Personal assistant job qualifications and skills

a Personal Assistant having a conversation with someone

What skills does a personal assistant need to have?

If you want to succeed as a personal assistant (PA), here are some of the most important skills you should have:

Strong verbal and written communication skills when making direct calls and recording briefing notes
Attention to detail when completing organisational tasks like filing correspondence and other routine documents
Analytical skills for preparing reports on business operations
Good organisational skills, particularly for organising meetings, making travel arrangements, maintaining appointment diaries and processing incoming and outgoing mail
Communication skills, both verbal and written
Attention to detail
Good organisational skills, particularly in diary management and scheduling
The ability to prioritise work according to deadlines, importance and urgency
Ability to present a professional and courteous manner when making telephone calls and welcoming clients and stakeholders Professional and courteous telephone manner
The ability to be diplomatic, tactful and discreet, particularly with matters relating to confidential files and information The ability to be diplomatic, tactful and discreet in keeping information confidential
Computer literacy and knowing your way around commonly used programs like Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint and Word

One key performance indicator for personal assistants is words per minute (WPM). The average PA should be able to type between 55-60 words per minute without any punctuation, spelling, or grammar errors.

Learn more about a personal assistant's duties and responsibilities as outlined on their job description.

How can someone learn essential personal assistant skills?

Most of the skills needed to be a personal assistant can be learned on the job in any office support role. Typing, replying to emails, managing calendars, taking phone calls and using basic computer software are all things you will pick up in most office jobs.

It is possible to enhance your skills by undertaking courses in areas like secretarial or office administration. However, the best PAs have all developed their skills through years of practical experience performing similar tasks for different professionals and organisations.

What qualifications does a personal assistant need to have?

There are no formal qualifications or certifications that you need to be a personal assistant. The most important thing is having the right combination of skills, experience and personality for the position.

So, do you need to go to university to be a personal assistant? No, but if you are looking to advance your career, gaining professional qualifications will demonstrate your commitment and place you ahead of other candidates when looking for a new job.

Degrees, diplomas and certifications in English, communications, or business administration would be the most beneficial for a personal assistant to have. Aspiring PAs will also benefit from an educational background in the specific industry they want to focus on (if any). For example, an academic background in law would help a PA who wanted to work in a legal position.

How does a personal assistant upskill throughout their career?

Personal assistants can upskill by undertaking short courses to refresh their skills or learn new ones, for example:

A refresher course in Microsoft Office applications
Specialised course in time management
CRM software course for customer relationship management

It is important that the PA stays on top of industry trends and developments. For example, many office support roles now require PAs to have a solid understanding of social media and how it can be used in business.

Nevertheless, not everyone has the available time or financial resources to dedicate to upskilling. If that sounds like you, try using Hays Learning, our free innovative e-learning platform brought to you in collaboration with Go1. The Hays Learning platform has a wide variety of new online courses that can help prepare you for a bright future. Sign up now for free.

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