Personal assistant - overview

What does a personal assistant or other secretary do?

Personal assistants (PAs) often work for managers, executives and directors across a range of industries. PAs help to schedule their time effectively and carry out varied administrative tasks. This role can come with high responsibility as you’ll be relied upon heavily. You can expect to be the first point of contact for external and internal contacts.

As a PA, you’ll use your organisational skills and attention to detail to book travel and accommodation, plan meetings, schedule calls and help your manager with any administrative issues that may arise. This can be a demanding role but this hard work is rewarded with a great sense of satisfaction at getting the job done.

What will your days involve?

Daily tasks will vary but could involve:

• Scheduling meetings and taking minutes
• Setting reminders for important deadlines
• Answering phone calls, emails and faxes
• Meeting clients and guests as the first point of contact
• Managing a business diary and calendar for your manager
• Booking accommodation, travel, and reservations
• Organising office systems
• Creating presentations, briefs, and reports
• Travelling with your manager for meetings and events (if necessary)
• Maintaining a filing system

FAQs

How much can you earn as a personal assistant or other secretary?

The average salary for a personal assistant or other secretary in the UK is £31,720. Graduates start at around £24,500.

Does a personal assistant or other secretary role involve travel in the UK or overseas?

Personal assistants and other secretaries may need to travel for work depending on their employer.

Can you work from home as a personal assistant or other secretary?

You may be given the option to work from an office, home, or a mixture of the two.