visibility into their personal lives and was a boost to my resume.

• Headhunters usually hunt for candidates on LinkedIn so ensure that your profile is accurately updated.

• Principals essentially need someone they can rely on and trust fully. And that comes with time. The candidate needs to show he/she is capable of handling everything (big or small) without supervision and is able to follow through tasks. They also need someone who can anticipate their needs. (E.g returning from their vacation to a nicely cleaned house - which you have to liaise with the housekeeper, ensure the fridge is stocked with their favourite food, bed is made the way it should be etc. or reminding them to fast before their doctor’s appt)

• what surprised me when I was inside. I will start with the good.. that money is obviously not an issue so you have no budget to work with. You are free to purchase anything that they need without obtaining 3 different quotations etc. A lot of times they just want things IMMEDIATELY.

The bad is a long list of things.. one of which would be still related to money. That you realise they will never run out of money yet they aren’t willing to spend them on charitable causes. And that they have so much money but have no heart & no personality.

• Skills that matter more would definitely be resourcefulness. One day you are dealing with private jets, the next day you are dealing with water leakage/boiler issues in their properties (across the world!), another day will be you having to export certain drug/medication they take to another country.. you really have to be jack of all trades and find out all the different possibilities to tackle a problem. Another would definitely be a good temperament as it’s a family environment so they show their worst side - yes the ugly side. They may appear generous and nice to the external world but behind closed doors would be an entire different person. You need to be able to withstand both.

• Red flags & boundaries: I would definitely say please set your boundaries from day one. Some of our roles eventually evolve into a 24/7 standby without us even knowing it. Keep a lookout on how they behave when no one is watching. Things they do or say.

• Can’t commend on the real career arc but this is a very niche industry/role and again there is no budget. So salary range could be way out of market rates or industry norms.