What is a Personal Assistant?
Sometimes called an executive secretary (PA), personal secretary (assistant) or assistant, a personal assistant works with senior staff to provide support administratively – often on a one-to-1 basis. The role is vital and must not be neglected.
What a good PA should have
As an assistant or secretary, you must have the following qualities:
Skills in organisational management.
Communication and interpersonal skills.
Good written skills.
Time management skills.
Trustworthiness and discretion are essential to ensuring that you can take responsibility.
Engagement, motivation, and enthusiasm.
A working knowledge of the different styles.
Active listening skills.
Productivity and initiative.
Under pressure: Coolness and calmness
Team work.
Accuracy and attention.
Flexibility and adaptability.
Think about each of these skills. Consider which you have and which you want to improve. With practice, all these attributes can be achieved.
Are you looking for a course?
Our PA & Secretary Training Course is designed to help assistants and secretaries gain a better understanding of how to do their job to the best of your ability.
Which qualifications are necessary?
The qualifications required to become a secretary or PA varies depending upon the company. Employers offer training for employees, so it is important to have a personality.
It is worth trying to achieve one or more of these achievements.
5 GCSEs Grade C or above in English and Maths.
Writing skills that are short in hand.
IT proficiency, including word processing skills and diary management.
Foreign language skills.
A full, clean driving license.
An NVQ Level 2, or 3, in Business Administration.
A Higher Professional Diploma (Business Administration)
City and Guilds Advanced Diploma
BTEC in Business Studies
PA courses UK such as a Personal Assistant diploma/training course certificate.
Temporary work, interning, or working in a PA position gives you an advantage. Experience plays a big part in securing a role as a PA, so the more qualifications/experience you have, the higher the chance is of you acquiring a position.
A Personal Assistant’s duties
A PA’s role can include many activities and is usually up to your employer.
The duties of a PA include the following:
Organising meetings.
Notes taken during meetings, and reports produced later.
Maintaining records.
Managing diaries.
You must ensure that all safety and health laws are followed.
Answering and handling emails and phone calls.
Making travel arrangements
Assisting visitors at the workplace.
The management of accounts.
Assisting their manager or employer at events.
You must feel confident performing the various roles before you apply for a job in personal assistant. You can gain industry experience, which allows you to see your strengths and weaknesses. It also gives you the opportunity to improve in certain areas.
How does a PA’s career progress?
As a personal assistant, there is not a clear career path. You will likely be working for the highest ranking person in the company. Your skills are transferable and you can move up to other positions or companies depending on your preference.
Some career options for secretaries or assistants include:
Promotion to work for a senior manager
Moving to a larger business
Responsibilities for managing a small team of administrative staff.
Promotion to working with several managers
Manage a junior assistant.
Moving to another department
Being self-employed.
Working overseas using developed language skills.
Experience gained as a PA offers many opportunities to develop and utilize your skills in new ways. This is an excellent career path that will help you become a sought-after candidate.
