A Little About Me
Born and raised in France, shortly after graduating HS, I moved to the US at age 19, where I became a full time nanny and a housekeeper until I could go back to finish my college education. Immediately upon graduating with a BA in Spanish, I started working as a French and Spanish Teacher. Twelve years later, I moved to Morocco, and eventually to Israel, as an international educator. During that time I also obtained a Master’s Degree from Spain.
I am extremely active and could not live without an exercise routine or outdoor activities, ranging from hiking to scuba diving. I also take pleasure in helping others to motivate themselves to be healthy. In addition, I’m someone who always needs to have a creative outlet, such as cooking, crafting, decorating, playing music, writing, blogging, etc… I am passionate about cooking and I love to host, so I can share my culinary creations, which can be witnessed on my personal website thefrenching.
I’m an avid traveler who loves to experience various landscapes and cultures and a self-taught individual who is continuously learning (cooking, sports, instruments, website creation, etc…)
The main values I strive to maintain and display are empathy, compassion, integrity and loyalty.
What Makes Me Think I’d Be a Successful Personal Assistant or Household Manager?
While often stigmatized, the teaching profession requires one to wear many hats and juggle a plethora of responsibilities. In addition, my current job has trained me to manage a huge amount of duties: handling the instruction for 5 different levels in 2 different languages, as well as working with 3 different supervisors, calendars, schedules, age groups and parents. As a result, I have become even more organized and structured, and excel at time management and prioritizing.
I am meticulous, a great writer and editor, flexible, adaptable and dependable. I care about healthy boundaries and confidentiality. Punctuality and professionalism matter a great deal. I do not need to be micromanaged, as I anticipate issues, reflect on my work, and like to take initiative and innovate. I am result and solution-driven, and I believe that potential setbacks foster growth.
Moreover, I am very adept at technology and use it on a daily basis. I’m a huge fan of Google Drives and folders, subfolders, charts, spreadsheets, etc…Here is an example of a document I’ve created, which I update on a daily basis to manage the courses I teach. I have created a Professional Portfolio, a website for the World Language Department where I currently work, and a personal website to share my recipes and life experiences. As a result, I have learned to use Wordpress and continue to learn about SEO and other website-related aspects.
I have high executive functioning skills and I spontaneously and naturally organize my work and my surroundings. I have helped many friends and colleagues with organization and systems that provide order, save time and simplify tasks. My Google Drive is a perfect visual example of the structure I like to maintain.
As a traveler myself, I am used to organizing the details of a trip, and generally create folders for that as well (especially now with the ever-changing health mandates in place).
Attributes with People & Pets
As a teacher of 20 years and an aunt (and great aunt) of 17 people, my interpersonal skills and ability to take care of children have been honed. I believe in mutual respect and know that people, and especially children, learn best with positive reinforcement, structures and boundaries. I completed my Master’s Research on the use of games in the teaching of foreign languages (examples in my Portfolio) and strongly believe that creating a pleasant atmosphere of respect and trust is the key to motivate people to do their best (children and adults alike). Empathy goes a very long way.
I have worked and formed relationships with people of all ages and various backgrounds and cultures, and I am truly personable. I sincerely enjoy sharing with and helping others. Structures, hierarchy, and boundaries are paramount, and I believe in leading with trust rather than fear. While I’m very independent, I’m a great communicator, and a skillful collaborator, and I can evolve autonomously as well as part of a team.
Lastly, I grew up in a rural part of France with many animals. Unfortunately, I can’t have my own pets at the moment because of my lifestyle, but I absolutely love animals, especially dogs, and often think of them as an integral part of a household. I can only handle a clean and tidy environment, but I very much enjoy sharing space with animals.
Other Details to Consider
I have decided to switch careers or at the very least take a break from my current profession and will be available for employment on September 1st, 2022. My being in Israel is contingent upon my employment, and I will need to relocate. I can legally live and work in the US or the EU and am willing to live in many places. Furthermore, I’m happy to travel domestically and internationally when the need arises.
While I completely understand the request to find someone with years of specific experience on his/her CV, I strongly believe that experience can be developed indirectly (such as the examples aforementioned) and that potential can lie within the lines of a resume.
I may not have had the title of “Private Assistant” or “Household Manager” on my CV, however, my personality and the set of skills I have developed are pertinent to succeeding in this role. Moreover, I learn quickly and care about succeeding in all of my endeavors and can cope with a learning curve when given the opportunity.
