One of the questions we are asked most at My Household Managed is “how can I become a personal assistant to a wealthy family in Chicago?” As experts in household recruitment across Chicagoland, we know that this job isn’t for everyone and certainly isn’t as easy as some people may think it is. However, if you want to start a career as a personal assistant, or if you’re looking to make the move from a corporate executive assistant to a family personal assistant, make sure to read our top tips on how to land your dream personal assistant job in Chicago.

What Is a Family Personal Assistant?

Hopefully by now you’ve done your research and you understand what working as a personal assistant for a family entails. Unlike in the corporate world where you are assigned to a senior member of staff, a personal assistant to a family exists to help ensure the smooth day-to-day running of a household. You may be asked to help with personal errands like picking up dry-cleaning, managing calendars, meal-planning, organizing gifts. Depending on the family that you are working for, you may be responsible for helping one member of the family, the adults of the household or the whole family. Similarly, in some households a personal assistant may also be required to help with childcare so it is always best to look carefully at job descriptions when applying for any family personal assistant role.

How Is a Personal Assistant Different to House Manager/Executive Assistant?

If you’re already working as a house manager in Chicago, it may be that you have ample experience for becoming a family personal assistant. Whilst the roles are similar and can be used interchangeably in some scenarios, there are some fundamental differences between working as a family personal assistant, working as a house manager or working as a corporate executive assistant.

Personal Assistant	House Manager	Executive Assistant
Completing errands to help with day-to-day running of house	Management of household including budgets, staff etc	More likely to be hired by company versus a private household
Helping with childcare and meal-planning as required by family	Organizing social events for the household or estate	Assisting with duties needed for principal to fulfill corporate role
Helping family with adminstrative tasks to help manage schedules, appointments, and calendars	Overseeing contractors or other staff who work in the household	Will sometimes take on personal asssistant duties as part of their EA role

Working as a house manager is a role that requires a deep understanding of the inner workings of a household, especially if you are working for a larger household or estate. As a personal assistant, you are not usually required to live onsite and can even work remotely in some cases where applicable. Often in larger households you will even find that they require two distinct roles - a personal assistant and and house manager. Read our full article on what it takes to be a house manager and how to apply for house manager jobs in Chicago

How Can I Become a Personal Assistant in a Private Household?

If you’re looking to become a personal assistant in Chicago and work for a private family, our best advice is to make sure you read the job description thoroughly. Each family requires a unique set of skills and often, it is just as much about “your fit” in the family as it is your experience. Here are some of our other recommendations if you’re looking for a personal assistant job in the Chicagoland area.

➣ Consider your current experience and what transferable skills you have

If you’re a nanny or work in education, look for personal assistant roles for families with children that may benefit from your expertise. If you’ve come from a corporate background, think about how your experience working in a professional environment could be useful to a family of a successful business owner. If you’re currently in the hospitality or events industry, consider how your organization skills and industry knowledge could help you fulfil your dream role.

➣ Demonstrate flexibility

With any household role, it is important to show that you can be flexible in your approach to work. Whether this means you need to work across different timezones whilst the family are travelling, or be on-hand in an emergency, being flexible is of paramount importance to many families looking for a personal assistant.

➣ Be discreet and show your trustworthiness

No matter what role you undertake within a household, discretion, reliability and trustworthiness are always at the top of the “must-haves” for our clients. How can you demonstrate in your resume, application or at interview that you are professional, discreet and reliable? Many clients ask our candidates to consider signing an NDA as household positions mean welcoming someone into their home and their personal, private lives. Make sure you read our article on what is an NDA when applying for any role that may require you to sign one.

➣ Be realistic about pay expectations

If you’re moving from a corporate executive assistant role into the household staffing industry, you may have to take a pay cut to land your dream job. Executive assistants are sometimes paid higher than household staff. Many house managers have years of experience in private homes, and may be competing with you for a role as a personal assistant and might accept a position for a lower rate than you would.

If you’re already in the household industry, think about whether working as a personal assistant counts as a promotion for you or whether it is more of a side-step and adjust your salary expectations accordingly. Not sure whether you should be getting a raise? Take a look at our blog on how to negotiate pay and benefits here.

At My Household Managed, we work with many clients across Chicago and the suburbs to help place the best candidates in personal assistant roles so when you’re ready to start your search, be sure to check out our jobs board, or for more tips, follow us on Instagram.

You’ve got enough on your plate in your day-to-day life — let us make your life easier by handling your unique household staffing needs.

If you are a family looking to hire a household employee or other home service, register with My Household Managed.

If you are a professional nanny, house manager, or other household employee looking for a job, apply at My Household Managed.