Here’s a question I got. Any advice for someone wanting to get into PA work from the UK? I’d be more than happy to relocate to the US, as it’s my dream if the work was guaranteed. Yes, I have a lot of advice. You’re not going to like any of it. But if you take it, you’re going to be in a lot better position.
First of all, there’s plenty of PA work in the UK. The BBC has wonderful and terrific shows. You’re very fortunate to be in the UK. You don’t have to leave to go to the US to get PA work.
But if that is your dream to work in Hollywood, here’s what you need to understand. You are in no position to ask for guarantees at all. PA is the bottom rung of the ladder. There’s a line outside the door of people who are more than happy to get the job as a PA. They’re right outside that door. They’re not asking for any guarantees at all.
Here’s the deal with PAs. You interview today to start tomorrow. It is a bottom entry-level job. The requirements are minimal. You have to have a good attitude. You probably have a good attitude. Number two, you have to be alive because if you’re dead, the job’s going to be too challenging. But if you’re alive, you’re going to be okay. And you have to have a car because you’re going to be running a lot of errands. You probably don’t have a car because you’re in the UK. You have to come here and get a car. The attitude part is important because you’re going to be making copies, running errands, and that gets old really fast. But if you have a good positive attitude, you’ll rise up and wonderful things will happen to you.
Coming from the UK, you’re going to have other challenges. You’re going to have work visa issues that you’re going to have to get around. I don’t know anything about that. But, I have worked with many people from foreign countries over the years, some from Spain, Italy and the UK. I don’t know how they got around it, but somehow they did. You’re going to have to contact people like that, ask what they did, or google it. If this is your dream, you’ll figure out a way.
The job of PA, again, you start today. No one’s going to find you. You work in the UK. They’re not going to hold that job for you. Like I said, you interview today, to start tomorrow.
No one’s going to say, “Okay, we got this person who is very eager, but it’s going to take them a week to get here, a week to find housing and a week to buy a car.” That’s three weeks. They’re holding the job for you. There are no guarantees for you.
What if you suck? What if you get the job and you get fired? You’re out of luck. What if you get the job and you got a great attitude, but your show gets canceled after 10 weeks? You’re out of luck again.
What difference does it make if you have a guarantee? You have to be here. You’re going to have to get your next job after that, so don’t wait for your guarantee. If this is your dream, chase it.
It’s going to be hard. Chasing any dream is hard, but not chasing your dream and waking up 20 years later realizing that you didn’t try, you’re going to have to live with the regret. Regret is a lot harder than chasing a dream. I promise you.
And honestly, no one cares if you get your dream or not. It’s only important to you. Don’t expect anyone from Hollywood to say, “Ooh, let’s help this person get their dream.” That’s your dream. You get it. No one cares if you get it or not. You do. Maybe your parents do but honestly, they don’t really care. They just want you to be happy. Do whatever you want.
That’s my tough love for you. If you want to chase your dream, go get it. For more tips on how to get into Hollywood, how to become a writer, how to live a creative life, you can follow me or you can subscribe to my channels, or you can get me on Instagram for exclusive content at @michaeljaminwriter.
