Career Spotlight: Personal Assistant - The Calendar Group

A personal assistant, also referred to as private secretary, is an important part of an organization responsible for providing secretarial support to senior management staff and directors. Personal assistants work in co-ordination with their managers to handle administrative tasks in order to meet the organization’s objectives.  An ideal personal assistant needs to possess extensive knowledge about the workflow and have great decision making abilities. Do you have what it takes to carve a successful career as a personal assistant?

Job Qualifications & Experience

Although the position can sometimes be open for non-graduates, a bachelor’s degree in business or management is a big plus point. A Higher National Diploma in relevant courses can increase your chances of grabbing the PA position as a fresher. Most positions demand experience of an at least two years in junior secretarial or administrative position. Working as a temp in the period of study can give you the necessary office experience required for this position.

Job Prospects & Remuneration

The projected job growth for personal assistants is around 3% from the year 2014 to the year 2024, as per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Personal assistants can expect to earn around $36,500 on a yearly basis.

Job Skills Needed

Confidentiality and discretion are two important attributes that a successful personal assistant should possess, apart from multi-tasking capacity and ability to handle pressure in a tricky situation when the manager is not present. Here are a few other skills that a personal assistant should have:

• Ability to meet deadlines
• Paying attention to details
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills
• Extensive knowledge about software packages and IT skills
• Good with time management
• Excellent research and analytical skills
• Ability to initiate something for the good of organization
• Reliability and honesty
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Flexible with working hours in order to fulfill the commitment
• Clear understanding of what needs to presented before the external clients

Job Scope Requirements

There are certain duties that you need to perform as a personal assistant and the requirement may vary according to the company’s workflow:

• Organizing and planning meetings
• Allotting work in absence of senior managerial staff
• Conducting practical research
• Preparing presentations
• Assisting the manager with the project in hand.
• Answering calls and emails on manager’s behalf
• Managing the workflow smoothly
• Organizing business travel and lodging for the team
• Liaising with suppliers and clients
• Being involved in critical decision making process

Want to Apply for a Personal Assistant Position Today?

With a serious approach towards recruiting the right kind of candidate for our PA positions, The Calendar Group welcomes you to undergo our assessment process, so that we can analyze your potential as a personal assistant and evaluate whether you are the right fit for the desired position in one of our reputed client’s organizations. Be informed that you must have necessary qualifications, work experience, good reference and eligibility to work in the United States. If you think you have what it takes, give us a call today to fix a scheduled meeting.