Personal Assistant Job Description | Duties & Responsibilities

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Knowing and understanding your job description as a personal assistant is the first step to becoming a good PA.

If you do not know, PA is a short form for personal assistance.

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But PA can also mean physical assistant. Please note that in this context, whenever you see the word PA, it means Personal assistant.

The job description of a personal assistant is all aimed at helping your employer manage time better.

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A personal assistant works as a support to senior citizens or a position in an organization.

Often, the people you work with may have to give up privacy. Therefore you must always know what is confidential and keep it that way.

Many people do not know this, but different types of personal assistants exist.

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The different types will be explained in this guide on the job description of a PA.

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What does a Personal Assistant do?

Personal assistants perform administrative and clerical duties for or on behalf of an individual.

These individuals are usually executives or senior staff in privately owned or commercial organizations.

The PA must handle administrative functions and give the executive more time to carry out more strategic and critical tasks.

Sometimes, a PA may work for a wealthy family or individuals and not necessarily a senior staff.

In such cases, the job description may vary slightly.

The level of seniority in the role of a personal assistant depends on the type of organization or person you work for.

In some organizations, a personal assistant is the same as an executive assistant. 

But, in others, they differ, and the role of the executive assistant is a more Senior role.

What are the Duties and Responsibilities of a Personal Assistant?

The job description of a personal assistant includes that they carry out some duties and responsibilities. 

In some organizations, a personal assistant also carries out the duties and responsibilities of an administrator.

 In others, an administrator may be promoted to a personal assistant after some years of work.

1. Act as a First Point of Contact

A PA must answer calls, collate emails and respond to them on behalf of the executive.

This is why having good customer service skills is essential.

2. Manage Diaries

The job description of a personal assistant requires keeping records of events.

They prepare and organize appointments as well as events.

3. Make Travel Appointments

A PA makes necessary travel arrangements.

From booking the means of transportation to reserving hotel bookings when necessary.

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4. Remind the Executive of Upcoming Activities

A PA must also remind the executive about the day’s activities and upcoming events.

This is why a good PA devises a good method of keeping track of the calendar.

Some other duties and responsibilities of a personal assistant are:

  • Database and filling system management
  • Keep a record of expenses.
  • Ensure that all tasks carried out on behalf of the executive are done using best practices.
  • Make sure standards and policies are adhered to.
  • Prepare and organize the conference room for presentations and staff meetings.
  • Prepare reports and presentations.

Personal assistants may also run some domestic errands on behalf of the executive.

A PA that works at home or for a family is also responsible for ensuring that all domestic and household duties are properly carried out.

They may also be in charge of hiring, supervising, and sacking domestic or household workers.

Most times, a PA may end up becoming the right-hand man of their employer

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What are the Requirements for becoming a Personal Assistant?

In some organizations, a personal assistant is an entry-level role. Therefore, no experience is required.

Some years of experience are required in other organizations, and the pay may be more.

And unlike another professional jobs, no formal academic qualification is mandatory or a standard.

But of course, most employers will prefer employing educated people

The typical requirement for becoming a personal assistant is a high school diploma/GED. 

Most employers prefer an associate degree.

Proficient in Microsoft office is also one of the requirements. Sometimes, employers prefer employing those with a valid driver’s license.

In the job description of a personal assistant template or posting, some organizations state clearly their preference for college graduates.

In that case, a bachelor’s degree in human resources, management, public relations, or similar fields is required.

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What Skills and Personality Suit a Personal Assistant?

To carry out the duties and responsibilities of a personal assistant, here are some of the skills you must possess.

1. Retentive Memory

Your employer is already burdened with so many strategic and important tasks to do and depends on you to always remind him or her of upcoming events or activities.

Therefore, as a PA, you are excepted to develop ways of keeping track of time, activities, and appointments.

2. Communication Skills

Personal assistants are supposed to know how to communicate effectively.

You should be able to communicate well in writing or verbally.

As you know, communication involves talking and listening as well.

To succeed as a PA, you must be a good listener.

3. Customer Service Skills

The responsibility of taking calls and responding to emails requires good customer service orientation.

Therefore a good PA should possess customer service skills. And exhibit them when necessary.

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4. Interpersonal Skills

How do you work as a personal assistant to an executive without creating a good working relationship with him or her?

A PA needs to develop a very good professional relationship with his or her boss.

5. Discrete and Trustworthy

As I already said, employers who work with a PA give up a level of privacy for that.

As such, as a PA, you must be discrete and trustworthy.

You have to know what is confidential and keep it that way.

Where do Personal Assistants Work?

Most Senior staffs, citizens, and celebrities always require the services of a personal assistant.

Therefore, there are a lot of job opportunities and prospects for them.

Some of the typical employers of personal assistants are:

  • Public organizations
  • Private organization
  • NGOs

Most employers seek a PA directly or via recruitment agencies.

As such, personal assistant jobs are advertised on job boards, recruitment agencies, and newspapers.

How much do Personal Assistants make?

In the United States, the average salary of a personal assistant is about $26,350 per year.

Less experienced and qualified PAs may earn about $19,000 per year.

Note experienced, qualified personal assistants earn up to $43,000 annually.

These figures tell you that experience and qualification put you at an edge.

Your salary may also depend on your geographical location and employer.

What Should I Include in my Personal Assistant Resume?

When creating a professional resume, you should include your experience, skills, and qualifications.

Clearly stating these things in your resume and during an interview should not be overlooked.

Because of that, you need to make maximum use of this guide on the job description of a personal assistant to create a resume that supports your goal.

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What are the Different Types of Personal Assistants?

According to futurelearn.com, here are some of the different types of personal assistants:

1. Staff PA

In this case, the executive doesn’t share his personal life With the PA. The personal assistant does only what he is told to do. The PA is more or less like a robot to the executive.

A staff PA who works with a mean and difficult boss may not find his or her work enjoyable.

2. Colleague Pa

This is a case where colleagues serve as PAs to each other. They are members of one team and support each other to get work done.

Whether friends or not, they must work together to achieve a common goal.

3. Professional PA

In this case, the executive and PA relationship are strictly professional.

The job description of such personal assistants requires that they know little or nothing about the personal life of the executive.

The PA works only on the agreed working hours and is polite but very formal with the executive.

When professionals are involved, the executive expects work to be done to standard.

4. Family-like  PA

The fourth type is the family-like personal assistant job.

In this case, the executive and his assistant have a good relationship.

They care about each other’s well-being and support each other in achieving goals.

The problem with this type of relationship is that business and emotions may be mixed.

And also, they may get attached, and when separation is required, it becomes difficult.

5. Paid Friend

The last type of personal assistant is a paid friend.

In this case, the employers and assistants work more like friends.

They may know so much about each other’s personal life.

It is always advised that limits are drawn. The assistant does not have to know everything about the employer’s values, family, and personal life.

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Is personal Assistant a good Job?

Yes, a personal assistant job is good. However, it may sometimes be demanding.

If you have a flare for working with and supporting people, the job of a personal assistant may be good for you.

Conclusion: Personal Assistant Job Description Guide

This guide on the job description of a personal assistant is optimized to support your goal.

In as much as it is written with job applicants in mind, it can also be used by employers to create a personal assistant job description posting or template.

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Other job descriptions:

References:

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