Who is a Personal Assistant?
Personal Assistant is a job title that can entail a range of different duties. Personal Assistants provide administrative and secretarial support to their employer, whether on a one-to-one or multi-client basis. They often help with the organization of special events, from running errands to hiring equipment. They may also conduct research on behalf of clients, organize travel plans and schedules, do shopping for personal gifts or other items, produce or proofread various documents such as letters or reports and assist with insurance claims.
Personal assistants are a rare breed of individuals possessing incredible skills and traits that make them the best choice for hiring outside assistance. They cover a broad range of jobs, from administrative assistance to secretarial services. Still, they all have several things in common: they work long hours, perform essential duties with precision and accuracy, and rarely complain about receiving such physically demanding tasks.
What is the General Job description of a Personal Assistant?
The Job description of a Personal Assistant is to act as an assistant to another person, typically looking after their day-to-day needs. These include running errands, traveling with the employer, organizing meetings/appointments, and so on. The Job description of a Personal Assistant will often reflect the personality and nature of the profession of the person they are working for.
Job requirements focus mainly on proficiency in written communication, interoffice etiquette, and computer literacy. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite is practically standard in this Job description. You also might find Job listings that require people with great attention to detail, meticulousness, and organization. The specific words full of action include “organize,” “prioritize,” and “supervise.” Job requirements can vary greatly depending on who you work for. A Job description for a Personal Assistant working for an international corporation will be much different from working for a small business owner or celebrity!
An average Personal Assistant delivers support within an office environment, not as a caregiver. Job duties can include but are not limited to:
- Setting up conference calls and meetings, with an emphasis on timeliness and protocol
- Sending correspondence on behalf of the boss/client
- Attending all the company events on their employer’s behalf
- Making travel arrangements whenever a business trip is required
- Tracking employee use of supplies to avoid waste or overuse
- Catering specific tasks to your strengths, whether it be computer skills or research abilities
What do Personal Assistants do (Job Description)?
A Personal Assistant’s role can vary depending on the nature of their relationship with their Client. Some work closely alongside their Client, carrying out more complex tasks, while others assist their Client with daily tasks such as diary management. They might work alongside a personal secretary, in which case they would help to manage and coordinate all of their Client’s daily errands.
What Personal Assistant Jobs are there?
Clients may employ Personal Assistants in many different sectors and industries. They can work one-to-one with an individual or team of individuals—for example, lawyers, artists, business executives, etc. As technology develops, more personal assistants find new ways to add value within the workplace through technological means such as organizing video conferencing calls between clients or setting up multiple screens to monitor livestock prices when hosting meetings between investors. Their duties often include managing meeting rooms, checking participants in and out of the room, and providing refreshments. Personal Assistants may also plan what food will be available at a meeting.
Personal Assistants usually have a broad knowledge base, so they can manage more than one responsibility at a time, which makes them effective multitaskers.
What Skills are Required of A Personal Assistant
- Personal Assistants should know how to communicate with, understand, and support their clients effectively. They are usually confident in various aspects of their role, such as time management, organizational skills, and public relations. These professionals have essential life skills such as delivering a clear message, helping clients develop strategies for achieving their goals, and giving positive and constructive feedback. Personal Assistants should have excellent listening skills along with great attention to detail. Depending on the nature of the job, they must also enjoy working independently or collaboratively because they will spend much of their work time performing various tasks by themselves.
- Personal Assistants should be stable individuals capable of supporting a Personal Client through a range of challenging situations. Personal Assistants may occasionally be called upon to run errands for their Clients or take care of one of their Personal Client’s children, for example, so Personal Assistants should be able to manage occasional changes in routine seamlessly. Personal Assistant jobs demand a high level of confidentiality, and Personal Assistants must maintain the integrity by upholding law and business ethics at all times.
- A Personal Assistant needs to have strong organizational skills to ensure that the day-to-day tasks are completed effectively and on time. Their role will involve checking emails, organizing diaries, and attending meetings, among other things, so good time management is essential in ensuring that they don’t become overwhelmed with work. Personal Assistants also need good interpersonal skills because they are the first point of contact for clients, and therefore they will often have to represent their Clients in public situations. Personal Assistants should always be on time, make a great impression and possess strong communication skills, which enable them to listen carefully to problems and offer solutions or support as required.
- Personal Assistants must also know how to prioritize work effectively so that deadlines are met without compromising quality. Personal assistants may assume responsibility for critical projects, so they should know how to lead others by setting expectations, delegating tasks, and providing regular feedback along with mentoring and coaching skills. Personal Assistants must possess strong analytical abilities to cross-check figures, research information, and spot trends to ensure that Personal Client needs are appropriately met. Personal Assistants should also have strong presentation skills as clients may occasionally invite them to presentations or conferences. So they must be able to represent their clients professionally.
- Personal Assistants need good decision-making skills because they will sometimes act on behalf of their clients when making decisions about their Clients’ business ventures. They may be required to negotiate with suppliers, set budgets, and arrange travel plans for their clients. So, they’ll need robust negotiation techniques along with effective communication strategies. Working under pressure is necessary because many businesses operate with tight deadlines, so Personal assistants must have gained experience managing tasks simultaneously while working towards more prominent projects. They should also be good at problem-solving as their clients will often come to them for advice about business problems. Personal assistants must know how to research information, prepare reports to summarize findings concisely and deliver this information to make informed decisions.
- Personal Assistants work with small businesses, large corporate bodies, and individuals, so they should know how the dynamics of these different workplaces function so they are prepared for potential challenges. These professionals need strong networking skills because they occasionally meet new people who become future clients or suppliers, and they must possess practical communication skills. Personal Assistants must also build effective working relationships because they regularly work with their clients, colleagues, suppliers, and staff on business projects.
- They are also required to meet new people at networking events regularly. So they should be confident in unfamiliar situations. Team-working abilities are also necessary because they will regularly work on projects with colleagues on tight deadlines. Personal assistants should be able to juggle several tasks simultaneously without compromising the quality of work.
What is the Salary Scale of Personal Assistant in 2021?
Personal Assistants do a lot of the leg work that enables entrepreneurs to manage their businesses; they often work long hours without overtime. The salary for Personal Assistant jobs is usually low, which leads employers to offer workers additional incentives such as bonuses and holiday pay. However, these extras aren’t always included in official rates of pay. The average salary of a Personal Assistant is roughly 100,000 Naira Net monthly which translates to 1.2million naira per year. A Senior PA earn as much as 500,000 naira or more monthly which translates to 6million naira per-anum. This can vary depending on other factors such as work experience, qualifications, and location. So, if you are interested in becoming a Personal Assistant, it is worth researching the average salaries in your area.
Many people aspire to work as personal assistants because they enjoy providing support for their bosses on a day-to-day basis. The hours can be long, but it is often more administrative than providing hands-on support. A range of qualifications can help you go down this path and find work as a personal assistant, such as A-Levels, including maths, business studies, and English/communications. Depending on the company for which you are working, there might be an opportunity to take other training courses.
In conclusion, the future of the profession and, in particular, its salary structure is uncertain. However, it’s safe to say that anyone taking up a career as a personal assistant should expect their wages to increase significantly over time, with high performers able to earn salaries well over $15,000 per annum.
All that said, if you’re looking for a decent salary, don’t bother at all. Many other professions pay significantly more without requiring the same level of training. But suppose you genuinely believe in your ability to become an expert in Personal Assistance and want to make it your life goal to work with the most important and influential people in society. In that case, the sky is the limit! Just be aware that it will take a lot of hard work and determination to succeed. Good luck!
