Justin Timberlake isn’t content just to do music - he and Trace Ayala have a clothing line called William Rast, he’s a popular guest host on Saturday Night Live, and now he’s launching his own line of tequila, 901 Silver. But when a guy has so man projects going on, how will he find time to run his own company? Timberlake has put out an ad seeking an “Executive Vice President of Big Ideas” for 901. Perks include a $25,000 signing bonus, a VIP trip to Las Vegas, and “the opportunity to possibly get coffee for other 901 employees” (read the fine print, people).
To enter, you need to make a video pitching a “Big Idea.” Check out the entry form for more info.
Remember last month’s interview with Ellen Gordon Reeves, author of the super useful career book Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? Well, her publisher, Workman Books, has generously offered to give away three copies of the book to STA readers. To enter, simply send an email to contact@savetheassistants.com with “Can I Wear My Nose Ring?” as the subject line. Entries must be in by noon EST on Thursday, June 11, and winners will be notified later that day. Good luck!
Hi all, and happy Administrative Professionals’ Day! If you have a boss who was too lame to get you a present, it’s STA to the rescue. I’m excited to announce we’re partnering on a special project with DYMO. 50 STA readers will get a special prize pack courtesy of DYMO, which contains one of their super cool label makers (the LM210D - see image), a sample of Ghirardelli luxe milk chocolate bars, and the magazine subscription of your choice from Giftscriptions. It’s a great set - you can put the label maker on your desk and make your boss think you’re super dedicated to your job, and meanwhile you’re noshing on chocolate and flipping through a magazine.
In order to enter, you need to to two things: one, send an email to dymocontest@dymo.com that includes your contact info, so you can be notified if you win. Two, answer the question “What is the one item that would make your life easier and help you get things done at work?” right here in the comment section of this post. Even if you’re not one of the 50 prize pack recipients, DYMO is also giving away coupons for their excellent products, so you have more chances to win stuff. Of course, I’d prefer you submit your entry today, but you can still win if you enter by April 30. Prizes will take 4-6 weeks for delivery.
I love to read. Mostly my taste is for dorky, somewhat dusty tomes (once an English Lit major, always an English Lit major). However, every once in a while a girl needs a fun, bubbly read, and The Agency served that purpose beautifully. I read it on a flight and was so captivated that I finished the book in one sitting.
The Agency, by Ally O’Brien, is about a literary agent in London named Tess. Tess is young, smart, beautiful, and totally badass at her job. [Plus, she's nice to her assistant. Ten thousand bonus points right there.] The book is a thriller (the book opens with Tess’ boss, the agency’s owner, being murdered), a comedy of errors, and a good old-fashioned story about a powerful but flawed woman.
The best part about the book? STA has fifty - yes, you read that right, fifty - copies of The Agency for our readers. So if you want to get entered in the giveaway, send an email with subject line “The Agency” to contact@savetheassistants.com. Winners will be chosen at random. Good luck!
Every day you toil away at work dreaming about that week you might be lucky enough to get off as vacation next summer and that you’ll probably just spend in your apartment sleeping because you’re too exhausted and too broke to go anywhere. Well, the Australian Tourism Department is now offering the greatest job ever: “island caretaker” on a gorgeous, scenic island near the Great Barrier Reef. According to the job description:
In exchange for the plush salary, free accommodation in an oceanfront villa and airfare from the winner’s home country, the “employee” will be required to stroll the island’s white sand beaches, snorkel, maybe take a dip in the pool — and post photos and videos of his or her experiences on a weekly blog.
Applications are open until Feb. 22 and 11 finalists will be flown to Hamilton Island in May for the final selection process. The job begins on July 1.
I am already writing my personal essay. Sign me up!
Yesterday, we interviewed career maven Alexandra Levit. She has graciously agreed to let us give away four copies of her book How’d You Score That Gig? If you want to be entered to win, send an email to contact@savetheassistants.com with “How’d You Score That Gig?” as the subject line. Entries must be received by noon EST next Tuesday, June 24. Cute comments in the body of the email are not required, but always much appreciated. Please note that if you have won a giveaway before you are not eligible–let’s give some other beleaguered assistants a chance.
Since we got some questions after our latest giveaway, here’s how the fancy-schmancy system works: after all the entries are collected, we literally print them out and put them in a hat. Seriously. It’s that low-fi around here. Anyway, we then notify winners within the next 24 hours and send books out as soon as we can. And now you’ve seen the chick behind the curtain.
As promised, we have five copies of The Hollywood Assistants Handbook to give away to STA readers. To enter, simply send an email to contact@savetheassistants.com with “Hollywood Assistants Handbook” as the subject line. We’ll take entries until Monday, June 16 at noon EST. For more on the book, check out our interview with authors Peter Nowalk and Hillary Stamm here.
So, you may have heard that there’s a movie coming out this weekend called Sex and the City. You may have also heard that there’s an assistant in it. STA is looking for an intrepid moviegoer who wants to watch the movie this weekend and do a review of the movie, focusing on Jennifer Hudson’s character (the assistant).
If you want to get an idea of what an STA guest post is like, take a look at this review of Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in Iron Man.
If you’re already planning to see the movie this weekend, send us your review before noon EST on Monday, June 2. We’ll pick our favorite review and run it on the site. Thanks in advance, and happy Sexing.
As promised earlier, STA has three copies of Megan Hustad’s book How to Be Useful to give away. In order to throw your name into the hat, send an email to contact@savetheassistants.com with “How to Be Useful” as the subject line. You have until noon EST on Friday, May 30 to enter.
What’s your mantra? Do you have a thing that you repeat over and over in your head or under your breath when you’re coping with a stressful situation at work? Ashley’s is “I will not harbor ill feelings, I will not harbor negative thoughts.” However, I don’t have one–and could seriously use one. And I don’t think repeatedly whispering “fuck this shit” counts as a mantra. Post your suggestions in the comments.