What Is A Personal Assistant?
According to the US Department of Labor, a personal assistant is someone who helps another individual to carry out activities of daily living.
Personal assistants are commonly hired by executives. However, sometimes, they are also hired by individuals with disabilities for personal assistance services to help make employment possible.
In the workplace, a private assistant, sometimes referred to as an executive assistant, typically carries out administrative tasks on behalf of executives or senior managers. Outside of the office, a personal assistant can also be hired to manage a private household or accomplish personal-related tasks.
Statistics determined that 80.7% of personal assistants are women, while 19.3% are men. Moreover, approximately 33,641 personal assistants are currently employed in the United States
What Do Private Assistants Do?
LinkedIn reported a personal assistant helps an individual with a variety of professional and personal tasks. Commonly, PAs are responsible for providing administrative support, dealing with emails, answering phone calls, and scheduling appointments.
Sometimes a private assistant is also hired by individuals to take care of maintaining the home or personal life like hiring cleaners and booking flights and hotels.
Other Personal Assistant Responsibilities
- Acting as a first point of contact for clients
- Scheduling meetings
- Making travel arrangements
- Arranging transport and accommodation
- Taking notes and meeting minutes
- Preparing reports
- Typing, compiling, and preparing documents
- Organizing events and conferences
- Reminding the executive of important tasks and deadlines
- Managing databases and filing systems
- Liaising with staff, suppliers, and clients
- Tracking expenses
- Looking for reliable suppliers
- Conducting research
Skills And Qualifications Of A Private Assistant
Knowledge of office management systems
A person planning to take on a job as a personal assistant should possess basic knowledge of office management systems and other office software. This skill is important especially if the tasks are performed in a workplace with several other officemates and staff members.
Office software is set up to streamline duties and responsibilities. To effectively contribute to the productivity of an executive or an office manager, the personal assistant should be knowledgeable on how to utilize the office management system in place.
Organizational skills
To exceptionally perform personal assistant duties, an individual should acquire and hone their organizational skills.
Being systematized assures that a private assistant can handle multiple tasks, identify priorities, and accomplish their work before the deadline.
Time management skills
Time management is the process of planning and controlling how much time to spend on specific activities, according to an online post.
Good time management enables a personal assistant to complete more tasks in a shorter period. The efficiency subsequently lowers stress and leads to success in the workplace.
Excellent oral and written communication skills
A personal assistant is subjected to communicating with different kinds of people and audiences every day. To properly convey their thoughts and messages, they should possess good oral and written communication skills.
This skill will also aid personal assistants to excel when performing administrative duties, answering calls, and executing calendar management.
Interpersonal skills
According to Indeed, interpersonal skills are traits a person relies on when interacting and communicating with others. Often called people skills, these involve the ability to communicate and build relationships with others.
A personal assistant job involves interacting with various parties like CEOS, celebrities, and high-net-worth individuals. Having people skills will ensure that a private assistant will have a positive impact on anybody, which may help in accomplishing difficult tasks.
Educational Attainment and Professional Background
The educational background required from aspiring personal assistants depends on the employer or whom they will be assisting.
Generally, a high school diploma or degree related to the industry can be useful. A report mentioned some community colleges and private programs also offer certificates or diplomas for personal assistants.
A post from Indeed mentioned entry-level personal assistants usually do not need related experience. However, some employers may require a couple of years of experience in doing administrative work.
Moreover, work experience as a receptionist, secretary, administrative assistant, or office manager is useful for taking on the role of a personal assistant. Some employers may also prefer candidates with previous experience in their industry. For example, a startup venture may want a personal assistant with a background in business administration or finance to understand certain concepts and terms.
How Much Should I Pay A Personal Assistant?
Traditionally, personal assistants work in close proximity with the employer or whom they will be assisting. The salary of an onsite private assistant varies depending on their skills and responsibilities.
If you are a business owner, a professional, or a private individual who is interested in a personal assistant to help you with your day-to-day tasks, consider hiring a virtual personal assistant.
What Is A Virtual Personal Assistant?
A virtual personal assistant performs the role of a private assistant but they work remotely. The job is fulfilled by utilizingtechnology—computers, other gadgets, internet, software, and programs.
Even remotely, a virtual personal assistant can accomplish most administrative duties and the following tasks:
- Data entry
- Online research
- Calendar management
- Schedule meetings
- Manage phone calls and emails
- Provide client and customer support
- Administrative support
- Handle multiple social media accounts
- Find specific suppliers
- Organize travel arrangements
- Order food, drinks, home supplies, and other essentials
- Aid in employee recruitment, and assess candidates
- Video editing
- Content writing
- Pay online bills and other subscriptions
- Liaise with contractors for home maintenance
- Run personal errands like shop gifts online
- Book pet care appointments
A virtual personal assistant can perform several responsibilities even if they operate in a remote work setup.
Statistically, you can save costs if you hire a virtual personal assistant over an onsite private assistant or executive secretary. A virtual employee does not require common expenses like transportation allowance, clothing allowance, communication allowance, and several other government-appointed benefits.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about 31% of the average pay for average workers goes towards the cost of benefits. That means an employer is paying nearly a third of the overall wage towards benefits—not the actual hourly cost of the labor for which you are paying.
In assistance services, you can essentially have the same experience on a virtual basis without the same full-time commitment when it comes to cost.
How To Hire A Virtual Personal Assistant
Interested in onboarding a virtual personal assistant for you or your business? Contact Remote Raven and schedule an appointment for an assessment of your specific needs.
Remote Raven is a legit outsourcing company that provides workforce solutions tailor-fit to your requests. With the agency, you are assured that all candidates are qualified and have the essential skills to perform virtual personal assistant responsibilities.
Writing A Personal Assistant Job Description
Remote Raven will help you in the whole hiring process including creating a personal assistant job description. The company has expert Filipino Recruitment Specialists who will screen applicants and identify the top candidates for the personal assistant role.
It is about time to take some things off your plate and delegate tasks to a reliable virtual personal assistant. Remote Raven will find the best aide for you so you can spend more time with your loved ones and other endeavors you have been wanting to do.
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