Personal Assistant
Duties and Attributes

The attributes of a good PA are:
- efficient,
- self-motivated,
- organised,
- a good communicator, and
- IT literate.

PAs manage and source resources and conduct research, so they need to be well informed, and internet savvy. They also need to keep up to date with the latest office gadgets and industry practices.

Personal Assistants are calm under pressure and capable of thinking on their feet. They typically support senior managers, executives and teams, and, of course, Celebrity Personal Assistants work with VIP's. PAs are increasingly required to work for more than one person. Consequently, the PA role has become a highly stressful one, particularly for Executive PAs, as PAs generally have their own workload and special projects to deal with.

PAs need to be capable of competently dealing with situations in the boss’s absence, and should be confident enough to commission work on their principal's behalf. Maintaining confidentiality is a fundamental requirement for any PA.

PAs need to keep abreast of organisational issues and have a good understanding of the organisation's aims and objectives. Above all, a PA's role is to support her principal in his efforts to reach his targets and deliver on his strategic goals.

PA Duties

Corporate Personal Assistant positions demand competence and skill at performing the following duties:

- reading, monitoring and responding to the principal's email,
- answering calls and handling queries,
- preparing correspondence on the principal's behalf,
- commissioning work on the principal's behalf,
- liaising with staff, clients, etc.,
- managing the principal's electronic diary,
- booking meetings,
- organising travel and preparing complex travel itineraries,
- writing minutes,
- taking dictation,
- planning, organising and managing events,
- managing a budget,
- attending events/meetings as the principal's representative,
- conducting research on the internet,
- writing reports, executive summaries and newsletters,
- preparing presentations,
- preparing papers for meetings,
- managing and reviewing filing and office systems,
- updating websites,
- typing documents,
- sourcing and ordering stationery and office equipment,
- managing projects,
- managing an Assistant.

If you were drafting a Personal Assistant resume, you would find that the PA role is similar to the Executive Assistant (EA) role at a basic level, so these titles are often used interchangeably. Generally, in addition to the above duties and attributes, the EA role also commands a good grasp of operations and business practices; a solid understanding of the company's goals and strategies, and good project management skills.

See also PA Stress

See also Virtual PA Services

See also 7 Ways to be a More Effective PA

See also Accredited Personal Assistant Training Courses & PA Professional Bodies

see also Personal Assistant eCoaching and Mentoring

See also Becoming an Executive Assistant

See also Celebrity Personal Assistant

See also Administrative Assistant Resume

See also The PA Job Search

See also Dealing With Job Loss

See also How to Build a Good Relationship With Your Boss

See also How to Deal With a Difficult Boss

See also Avoiding Job Burnout

See also Strategies for Maximising Your Performance Appraisal Score

See also Time Management

See also How to Ask For and Get a Payrise

See also Personal Assistant Tips Blog

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TOOLS & LINKS
PA Tools & over 60 Useful Links

PLANNING CHECKLISTS
Meeting Planning checklist
Event Planning Checklist
Travel Planning Checklist
Home Business Startup Checklist
Product Research Checklist
Information Sources Checklist

THE CORPORATE PERSONAL ASSISTANT PROFILE
PA Duties & Attributes
Executive Personal Assistant Duties & Attributes
Administrative Assistant Resume
Celebrity Personal Assistant
7 Ways to be a More Effective PA

THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT ROLE
Executive VA Services
Virtual Assistant Issues
Virtual Assistant Profile
Virtual Assistant Certification

ORGANISE YOURSELF AND MANAGE YOUR BOSS
How to Manage Your Time
How to Manage Your Time as a home worker
Stress And Your PA
17 Tips to Organise Your Boss
Build A Good Relationship With Your Boss
How to Deal With Difficult People
How to deal with an incompetent boss

CORPORATE TRAVEL PLANNING
Corporate Travel Issues
Corporate Travel Checklist
Travel Packing List For Executive Travel
Itinerary Items For Corporate Travel
Travel Consolidators
Serviced Apartments
Private Charter Jets
Discount Travel
Housing Exchange Schemes
Travel Thrift
TripChill-Your Personal Travel Assistant

CORPORATE MEETING PLANNING
Meetings Issues
Meetings Planning Checklist
Effective Meetings
How to make staff meetings more interesting
Virtual NetMeetings

WRITING MINUTES & AGENDAS
Writing Minutes of Meetings
Writing Meeting Agendas
Preparation for Taking Minutes

CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING
Corporate Event Issues
Event Planning Checklist
How to Book A Top Restaurant
Finding Cost Effective Venues
Booking A Venue
How to becoming an Event Planner
Event Planner Courses

WRITING FOR BUSINESS
Write A Business Apology
Write A Newsletter
Write Sales Copy
Write A Press Release
Format A Press Release
Create a Press Release Template
How to Speed Read
Internet Writing Tips

CAREER PLANNING
Executive Personal Assistant Training Courses
Accredited Secretarial Training Courses
PA Professional Associations
Career Options
Becoming a Personal Assistant
Becoming an Executive Assistant
Becoming a Life Coach
Is an Online Degree Right for You?
Careers With A Psychology Degree
Job Burnout
Personal Assistant Mentoring
How to ask for and get a Pay rise

THE JOB SEARCH
What You Should Know About Job Search Engines
Dealing With Job Loss
Career Fairs
How to Improve Your Resume
How to Write a Job Cover Letter
Interview Questions You Should Always Ask
Behavioural Style Interviews
The 40 Most Common Job Interview Questions
Mature Jobseekers CV Tips
Interview Clothes For Successful Interview
Job Interview Mistakes

RESEARCH
How to Research a Product
Where to Find Information Sources

ONLINE & OFFLINE MARKETING
How to Market your Business Online
Online Direct Marketing
How to Market your Business Offline
Free Internet Marketing
Marketing Basics
Market Analysis
Offline Marketing
Sales Psychology
How to Write Sales Copy
Advertising Placement
Best Pay Per Click Choices
How to Market Your Articles
Service Sellers Tips

UNDERSTANDING E-COMMERCE
How to Create a Website
Website Building Issues
Search Engine Web Crawlers
Choosing A Domain Name
What is a Cookie?
Google Web Analytics

TECHNOLOGY & OFFICE EQUIPMENT
Switch to a MacBook Pro
Review of the Livescribe Smartpen
Review of 680 Interactive Whiteboard
VoIP FAQs
PC Projectors Explained
What is Bluetooth?
Download free software

OFFICE SUPPLIES
Sourcing the Best Value Office Supplies
How to Choose an Ergonomic Chair
Creating an Effective Home Office

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