How to become a personal assistant | Salary, skills, requirements

As a personal assistant (PA), you'll work closely with a senior manager or director to provide administrative support, usually on a one-to-one basis. You'll help them make the best use of their time by handling secretarial and administrative tasks and organising their work.

You'll need to develop extensive knowledge of the organisation in which you work, including knowing who key personnel are (both external and internal) and what the organisation's aims and objectives are.

Managers often rely heavily on their PA, trusting that work will be handled efficiently in their absence, freeing them up for higher-level tasks. Discretion and confidentiality are therefore essential attributes.

Personal assistants are sometimes known as personal, private or executive secretaries.

What does a personal assistant do?

In the busy role of a PA, you'll need to:

be the first point of contact with people from both inside and outside the organisation
devise and maintain office systems, including data management and filing
arrange travel, itineraries, visas and accommodation, sometimes travelling with the manager to meetings to take notes or dictation at or to provide general assistance during presentations
screen phone calls, enquiries and requests, and handle them when appropriate
meet and greet visitors at all levels of seniority
organise and maintain calendars, schedule meetings and make appointments
deal with incoming emails and post, often corresponding on behalf of the manager
produce documents, briefing papers, reports and presentations
organise and attend in-person and online meetings, write agendas and ensure the manager is well prepared for meetings
liaise with clients, suppliers and other staff.

You may also be required to:

carry out specific projects and research and present findings
take responsibility for accounts and budgets
work more closely with management if taking on some of the manager's responsibilities
deputise for the manager, make decisions and delegate work to others in the manager's absence
be involved in decision-making processes.

Some PAs do all the secretarial work themselves, while others take responsibility for recruiting and training junior staff and delegate some of the less demanding and confidential work to them.

How much do personal assistants get paid?

Typical starting salaries are between £22,000 and £33,000, and potentially up to £40,000 in London.
Personal assistants with several years' experience generally earn £26,000 to £38,000.
In London, and if you work for a top financial institution or a top-tier executive, you can earn as much as £70,000.

Salaries vary widely depending on the size, status and nature of the employing organisation, as well as on geographical location.

Some personal assistants register with agencies and move between organisations on short-term contracts. Hourly rates vary but average anywhere from minimum wage to around £35 per hour, depending on the location and sector. This provides less job security but more flexibility and the scope to gain a variety of experience.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

How many hours does a personal assistant work?

You'll generally work from 9am to 5pm, depending on the type of organisation you work for. It may be necessary to work overtime during peak times and when deadlines are close. The work is always focused on the needs of the manager and working very closely with one person means that your schedule might need to align with theirs.

While it's generally uncommon to travel much in this role, the requirement for travel (within a working day, overnight and overseas) varies significantly according to the nature of a manager's business. Part-time work, flexible hours, remote working and career breaks are all possible.

How do I become a personal assistant?

Although this area of work is open to all graduates and those with a HND, a degree in business or management may increase your chances. Some subjects are more relevant for certain industries, such as English literature for publishing and law for legal work.

For HND holders, the following subjects may increase your chances:

administration
business
management
secretarial studies.

Entry without a degree, HND or foundation degree is possible as personal qualities, experience and general office skills are typically considered more important.

GCSE English and mathematics (or equivalent) are standard entry requirements for many positions. A qualification in IT may also be required.

It's unusual to enter directly into a PA position as a recent graduate due to the level of expected experience. However, it's not impossible, and one way of increasing your chances would be to study for a relevant business and administration qualification such as the ones offered by:

Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) - accredits a number of professional courses.
Pitman Training - the Professional Executive PA Diploma is tailored training for a PA.

What skills does a personal assistant need?

In addition to relevant experience and administrative knowledge, you'll need to show evidence of:

attention to detail - particularly when managing correspondence, schedules, documents and other information on behalf of management
communication skills - with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with a wide range of people on behalf of management
discretion - with an understanding of confidentiality and the need to handle sensitive or personal information appropriately
flexibility and adaptability - to respond to changing priorities, work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
IT skills - including confidence using common office software, digital communication tools and administrative systems
organisational and time management skills - to coordinate diaries, meetings, travel, deadlines and competing priorities
research and analytical skills - to find, assess and summarise information and present it clearly and concisely.

Fast and accurate typing skills are useful, while shorthand or speedwriting can help with taking notes and minutes quickly. These are not usually essential requirements, and their importance will depend on the role and employer.

Knowledge of a foreign language may also be useful for positions involving international clients, colleagues or travel.

Personal assistant work experience

Most positions will require a minimum of two years' relevant experience, which will generally have been gained in a junior secretarial or administrative role.

Working as a temp, either during or after your studies, can provide the opportunity to acquire office experience and develop higher-level secretarial skills. Many PAs will have worked their way up from entry-level office positions and general secretarial roles.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Who employs personal assistants?

PAs work in a range of large, medium-sized and small organisations across all sectors. Positions can be found in:

charities
financial companies
health organisations
large commercial organisations
local and central government organisations
schools and educational organisations
private individuals.

Look for job vacancies at:

Specialist recruitment agencies commonly handle PA vacancies, for example:

Larger and more general agencies also handle PA vacancies and are a good way of finding temping opportunities.

Look out for special events aimed at personal assistants, such as The PA Show - an annual exhibition and conference aimed at PAs, executive assistants and office managers.

Despite the personal nature of the role, self-employment is possible for those with considerable experience. Virtual assistants work from home giving their time in blocks to a range of clients.

Where can a career as a personal assistant lead?

Training is mainly carried out on the job. Experienced secretaries may supervise new entrants until they are competent in the work. Larger companies may provide an induction course, often lasting a few days, to introduce you to the various areas of the business. They may also provide short courses in areas such as:

word processing and database or spreadsheet software packages
shorthand and effective minute taking
industry procedures and business protocol
health and safety.

In smaller companies, you'll usually have to do training in your own time and under your own initiative, although employers may be willing to pay for relevant courses.

It's possible to undertake part-time study while you're working to gain relevant qualifications, which can normally be studied over one or two years such as the Level 3 PA Certificate Course and PA Diploma offered by Institute of Executive Assistants and Administrators (IEAA). Alternatively, you could take a business administration degree course.

Once you gain experience, progression can be rapid. PAs can work their way up to more senior posts with responsibility for junior staff, management positions, or administration positions in other departments.

You may also consider specialising in a specific sector, for example as a legal or medical PA. These jobs can attract higher salaries but may require additional qualifications.

Working as a self-employed virtual assistant is an option for experienced PAs and the flexibility of this can be appealing. For more information, see The UK Association of Virtual Assistants.

Membership of a professional body, such as the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM), is useful for continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities. The IAM is now the leading professional body for business leaders, administration managers and professional administrators.

You can also apply for membership of the chartered or professional body of the sector within which you are working. For example:

See the IAM website for information on membership, events, online training courses and details of endorsed qualifications, such as the Level 4 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management, available from relevant awarding bodies.