How to hire an administrative assistant/personal assistant

How to hire an administrative assistant/personal assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step administrative assistant/personal assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an administrative assistant/personal assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative assistant/personal assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The administrative assistant/personal assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect administrative assistant/personal assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents administrative assistant/personal assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$14-25
   Administrative Staff	As the administrative staff, they primarily provide administrative and secretarial support for the department. Typically, they do report-writing, filing and scheduling, and payroll... Show more	$27-48

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Payroll
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Financial Statements
   • Front Desk
   • Real Estate
   • PowerPoint
   • Expense Reports
   • Event Planning
   • Office Equipment
   • Telephone Calls
   • QuickBooks
   • Word Processing
   • Clerical Support
   • Administrative Tasks

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Organize and prepare materials & PowerPoint presentations for seminars that AutoOwners host.
   • Calculate, prepare, and accurately process payroll and investigate and resolve payroll issues.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your administrative assistant/personal assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An administrative assistant/personal assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, administrative assistants/personal assistants' average salary in georgia is 54% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level administrative assistants/personal assistants 44% less than senior-level administrative assistants/personal assistants.
   • Certifications. An administrative assistant/personal assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an administrative assistant/personal assistant's salary.

   Average administrative assistant/personal assistant salary

   $40,751yearly

   $19.59 hourly rate

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   Entry-level administrative assistant/personal assistant salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 23, 2025

4. Writing an administrative assistant/personal assistant job description

   A job description for an administrative assistant/personal assistant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an administrative assistant/personal assistant job description:

   Administrative assistant/personal assistant job description example

   We are looking to add another talented member to our team. We are looking for a rounded individual that has or is willing to learn a variety of skills and be a personal assistant to the President of the company. For the right individual we are willing to train.
   
   The most vital skills are common sense, creativity, being a self driven go getter with great customer service and communication skills. The willingness to dive in make it your own and make it happen. The right individual enjoys the freedom to evaluate problems and initiate changes with in the organization. Must be tech savy.
   
   The goal of this position is to move into a management role in the future. We are a woman owned family operated business and looking for the right go getter willing to dig in get dirty and find educated solutions to any problem they may run into.
   Skills & Responsibilities
   * Basic construction knowledge(willing to teach)
   
   * Knowledge of water restoration, mold remediation, fire damage clean-up and put backs/rebuilds(Willing to teach)
   * Passion for the construction industry and helping others restore their home after a disaster with compassion
   * Assist in creating and implementing SOP and system changes to improve the businesses systems and procedures
   * Communicate with customers about scope of work and review necessary paperwork with compassion
   * Assist with scheduling tenants and technicians
   * Assist with filing, ensuring that all paperwork systems are followed, creating and implementing procedures as needed
   * Filing expenses, photos and other project documents
   * Assist with project coordination
   
   * Perform other duties as needed which may include cross-training in other related positions
   * Possess sense of urgency, professional demeanor, positive attitude, and strong work ethic
   * Manage shop stock, office supply stock, tool check-in check out procedures, tool and vehicle maintenance procedures and schedules
   * Assist owner with personal tasks as needed
   * Valid Driver's License with reliable transportation
   * Pass Background Check
   * Able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
   * Willingness to get dirty
   * Computer literate, with working knowledge of work processing, business software and spreadsheet applications
   
   For the right one we are willing to teach, pay is dependent on relevant experience.
   
   Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
   
   Pay: $12.80 - $18.00 per hour
   
   Benefits:
   * Flexible schedule
   * Health insurance
   * Paid time off
   * Professional development assistance
   Schedule:
   * 4 hour shift
   * 8 hour shift
   * Monday to Friday
   
   License/Certification:
   * Driver's License (Required)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right administrative assistant/personal assistant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your administrative assistant/personal assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit administrative assistant/personal assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit administrative assistants/personal assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative assistant/personal assistant

   Once you've selected the best administrative assistant/personal assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new administrative assistant/personal assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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