ALT-2 How to be a first Class Personal Assistantadministrator
I have been an executive personal assistant for almost ten years. Over that time, I have learned that the main difference between a personal assistant and a first class personal assistant is attitude - Proactive or Reactive.
Firstly, understand the industry that the company falls within, know what the purpose is of the company within that industry. Know who the company's competitors are.
Secondly, know what the company's goals are and what the strategy is to attain those goals. This is particularly relevant to executive personal assistants.
Once a personal assistant has that knowledge he/she will be better equipped to set their priorities. It is a personal assistant's job to assist his/her director/manager/executive in achieving their target within the larger framework and understanding the industry, competition and company strategy will could be the biggest factor in ensuring that that overall objective will be met.
Thirdly, keep abreast of industry related and general news.
Being a personal assistant is easy, all one needs is some organisational skills and the ability to get through a set amount of work in a day. Being an exceptional personal assistant is more of a challenge because an exceptional PA does more than assist, he/she needs to be cognisant of changes that occur within the industry as well as the generalised consequences of those changes and the direct impact that those changes will have on their company so that they can be prepared to act quickly. One could argue that that is the manager's job, that's why he or she gets paid the higher salary but the chances are they are aware and already have contingency plans in place; plans that the PA may be required to assist put into action.
A first class PA fulfils many functions within an organisation, from getting the coffee to ensuring that the corporate image is upheld within the industry to being an emotional support in times of grief.
Because the role of personal assistants is so diversified, being disorganised is not an option. This is where the normal tasks like data storage, typing, task lists and calendar control come into play.
Data StorageInformation needs to be stored correctly so that it can be accessed swiftly, and by anyone who may need to access it. If a PA does not understand the industry, how will he or she know which information is pertinent and vital? The boss might hand you a piece of information that seems obscure or mundane, and perhaps he does not have the time to explain why the information is necessary.
Part of data storage is filing - both hard copy and computerised.Contact details of suppliers, customers, competitors, key role players in the industry should also be an important part of data storage.
TypingA first class PA understands the importance of tone, style, grammar, spelling and aesthetics.
All of these need to be considered when typing any kind of document, whether it is an email, a letter, memo, fax, press release, itinerary, agenda or minutes. A poorly worded/spelled/laid-out document reflects badly on the company's image.
One cannot rely entirely on spell check because some words like - form/from, diary/dairy - will not be picked up as being incorrectly spelled.When it comes to taking minutes, more is always better. When it comes to typing up the minutes, one needs to know what the objective of the meeting was so that the minutes can be adapted accordingly - detailed versus highlighted action points.
It is always important to remember that most, if not all, typed documents are a form of communication.
Task ListsManaging your own task list is easy, but there are many times when a personal assistant has to manage other peoples' task lists. Having knowledge of other people's workloads can help to ensure that deadlines are met. Asking employee X for his report on the day it is due could be a day too late if he/she has been busy with three projects and the one thing they forgot was that report.
Every PA knows that having task list is an integral part of time management. One cannot prioritise tasks if one does not know what tasks are required.
Diary ManagementThe task list details what needs to be done, correctly managing diaries ensures that the time is made to get the tasks done. The first class PA should always check his/her manager's diary two to three days ahead of the current day, as well as checking the diary for days when certain project deadlines are due. If project X is due on 5 March and the boss will be in another town for two days before that, the first class PA should move the deadline forward 'just in case'. If moving the deadline forward is not a possibility, the PA needs to ensure that the manager is fully aware of the situation.
