We have all heard of personal assistants, and the services which a good P.A provides are invaluable to those they support, but what about career progression? What options are available for senior and executive personal assistants, or those with similar experience who are looking to move their careers further forward?
A much newer and currently less common role has emerged in recent years which is not so much about the reactive day to day tasks a PA may encounter, but more about being a trusted, proactive partner working in harmony with, and complementing those they support, utilising all of the skills and experience they learned as personal assistants; the role of Business Assistant.
What is a Business Assistant?
A Business assistant may perform some of the tasks that a P.A may be faced with, such as managing travel itineraries, liaising with others and diary management. However there is a whole other side to the role, and a level of trust and responsibility that comes with working much more alongside their manager or director, as opposed to working for them.
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As a Business Assistant, all of your skills will be needed, as a first point of contact for your manager and representing them as required in business meetings and acting on their behalf via email and phone. You may also be travelling with them; organising meetings and complex travel itineraries, producing follow-up notes and planning. You may also play a key role in delegation and staff training, performing appraisals and auditing performance issues, all in a role that can have a real impact on the success of a business.
A business Assistant’s role is pivotal in the smooth running of an organisation, and it is a role that comes with a high level of responsibility, as such any potential candidate would be expected to have all of the following:
- Education to degree level OR
- A minimum of five year’s experience in a similar role
- Previous team management experience
- A strong knowledge of their chosen industry
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Good I.T competence, particularly in the Microsoft Office suite
In addition to the qualifications you’ll need for the role, there are also a range of qualities that can give you a head start on other candidates. You’ll be confident working alongside the company’s decision makers and highest level managers. You’ll have dedication, and the discipline to see a project through, from planning stage to completion. You will have the strong organisation skills needed to manage a challenging workload and handle strict deadlines, and you will have initiative, and the confidence to use it when needed.
If you have enjoyed a successful career as a Personal Assistant and may be looking for the next challenge, then a role as a Business Assistant represents a real opportunity, with excellent salaries and a chance to move forward, into a position of more influence, adding value to an organisation, while fulfilling your own ambitions and career goals.
