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What is an administrative assistant/personal assistant and how to become one
An administrative assistant/personal assistant provides support to the boss or manager by performing administrative tasks for him or her. The boss delegates some of their duties to the administrative assistant to be more productive with his/her time. As a personal assistant, it is your job to manage emails by receiving and replying to executive emails, drafting memos on their behalf, and scheduling meetings on their behalf. The administrative assistant would usually serve as the first point of contact before reaching the boss. In reality, you are expected to do everything from taking notes, organizing diaries, booking flight tickets, booking and canceling appointments, and managing projects.
An administrative assistant/personal assistant makes an average of $33,716 a year or $16.21 an hour. An effective personal assistant must have excellent communication skills, great organizational skills, good time management skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and basic computer skills. The most commonly required educational level is a bachelor's degree.
What general advice would you give to an administrative assistant/personal assistant?
Anne McConnell Ph.D.
Professor, West Virginia State University
Avg. Salary $40,751
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -8%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%
Asian 3.84%
Black or African American 9.34%
Hispanic or Latino 16.35%
Unknown 3.87%
White 65.86%
Genderfemale 86.85%
male 13.15%
Age - 52American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 52Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is basic
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Administrative assistant/personal assistant career paths
Key steps to become an administrative assistant/personal assistant
Explore administrative assistant/personal assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific administrative assistant/personal assistant skills
Skills Percentages Payroll 10.26% Scheduling Appointments 9.69% Financial Statements 7.07% Front Desk 4.36% Real Estate 4.24% Complete relevant administrative assistant/personal assistant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New administrative assistants/personal assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an administrative assistant/personal assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real administrative assistant/personal assistant resumes.Gain additional administrative assistant/personal assistant certifications
More About CertificationsAdministrative assistant/personal assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific administrative assistant/personal assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for administrative assistants/personal assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
Research administrative assistant/personal assistant duties and responsibilities
- Manage local office administrative functions including payroll, invoicing and budget.
- Perform full accounting cycle using QuickBooks accounting software including budgeting and managing personal and company bank accounts.
- Manage and develop the daily clinical schedule for the in-patient rehabilitation staff taking into consideration Medicare guidelines and staffing ratios.
- Record customer records and relevant job/note information in QuickBooks.
Prepare your administrative assistant/personal assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your administrative assistant/personal assistant resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an administrative assistant/personal assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable administrative assistant/personal assistant resume templates
Build a professional administrative assistant/personal assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your administrative assistant/personal assistant resume.
Apply for administrative assistant/personal assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an administrative assistant/personal assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first administrative assistant/personal assistant job
Are you an administrative assistant/personal assistant?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average administrative assistant/personal assistant salary
The average administrative assistant/personal assistant salary in the United States is $40,751 per year or $20 per hour. Administrative assistant/personal assistant salaries range between $30,000 and $54,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do administrative assistants/personal assistants rate their job?
Administrative assistant/personal assistant reviews
They just have to give information to others as Phone calls or through other ways
Writing a message,Organizing receipts and expenses and sending them out when needed
Failure to comply with working hours, theft and fraud,
It my passion to help people in need. It makes me feel good to see people the Youth do well in the life
I don't like to see anyone stuck in between and not being helped.
Updated January 8, 2025
