| p>Personal assistants play a very important role in | | | | statistics, information on business transactions, or |
| the lives of managers, executives, directors and | | | | results from other reports and business |
| other professionals - in fact they rely on personal | | | | summaries. |
| assistants to make sure that their jobs are | | | | - Greeting visitors and clientele - managers and |
| running smoothly. Without personal assistants | | | | other business professionals are very busy and |
| business professionals could still do their jobs but | | | | sometimes do not have time to attend to visitors |
| they would not be nearly as efficient as they are | | | | immediately so the personal assistant is often |
| with the help of personal assistants who are | | | | responsible for greeting clients and make them |
| experts are what they do. Because personal | | | | comfortable while they wait. Sometimes they |
| assistants are specialized at specific tasks they | | | | may have to answer questions on the manager's |
| can help business professionals get things done | | | | behalf or they might be asked to supply them |
| faster, which allows them to focus on the things | | | | with information that the client has requested. |
| that they specialize in. | | | | If you are considering becoming a personal |
| Personal assistants do many things for business | | | | assistant you can prepare yourself by making |
| professionals that save them time and help them | | | | sure you have the skills that are necessary. A |
| to be more efficient. Some of those things | | | | good knowledge of Word and Excel will help you |
| include: | | | | to present information in the most usable |
| - Dealing with mail - business people tend to be | | | | format. The ability to work with different email |
| overloaded with different types of mail, both | | | | systems, such as Office Outlook, will allow you to |
| e-mail and paper mail. It can take a fair amount | | | | take care of your manager's email quickly. You |
| of time to go through all of it and determine what | | | | should become knowledgeable in the industry that |
| is most important and what can wait until later. | | | | you wish to work in by reading industry focused |
| Personal assistants usually go through the mail | | | | magazines and journals. PowerPoint knowledge |
| first and break it down into manageable | | | | will help you to put together presentations for |
| categories. They may simplify messages into | | | | your manager and Access will allow you to create |
| easy to read notes and they may even help | | | | databases that are functional. |
| business professionals respond to simple | | | | One of the best ways to gain these skills is to |
| messages. | | | | attend a quality business course for administrative |
| - Completing research tasks - in order to | | | | professionals at an accredited business college. |
| complete reports and gather data to be used for | | | | Courses like these will help you to learn the skills |
| presentations research tasks are often needed. | | | | you need and they will often give you the |
| Doing research takes time and this is often | | | | opportunity to put them to use in a real world |
| something that personal assistants can do for | | | | situation by fulfilling a practicum or work practice |
| their managers to help them get things done | | | | assignment. |
| faster. This may include gathering relevant | | | | |