How to become a PA

13,071

4,979

£18,000/y

avg. starting salary

Passionate about organisation? Great at communicating? Good with acronyms? You should become a PA… Personal Assistants (PAs) provide administrative and secretarial support to mana14gers, executives, and company directors. They may also assist wealthy entrepreneurs, or even celebrities. Acting as the first point of contact between a manager and their employees, clients, and anyone else they communicate with, PAs do everything from managing office systems to handling all kinds of correspondence. They also carry out a wide range other duties, all to ensure their manager’s schedule, workload, and day-to-day is organised and maintained effectively. Typical PA tasks could include:

Screening phone calls, and replying to emails
Arranging meetings and appointments
Making travel arrangements
Note-taking, typing and compiling reports
Maintaining filing systems
Sourcing office supplies
Assisting with projects

First things first, you’ll need to be extremely organised, with great communication skills. And, as much of your duties will be administrative, expert IT skills and knowledge of a range of software packages (particularly Word and Excel) are equally important. You’ll also need to demonstrate discretion and reliability in everything you do. N.B. Those who are prone to being fashionably late need not apply… You’ll also need:

Attention to detail
Flexibility
An ability to meet deadlines
Research and analysis skills
Initiative
Time management skills
Trustworthiness

Trainee Personal Assistant

Up to £18,000

Personal Assistant (PA)

Up to £30,000

Executive Assistant (EA)

Up to £50,000

"Having a natural passion for organisation (yep, I’m one of those people), pursuing a career as a Personal Assistant seemed like an ideal route for me. Not only does it allow me to make the most of my love for efficiency, it also involves a great deal of communication on a daily basis – which is definitely something I enjoy. Additionally, being a PA means I’m awarded with a high level of trust and responsibility, not just by my manager, but also from others within the organisation. And, although it can be stressful to work so closely with one person (especially if problems arise), I find that effective communication is all you need to bring order back and resolve any issues."

Get qualified

You won’t need a degree to become a PA, but previous work experience in admin will generally help. Employers may also look for candidates with industry-specific qualifications, with good examples including the CPD Accredited PA course or the Executive Secretarial & PA course.

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