Customer Reviews

Be the Ultimate Assistant A celebrity assistant's secrets to success

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Once I started reading, "Be The Ultimate Assistant," I could not put it down. From beginning to end, Bonnie Low-Kramen shared valuable information on what it actually takes to be an "ultimate assistant." She did this by sharing her personal experiences and view point. I am not a celebrity assistant, but her advice was very helpful to me as an Executive Assistant for the Chief Medical Officer of a health system. The most important thing I took away from reading Bonnie's book, was a renewed passion for my own career. Bonnie mentions in her book that "it is important to have a plan to manage stress, and I found her book to be the perfect way to adjust my attitude and renew my passion.

After two years of working in film for free and temping as a PA to pay the bills, I landed a job I never expected and was thrilled to get, that of a Celebrity PA to a well-known author and scriptwriter. The ever-changing challenges of the job were a perfect fit for me, but I felt a little lost. I had no one to ask for advice. After many fruitless hours of reading websites and articles that mentioned the life of a CPA, but only in the extremes (beaten around with the head with a phone or showered with gifts and money, depending on reports) I came across the site for the NY Celebrity Assistant's association and Bonnie Low-Kramen's book.

I read it in a day.

I live and work in London, so some of the websites are not as relevant to me, but even so this book is invaluable. As someone on the first run of the CPA ladder, I urge you to read this book. The advice doesn't only apply to CPA's, but anyone working with a person whose time is in demand and who has a great deal of pressure. There are also some fab stories and great quotes from celebrities and their assistants.

I know, even now, that this book will end up dog-eared and covered in post it notes in a very short space of time. The books you keep referring to always do. I used to say my filofax was my professional life. I suspect it has some competition.

This is a great desk-side book for any administrative assistant. Bonnie discusses the skills (both acquired and innate) needed to be an excellent assistant, as well as gives very helpful tools/hints to do our job better and become invaluable to our employers. Bonnie tells us how she became a celebrity assistant and why being someone's assistant is a career that many of us want and want to do well. I recommend it very highly.

If you are interested in becoming a professional assistant, this is a must read. It defines all the skills you'll need to be successful, gives a historical and future look at the profession, and includes humorous anecdotes that will keep you entertained. The paradox is that it is both an instruction manual and a page turner. The author's realistic approach can inspire those who were meant to be a successful professional assistant. As a former NY personal assistant and current certified Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor supporting PA's, my specific interest in reading the book was to learn more about the technology challenges professional assistants face. Not only did I discover an author who has undeniable expertise, but one with a sense of purpose to help others succeed in this extremely competitive area. While many people in the business hoard information, Bonnie demonstrates a refreshing collaborative approach.

In "The Ultimate Assistant..." Bonnie Low-Kramen has ennobled our profession and provided a down to earth source of information, experience, and advice. She generously shares her knowledge, passion, and wisdom, as well as touching on the mutual respect that can develop between an employer and employee. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone currently working as an assistant or thinking about embarking on this career.

Administrative Assistants have not always received the recognition that they deserve. In part that is because the work they do is at times taken for granted. It is also true that those "outside the profession" do not really understand what the job entails. I recently had the opportunity to read an insightful and compelling book by Bonnie Low-Kramen entitled Be the Ultimate Assistant. It is a book that I am pleased to highly recommend. What a delight to hear from someone in the field who both aspires to excellence and who is also able to communicate essential information about what her work entails in an informative and entertaining way. This book is fascinating on another level, though. A "sub-genre" of the profession is the field of "Executive Assistant/ Personal Assistant" and "Celebrity Assistant." For anyone who would like to learn more about that kind of work this book is invaluable!

I very much enjoyed reading this book. I especially appreciated the stories in which Bonnie related challenges that she had faced and the quite creative ways in which she overcame them. More and more I come to believe that "story-telling" is the most effective way to communicate information. When well done, as these stories were, the stories quickly capture the attention of the audience. They also have a way to "disarm" the readers and to communicate ideas to them without appearing "preachy."

I also appreciated her candor in admitting mistakes that she had made. Since it is impossible to avoid all mistakes, she highlights the necessity to be upfront about errors. Bonnie's excellent advice is to learn from the mistake and not repeat it again in the future. I especially appreciated the inclusion of the numerous (and most helpful) links and resources.[...]

I want to make a career change and am toying with the idea of being a personal assistant.
Whilst searching about I happened upon Bonnie Low-Kramen in several different articles and publications. She has a great reputation. I was thrilled to find that she had written a book and that I could get in on Amazon.
I ordered the book and within three hours I had an email from Bonnie thanking me for my order and wishing me much success. (I have never gotten an email/letter from the author of any book, it left quite an impression).
Even though I specified standard shipping I got the book in two days (and it was autographed to boot)!

I read the book straight thru the first night - the writing is inspiring and energizing. Bonnie has a very relaxed and realistic style that was easy to relate to. She has lots of real examples from her own repertoire as well as many other colleagues.
The book is very supportive and inspiring. I have since re-read the book twice more and I know it will be a great ongoing reference.

I can confidently recommend this guide to anyone that wants to do a great job for someone else - while feeling empowered and good about themselves.

Bonnie's book really gives great insight into becoming a CA. The book was a quick read and I read it from cover to cover in a day. Although not a CA I am in a high ranking position within my corporation and can relate to some of the instances. It is certainly an inspiration if you stive to becoming a CA. Lots of helpful hints and tips.

A superb must-have guide deserving serious attention by all assistants. Be prepared for a journey through the behind the scenes of the Rich & Famous with Bonnie!

I just completed this book! Superb job, Bonnie is a wonderful writer! I was amazed at the ease of reading this book. Most self-help - how-to books are usually pretty boring. Not so of this book! Outstanding job!
I appreciate all that Bonnie has shared with the rest of her "Administrative" sisters.