What does a Personal Assistant do?
Published 3 min read
A personal assistant helps with a variety of tasks that are related to personal life or business. They can help with things like scheduling appointments, managing finances, and keeping track of important documents.
Personal Assistant job duties include:
- Answer and direct phone calls
- Schedule and confirm appointments
- Make travel arrangements
- Prepare and distribute correspondence
- Maintain files and records
- Handle basic bookkeeping tasks
- Perform internet research as needed
- Draft letters and other documents as needed
- Provide general administrative support as needed
Personal Assistant Job Requirements
There are no formal education requirements for a personal assistant, although some employers may prefer candidates with an associate's or bachelor's degree. Certification is not required, but completing a certified administrative professional or certified professional secretary program can give candidates an edge in the job market. Employers usually require at least two years of experience working in an administrative role.
Personal Assistant Skills
- Time management
- Organizational skills
- Communication skills
- Writing skills
- Research skills
- Discretion
- Initiative
- Flexibility
- Dependability
- Good judgement
- Problem solving skills
- Resourcefulness
Related: Top Personal Assistant Skills: Definition and Examples
How to become a Personal Assistant
A personal assistant (PA) is a person who provides administrative support to someone who cannot do it all themselves. The role of a PA can be varied and wide-ranging, from providing support with diary management and travel arrangements, to being responsible for more complex tasks such as managing budgets and projects.
If you are interested in becoming a PA, there are a few key skills that you will need to possess. Firstly, you must be highly organised and have the ability to juggle multiple tasks at any one time. You will also need to be an excellent communicator, both written and verbally, as you will be liaising with clients, suppliers and colleagues on a daily basis. Finally, you must be able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines, as the role can often be fast-paced and demanding.
If you have these key skills and attributes, then working as a PA could be the perfect career for you. To get started, consider doing some voluntary work or internships in order to gain some experience in the role. Once you have built up your experience, you could then look for paid positions either within an organisation or by working as a freelance PA.
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