Being a diva's secretary has its perks

By Karen Tina Harrison | Special to amNewYork

March 26, 2007

From secretary to celebrity assistant

Who Pulled It Off:
Mary Lou Scott, 47

What She Does:

Scott has been a celebrity assistant since 1993, first with an ex-Cabinet minister and currently with a legendary magazine editor.

What She Used to Do:
Scott was a secretary in an ad agency and then an architectural firm. "I was a single parent and needed the money," she says.

Why She Switched:
"The jobs were boring, and I was disappointed in myself. I needed to see my work in action."

How She Did It:
"I went to an employment agency that specialized in assistant jobs."

What Celebrity Assistants Do:
"Every day is like a Broadway production," says Scott. "I have a to-do list a yard long, and the unexpected always happens. I'm in charge of my boss's business, social, and personal schedule, her travel, her household staff, her gift-buying, her art collection and her correspondence. Come December, I send 800 Christmas cards! " What About Money and Perks?:
Pay ranges from about 45K to six figures, sometimes with health insurance. Celebrity assistants may travel with their employer, and some have their own assistants; Scott has help three days a week. "A lot of freebies come with the hard work," she admits. "I get everything my boss can't use: designer clothing samples, makeup, flowers, books, CDs, DVDs, goody bags, and a million tickets. I love my life now."

Who Does This Job Best:
"A celebrity assistant has to be discreet, calm, nurturing, and content to remain in the background," says Scott. "My office work was great prep. This could be your career path if you have life experience, are phenomenally organized, and hungry for new challenges.

What Else You Need to Know:
"Confidentiality is primo," Scott emphasizes. "You gossip, you're gone."

Where to Find Out More:
www.nycelebrityassistants.org