How to Become a Professional Personal Assistant?

Is your career plan to become a professional personal assistant? It’s a great choice undoubtedly, but you also need to know that there is a fair bit of competition in the field. Not everybody is cut out for this profession either, as it requires a high level of accuracy, perseverance, and of course, working under pressure. So all things considered, the big question would be;

Is Being a Personal Assistant a Good Job?

It is. The profession allows you to grow and progress in many different directions. All that will stop you from growing in this field is yourself and nothing else. It also is among one of the highest paying and highly in-demand jobs around the world. You get to play a role that is central to the functioning of your organisation and you will be entrusted with a lot of responsibility as well as highly confidential information. This means that you will always be central to the growth and development of your organisation.

What Should You do to Become a Professional PA?

The role of a personal assistant has greatly changed over the past couple of decades. Where you would primarily associate the role with getting coffee and answering the phone before, PAs are now running operations, managing projects, and much more. Here is what you can do to become a professional PA.

(Source: https://www.metierrecruitment.com.au/news/the-changing-role-of-a-personal-assistant/19458/ )

Is This the Right Job for You?

Before you start, ask yourself whether this really is the right job for you. The more you enjoy and feel passionate about your livelihood, the better you will perform. Nobody wants to go through half a day of sitting at a job that only brings in the paycheque at the end of the month. The job also has its challenges, so, if you are expecting this to be easy as a cakewalk, you are probably looking at the wrong profession.

Do You Have the Right Skills for It?

Being a personal assistant means that you either inherently come with, or make an effort to gain the skills and qualities that are required of one. The more you do this, the easier your duties will become and the happier your boss will be.

• Be tech-savvy –

  Needless to say, you will be handling a hundred different things on some days, and on some days, you will enjoy relative peace and quiet. There is one key weapon in any personal assistant’s arsenal that can help them handle both instances with ease; technology. Know your basics like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Know the software used by the organisation that you work for. Be handy with your smartphone and have everything at your fingertips.

• Listen and write –

  If you keep running back to your boss to ask them to repeat what they told you once, you will create an impression of carelessness about you and also shows a lack of professionalism. Worse, it can really hurt your career. When your boss speaks to you, listen attentively and actively, clarify any doubts before you leave their office, and most importantly write or record everything down.

• Be organised –

  You are expected to have everything in order so that when other people mess up, you can guide them and help them out. This begins with organising your and your boss’s schedules and extends to the filing system, employee records, and databases at times, along with other sensitive information that you are privy to. Don’t get untidy and leave things lying around.

• Be powerful. You play a role of power in your company –

  Be brave and confident. Welcome challenges. Take criticism well and professionally and be bold enough to make a call when the time is right. If your boss entrusts responsibility to you, you are expected to perform well. Don’t be timid and feel that you are overstepping a line. Is somebody taking too long to complete their work? Let them know and give them a deadline. Are you out of petty cash to run that errand for your boss? Let your boss know that they need to reimburse it soon. Speak up but keep it professional.

• Be punctual –

  You will be in charge of telling your boss that they cannot get late for their next meeting. So just imagine, what it would be like if you yourself were always running late? Tardiness and personal assistants don’t go well together, so set your watch ten minutes ahead or more if needed and always be early.

• Build good working relationships –

  You will be working with every single employee in your organisation most of the time. For you to get your work done effectively, a solid and professional rapport is a must. Groom your interpersonal and communication skills so that they help you in building strong and professional working relationships that bring positive results to everybody involved.

Are Educational Qualifications Important to Become a PA?

Absolutely!!! You may have great leadership instincts and every other quality that is needed for the job, but the right education is what will give you the tools and polish up your skills so that you can thrive and perform in a high-pressure work environment. The best part about becoming a personal assistant is that you can complete a wide range of PA courses online which is great for your schedule. However, you do need to make sure that you are learning from an education provider who is accredited and reputed. You also need to double-check to make sure that the certifications you are getting from them are recognised in the industry.

Where can You Find the Right Programs Online?

If you are searching for accredited personal assistant qualifications, Study 365 can help you. Our programs are accredited and the certifications are awarded by bodies recognised both within and outside the UK.

Take a look at our programs and enroll with us to make sure that you give yourself the best advantage in your career

Executive Secretarial Personal Assistant Training

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