Hi, my name is Maria and I was Karen’s intern last summer. I’ve known Karen for a few years and I was given the opportunity to work as her administrative and personal assistant.

I prepared for this opportunity by researching other administrative and personal assistants’ experiences. Many recommended having good calendar software, strong communication skills, and most importantly, flexibility. Since I was in the area for a limited amount of time during the summer, I had to coordinate my other commitments to make sure I had the flexibility needed for this sort of job. I also made sure to be in communication with Karen constantly before I started so that we were very clear on the timeline, the pay, the responsibilities, and other small details. That way on my first day in the office we could start head-on and not have to go through any of those formalities.

It was a productive summer and a very informative summer. I’ve definitely learned a lot about the position and what it’s like to work in this area of business.