How to Become an Assistant

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become an assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 5 to 7 years years to become an assistant.

To get a job as an assistant, you need to choose an area of work and prepare yourself to work for a professional in that field. Many professionals need assistants; therefore, the preparation to work under a professional depends on the chosen field of work.

Nearly all assistants need some specialized training. Beginning with high school education, individuals seeking the role of assistant would either seek out an employer who would train them or take post-secondary classes in their field of interest.

Dental assistants and carpenter's assistants have very different skill sets, but both require the training of a professional. Pursuing a job as a personal assistant may require a very different skill set.

Personal assistants may not need specialized occupational training; rather, they may need to be highly organized schedule makers that act as planners for a professional.

Assistants make anywhere from $32,000 to $65,000 per year. The salary of an assistant is strongly tied to the specific field of work that they are engaged in.

While the title assistant can be applied to nearly any profession, there are certain occupations that utilize assistants regularly. Although these professions are very different from one another, the average salary for many types of assistants is similar.

Assistants that work in the fields of legal, administrative, and dental all make an average annual salary of approximately $42,000. All of these professions require specific training before an assistant can perform their job.

Personal assistants typically have a less specific training requirement and therefore earn an average of approximately $34,000 per year.

Assistants with very specialized training or a wealth of experience can make up to $65,000 per year.

Yes, being a personal assistant is a good career that provides an adequate salary and ample opportunities but is not considered a career field.

Because the role of personal assistant varies depending on the specific employer, the range of duties can be very broad. The responsibilities of a personal assistant can range from scheduling appointments to running personal errands.

Because of this wide variety of responsibilities, many assistants will use their experience in the field to move into other professional areas.

Some personal assistants will take the experience related to specific employers such as CEOs or even celebrities and turn that into a business. They will hire and place other assistants in these fields.

The job of a personal assistant is taxing and requires a level of attention that, over time, many find difficult to maintain. The average full-time personal assistant remains in the field for approximately twenty years.

The qualifications you need to be a personal assistant are to be skilled in a number of diverse areas. From technology to communication, a personal assistant must be qualified to perform many tasks.

Basic computer skills involving word processing and email programs are essential to a personal assistant's duties. Computerized schedules are also a part of many personal assistants' duties.

Much of what a personal assistant does involves effective communication. Assistants must be active listeners while also having the ability to interact with a variety of people. Because of the numerous tasks and individuals involved, a personal assistant must be able to multitask.

An individual that is very organized and enjoys working with various people on numerous tasks may have the qualifications necessary to be a good personal assistant.