A personal assistant (also known as a ‘PA’) works closely with senior staff to support them in their daily workload by removing administrative and logistical tasks.Because PAs work on behalf of senior business leaders, they should be extremely reliable, should possess excellent interpersonal skills and be well presented. An assistant role comes with a great deal of responsibility and is best suited to professionals who can multitask and organise their time efficiently.
Personal assistant job description and responsibilities
Personal assistant duties are largely administrative and secretarial. Because the role is tailored to the needs of individual senior staff members, PA tasks can differ from company to company. Examples of typical daily tasks:Calendar managementCall screening and taking messagesReporting and data handlingMaking travel, event and meeting arrangementsLiaising with staff, senior management and external contactsWriting documents and correspondence on behalf of senior staffAs well as offering one-on-one support, a personal assistant job description can also include working on accounts and budgets, and working with administrative systems.
Personal assistant qualifications, skills and experience
It is not necessary to hold a degree to be considered for this role, but an employer’s requirements would include proven experience in essential administration tasks. Other personal assistant skills and experience might include:Project coordinationResearch and presentationAbility to manage and delegate tasks to othersFor personality and fit, employers look for candidates with the following qualities:Ability to handle sensitive information with discretionAn adaptable approach to workAbility to form and maintain strong working relationshipsExcellent communicationStrong organisation skillsAbility to multitask
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