I specifically speak about part-time personal assistant positions, so let's go over contracts in this context.

Signing NDAs and Contracts

When you're first getting started, your client may want you to sign an NDA, and that is totally acceptable and normal. They also may want you to sign an employment contract. Employment contracts are really helpful for outlining the scope of work and expected availability, but you should know that California, New York, and Illinois- all the states that The Middle currently operates in- are all states that are at-will employment.

Which means you or the client can terminate employment for any reason and any circumstance at any time. You're never signing a contract where you are locking into a two-year commitment or something.

Taking Initiative

So you've got your first client, the paperwork is out of the way, now you need to actually get started. Treating being a personal assistant like your business, this is where that mindset comes in. The employment is managed directly between you and your client. They're going to pay you directly, so you want to be the one to push the work forward.

Don't wait for a client to schedule a time to meet with you to get started. You should be suggesting those times and trying to get that on the books. They're busy people; if they had time to schedule everything, they wouldn't be looking for a personal assistant.