4. AIM TO IMPRESS

Congrats! You've landed your first P.A. position and you're on the set. Look around, watch and learn. This is your shot at getting into the business of television and your attitude is everything. Your life will belong to production and crazy production schedules. Say goodbye to your friends, significant others, and family members because you may not see them for a while. You see, a good P.A. always says "YES."

An example:

It's 6:45 p.m. and production has just wrapped. Your supervisor asks you to make a set of tape dubs. You need to leave at 6:50 to catch your train home. What do you say? "Sure, no problem." Now, you've missed train number one. Train number two leaves at 7:30. It is 7:15, the director asks you to make 15 copies of a script and collate them all. Your answer? "I'd love to, absolutely, you got it, I'm on it, my pleasure."

You may not get home tonight until 1:00 a.m.

Certainly, your supervisors understand you have a life. And insisting you need to leave once or twice for personal reasons is acceptable. But a person who leaves more than a few times is definitely frowned upon. Rolling your eyes, sighing, or making flippant, cocky retorts means you're toast. Supervisors rehire those who say "YES" all the time. They rehire the people who stay late, who don't complain, and will clearly do anything to make it into this club. Remember that very time you say "no," someone right behind you will say "YES."

Another example:

You have been working with a director on the set. You are now just visiting his office for the first time. He has asked four P.A.s to go out and buy him his favorite oatmeal bread because it is not available immediately when he wants it. He screams when he can't find his papers and blames it on everyone around him. Pointing at you he bellows, "You there, I don't know your name. My script notes are gone and I need them NOW! And, where the hell is that damn oatmeal bread?"

Your response? "I'm on it. I will relocate your notes and track down that bread. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

If you do not know where the notes or bread are, find out who to ask and where to begin looking. Figure it out fast! And remember, smile. You're as happy as a clam to help in any way.