What should I study to become a personal assistant?

Personal assistants are the catalyst that binds different aspects of both high-level executives and stars. Their responsibility is to keep things running smoothly.

But there are downsides. There are a few criteria for this job and meeting them can be tough. The hours, availability, skills, and more need to all be there and if not, it might not work out so well.

As a personal assistant, you'll work closely with senior members of staff, completing any administrative tasks they require. However, the role often goes far beyond that as you gain experience.

You may have to plan social events for the company and network. This will provide an opportunity to represent the company at a professional level.

You could be assisting many different professionals in a variety of industries and organizations.

Here are some common tasks for a personal assistant might include:

• Screening telephone calls

• Replying to emails

• Answering queries

• Managing and organizing the employer's calendar

• Arranging meetings

• Organizing and maintaining office systems

• Making travel arrangements

• Dealing with accounts

• Attending industry events

• Miscellaneous office duties

• Creating presentations and reports

• Running general errands

Being a personal assistant is not for everyone. It takes a lot of self-confidence and the ability to work under pressure, as deadlines usually happen close together and need to be met without hesitation.

The main qualities and skills you'll need to possess are:

• Organization

• Interpersonal and communication skills

• Time management

• Trustworthiness

• Calm nature

• Flexibility

As a personal assistant, you will likely have to travel for business and go to industry events. These events may be in the evening or on the weekend.

The salary level of a personal assistant depends on a variety of things such as experience, skills, education, geographic area, and the employer. A personal assistant can make anywhere from $35,000 to $94,000. The more valuable a personal assistant is, the more they make.

Personal assistants are hard to come by but if you prove yourself, your duties and responsibilities may grow. There is also the possibility of getting promoted to a managerial position if you show key leadership skills.

There are no set requirements to becoming a personal assistant, you just need to have a proven track record in an administrative role.

To land your first job as a personal assistant, you'll need to have worked in an administrative role before.

• Work as a receptionist or in an administrative capacity.

• Volunteer

• Complete an internship

To make sure your resume reaches the right people, you'll need to craft it carefully along with your cover letter. Your CV should include skills that are transferable across different roles, and your cover letter needs to explain how keen you are for a new role.

As a personal assistant, you should expect to progress and be paid more as you do. You might receive additional responsibilities and an increase in important projects.

You'll also build a great contact list through the numerous networking events that you'll attend. You must keep these relationships going and stay in touch with the people that you meet.