What is a Personal Assistant/PA and how to Hire?
Studies, Training, and Experience Requirements Due to the somewhat abstract profile of a personal assistant \u2019s tasks, no specific training or education is required, especially when applying to low-level corporations. However, a bachelor\u2019s degree in business administration, communications, or technology may be a prerequisite. There are also online secretarial courses that provide diplomas. As always, years of experience are a plus.
A personal assistant, also known as a personal aide or personal secretary, or simply as a PA, is a person whose job is to assist an individual with administrative and secretarial tasks during their day-to-day activities. Assigned to the personal details of officials and managers, personal assistants are necessary to free the manager’s schedule of organizational activities by performing those activities on the manager’s behalf.
Essential skills required for a position as a personal assistant include discretion, good verbal and writing skills, tactfulness, reliability, and understanding of basic software packages.
Personal Assistant or “PA” Job Description
A PA works closely with their employer to support them in managing their private and professional affairs.
This generally includes tasks such as keeping an up-to-date diary, arranging meetings and interviews, acting as a representative and liaison with key associates, and specific administrative duties.
A personal assistant must also ensure their employer’s documents are organized and prepared for meetings, business trips, and other engagements.
This role demands that the employee be trustworthy and show utmost discretion regarding all confidential information.
They must always remain in close contact with their employer, regularly updating themselves with information that may be helpful to their employer’s private and business affairs or enable the PA to offer better support and advice.
Their primary responsibility is to take on tasks that may prevent their employer from being fully productive. Most PAs would benefit from a flexible approach to their work and willingness to take on new responsibilities.
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Reasons to hire a Personal Assistant
According to working families with demanding lives, operating a home can be challenging. Imagine coming home from work every day and completing homework. You’re exhausted and want to spend very little time with your family. You’re sick.
It can be very challenging to do all the jobs by yourself, and it can be a satisfying experience that someone can assist you with your daily problems. Recruiting professional staff or personal assistants is simpler than ever, and you can do many assignments to increase the workload.
Most individuals have tough work lives and no opportunity to complete their assignments. We tend to lose concentration at work if we are thinking at home. A trustworthy staff member may ensure a smooth running household by duties or other household staff oversight.
How to hire a Personal Assistant?
It is not too difficult to define in a personal assistant what attributes you desire. This does not mean that it is easy to identify and recruit an outstanding staff member.
Nonetheless, it is important to do many items to improve the probability of finding the best personal Assistant for the work. Morgan&Mallet find for you someone with experience helping or serving others. Someone that truly enjoys serving others will have experience doing so.
Be clear regarding your needs; you don’t just need a personal assistant. It would be best if you had a personal assistant with a great demeanor and set of skills. You can also list the qualities your ideal personal Assistant would possess. Create a list of things you won’t tolerate in a personal assistant. Feel free to ask us the candidate to describe their ideal working situation.
It is essential to give a trial period for your Assistant. Sometimes, the only way to decide is to take a test trip. It can take as little as a week or two. Have a brief idea ready to move to speed up the nominee.
What responsibilities might a Personal Assistant have?
The responsibilities of a personal assistant are varied and numerous. In most companies and firms, the core responsibilities of a PA include the following =>
– Managing the employer’s private office
-Diary management, arranging meetings, agendas, press and interview requests
-Organising personal and business trips (travel, accommodation, cars, documentation)
-Organising business and social events
-Supervising property portfolios, recruitment procedures, teams of household staff, and other employees
-Organising all vital documentation, maintaining it up-to-date and readily accessible
-Project management and topical research
-Managing all correspondence
-Designing documents, presentations, and reports
-Organising, participating, and taking notes during meetings
-Acting as a liaison between contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, local authorities, etc.
-Managing accounts and budgets
Other miscellaneous activities that may fall under the purview of a PA are acting as a liaison, handling filing and records, or conducting research.
Where is the personal Assistant employed?
Corporations usually employ personal assistants, business firms, or non-profits\u2014any organization with administrative officials, from the office of the President to any sufficiently large LLC.
A wealthy or prominent individual may also employ a personal assistant. In this case, the job may also include maintaining the individual’s life and home or hiring and managing other staff.
This personal assistant’s working hours will vary according to the manager’s schedule.
The Personal Assistant may need to work a typical 9-5 schedule and may also have additional night and weekend hours. PAs may also be asked to travel with the manager or to be available on call.
While there is no basic standard for a personal assistant’s working hours, the job may often require at least 40 plus working hours per week. A personal assistant should be open to having a very flexible schedule and be able to adapt to changes when necessary.
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What do personal assistants earn?
The wages of personal assistants range widely, depending on their experience and the employer or organization. The average hourly salary for PAs in the United States is 30 dollars. Personal assistants for A-list celebrities may earn up to 150,000 dollars annually.
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Studies, Training, and Experience Requirements
Due to the somewhat abstract profile of a personal assistant’s tasks, no specific training or education is required, especially when applying to low-level corporations. However, a bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, or technology may be a prerequisite. There are also online secretarial courses that provide diplomas. As always, years of experience are a plus.
All our Assistants are required to
-Hold clean criminal records in both their country of employment and country of origin
-Present all certificates and qualifications from training centers and schools they attended
-Successfully pass two interview stages
-Provide at least three positive references from previous employers-
-Complete professional dossiers containing => CV, cover letter, proof of identity (photocopy or scan), proof of address, proof of the right to work in the country of employment (if applicable), driving license, and pay slips from previous professional placements. Candidates should be aware that other documentation may also be required.
