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SOME REASONS WHY YOU MAY WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER
AS AN ASSISTANT
The main reason for becoming an assistant is that it takes you from being just another nameless face in a crowd of employees to the front of the line where you will learn firsthand from your employer. This unlimited access to the “Boss” can be invaluable. No better education can be garnered from any school, let alone an institution of higher learning, than what you can gain from your employer. Unfortunately, entrepreneurial skills are rarely taught in colleges and/or universities, and when they are, most of the time the information has very little to no practical application in the real world. When you stand shoulder to shoulder with the team leader, you will be informed of practically every business-related decision they make. Additionally, you will most likely get to hear how they gather and process information before making decisions, which is something that can only be learned and seen in normal day-to-day business operations.
Everyone has three choices when it comes to making decisions:
- GOOD DECISION
- BAD DECISION
- NO DECISION
No decision is the worst. Leaders must make decisions throughout the day, some good and some bad. Your goal is to minimize your bad decisions and augment your ability to make good decisions. Nonetheless, you must make a decision and take responsibility for your decisions. Winners are not whiners. Winners don’t complain or cast blame. If you want to be successful in life, one important key to unlocking the door of financial freedom is the ability to make good decisions. Never forget, the quality of your life and the success of your career are both determined by the quality of your decisions.
The next reason for pursuing a career as an assistant is that you’ll be able to get into your own business far more quickly and easily. Most of the mistakes you will inevitably make will more than likely have already been made while you were working as someone’s assistant and therefore you will have made those mistakes at your employer’s expense, not yours. There is no better training ground than that in the real world. Most degree programs require an on-the-job training (OJT) for at least one semester, however, these programs are more for optics than real experience and provide a very limited real work experience at best. The employer is aware that you are not being paid for the work and therefore doesn’t ask much, or expect much, from the student. Similarly, the student knows they are not getting paid and therefore put forth minimal effort.
As an assistant, you earn while you learn. Because you know that your employer is paying you, you have a propensity to be more diligent and hard-working. People are more engaged when they have a financial incentive waiting for them at the end of the week, two weeks, or month, depending on their pay period.
Assistants are rated in a hierarchy pyramid:
- First/Entry Level – Personal Assistant
- Second Level – Virtual Assistant
- Third Level – Administrative Assistant
- Fourth/Top Level – Executive Assistant
There are countless subcategories of assistants but these four are the most common for applicants seeking employment without a degree or specialty training like dental assistants, legal assistants, and so on. Most assistants are hired by executives to share their workload. They may choose to hire you on their own or through their company. If she/he hires you personally, you are employed by her/him, not the company. Which means she/he is your employer and therefore pays your salary and she/he is your supervisor. On the other hand, if you are hired by the business/company, the company pays your salary and the executive is your supervisor. Either way is legitimate and a professional position. It really is just a matter of the employer’s preference which is more often than not, decided based on their company’s business model and/or on their accountant’s advice. Don’t get hung up on the idea of working for a “company”. Focus on results, not optics.
Since being a Personal Assistant necessitates some basic familiarity with the skill sets required in the other three positions, I strongly recommend starting your career as a personal assistant. There is an old saying, “The loftier the building, the deeper must the foundation be laid.” Becoming someone’s personal assistant especially if they run their own business, is absolutely the best way to get your foot in the door of the business world, and if you stay in the position for at least two or three years, you will have built an unshakable foundation that will support your career for a lifetime.
Most employers are willing to train personal assistants because they are all-around, cost less to hire, and spend a lot of time with their employers. Whereas, virtual assistants spend very little face-to-face time with their employer, administrative assistants a bit more, and executive assistants just a little more but all are paid very well relative to their position on the assistant pyramid and therefore are expected to already know their job duties and are capable of performing them well. Virtual, Administrative, and Executive are considered to be professional careers and those employed in those positions should already be well educated, have a solid foundation in the field (including some previous experience), have already perfected their craft, and only need additional training on the nuances of the employer’s specific business, wants, needs, procedures, and expectations.
Many executives will hire various level assistants based on their education, experience as well as other criteria. I, on the other hand, always promote within. I would never hire a virtual, administrative, or executive assistant who wasn’t first trained and had experience as my personal assistant. I must know someone’s attitude, work ethic, skills, and a host of other things before I could ever have the confidence in their abilities to manage my business affairs with complete autonomy. I am just a firm believer in education and training. I know that if someone works side-by-side with me for two or three years they will garner all of the skills they could possibly need to be excellent at their job.
Nonetheless, if you possess the following 25 core skills and attributes already, there are millions of job opportunities to be had.
- Positive attitude ― Employers hire people for their skills and fire people for their attitude. All assistants must have a “can do” attitude. They must always find the good in everything. Blamers and complainers are not suited for positions as assistants. Assistants interact with countless numbers of people from many cultures, positions of authority, backgrounds, and beliefs.
Assistants are expected to be able to lead, guide and motivate others with their personalities and professional charm. Assistants must be strong and persuasive with grace, and this attitude cannot be faked it must be sincere and heartfelt.
- Independent ― Assistants are often asked to travel. Sometimes this entails traveling with the employer, a team, and sometimes alone. The travel could be local, domestic, or international. An assistant must be ready and willing to travel at a moment’s notice. Employers can’t wait for their assistant to get the parents’ permission or permission from a partner or spouse. This is one reason I always advise applicants to know what may be expected of the assistant because some lifestyles are not conducive to marriages and relationships. Independence is a major must for most assistant positions.
- Follow instructions – You should be able to process information, follow instructions and complete tasks with minimal supervision.
- Communication skills – Written, reading, and speaking skills are essential if you wish to pursue a professional career. Assistant positions require communication skills to create partnerships, adapt to any situation, and ensure that managers are informed of important information in a timely manner. Assistants liaise with many stakeholders, and being able to disseminate and absorb communication and information is a necessity.
You’ll be writing a lot of documents, from e-mails to company-wide documents, and you’ll need to communicate clearly and concisely. Furthermore, you’ll be dealing with numerous people on a regular basis, so make sure your conversational skills are top-notch and your phone etiquette is impeccable.
- Interpersonal skills – Assistants must be able to interact with a wide variety of people without difficulty in order to assist the boss in a variety of circumstances, from secretarial tasks to learning about their boss’s personal life. You must also be pleasant and able to interact with people of diverse temperaments and degrees of importance.
- Time management skills – One of the most important skills for assistants to have is being able to plan and manage how to wisely split time between various tasks. Assistants must manage their boss’ time as well as their own to allow them to perform their work-related responsibilities.
- Strong organizational skills – Organize everything. Additionally, be able to swiftly discover whatever the boss might need. Without exceptional organizing abilities, you cannot accomplish any of these. Furthermore, keeping your job on track helps ensure that you never fall behind schedule.
- Ability to multitask – Multitasking is a skill that all assistants must be able to acquire in order to deal with competing priorities and administrative responsibilities.
- Attention to detail – Assistants must be able to study and plan everything in minute detail. An assistant, for example, can plan business accommodation and transportation while considering travel expense policies, alternative routes, and even accommodating dietary requirements when making restaurant reservations.
- Creative problem solving – Problem-solving is an essential ability. You must be able to deal with challenging conditions. Solving minor issues without involving your boss will relieve their workload and make you shine.
- Technology skills – Keep up with technology. Technology is an essential component of being an efficient assistant. Because an employer may not have the time to explore and/or master new programs or technical equipment, a good assistant must keep up with recent improvements. Furthermore, there are numerous technological instruments that aid in making the task of the modern assistant easier.
- Honesty and integrity – You will have a direct impact on the lives of your Boss, his/her family, your co-workers, the brand of the company, and most importantly―your own brand. You must always be truthful and conduct business with integrity.
- Adaptability – It is important to be able to adjust to any circumstance on the go. Whatever comes up, you must be able to think swiftly and efficiently.
- Radiate professionalism – It is important that your physical appearance and attitude reflect your administrative abilities. This entails adhering to the dress code and taking caution with your body language—slouching in meetings is strictly prohibited! In addition, greet everyone with a solid handshake, smile, and maintain eye contact. Whether it’s fair or not, you represent your boss and department in every conversation, if you project professionalism, you’ll get it back more often than not.
- Workplace flexibility – Assistants must be able to drop what they are doing if their employer requires anything urgently. You must be able to switch between tasks quickly. These “emergencies” may appear foolish or needless to an assistant at times, if it is important to the employer, the assistant must prioritize it. It’s also easy to become distracted, so you should be able to easily return to earlier duties. (However, don’t try to do two things at once—switching activities varies from “multitasking”).
- Confidence and emotional stability – Being an assistant is not for you if you are unable to advocate for yourself, are easily hurt, or are extremely sensitive. Your boss is human; if you work that closely with someone, you’ll see them on good and bad days, so having a thick skin and the capacity to manage your emotions comes in handy. In other words, if you can’t keep a stiff upper lip till you’re alone in your own home or bedroom, and instead cry whenever your feelings are violated, you should probably seek another work route.
- Have career goals – Determine your own objectives for your current career and beyond. While some people like being an assistant, others may aspire to more public positions. Determine what you ultimately want to achieve in your own profession.
- Understand you come second – The last thing an employer wants or needs is a drama queen as an assistant! Believe us when we say that anyone in need of a competent assistant isn’t interested in, or has time for, your drama. If your life is a roller coaster, you won’t make it far. In some positions, you must also bring everything you need to get through the day (food, water, notepads, pens, and so on). During your workweek, you probably won’t have time to stop at a convenience store for water or go through the fast food drive-through. You must also keep note of your own hours worked and any expenses that must be reimbursed.
- Your personal life must be organized – You will be unable to be an efficient assistant if your home, finances, or other duties outside of work are in chaos. Even if you believe you have it “under control,” any flaws with personal organization will eventually show up in your job.
- The ability to handle extreme stress and long hours – You either have this skill or you don’t.
- Be comfortable “wearing many hats.” – You may be requested to pick up the dog from the groomer, pick up groceries, or schedule a doctor’s appointment for your employer. Your duty is to do all of the minor day-to-day work so that your boss may concentrate on their own tasks. So if you are Maarte, a career as an assistant may not be for you.
- Good personal presentation – Yes, grooming is important, especially in the professional environment. It’s one thing if the long-haired rock star you work for looks like a mess in public, but an assistant must be professional. Personal cleanliness is essential, and attire should be modest and appropriate for the situation.
- Resourceful – It is critical for assistants to be resourceful, which may include researching content and finding solutions to difficulties your boss may have or things he/she may want. Clients that are short on time frequently hire assistants to check facts, respond to communications, and handle social media accounts. Knowing how to accomplish these jobs necessitates knowledge that can be difficult to come by.
- Initiative – Being proactive and showing initiative are essential qualities for a great assistant. Assistants must always be on the lookout for ways to improve processes and procedures, had the confidence to make decisions, and adopt new ways of working to support their employer’s and the organization’s goals.
- A good sense of humor – An excellent assistant’s best asset is most likely her or his sense of humor. Employers operate at the highest level of business, thus there is a lot of pressure in the role. The capacity to smile through stress and adversity, and shift the emphasis to humor or positivity when tension emerges is an invaluable skill that all assistants should learn.
There will be a more in-depth discussion on each of the 25 core disciplines in the Personal Development section as it progresses.
You may read more about each of the four assistants by clicking on one or more of the designated sections on the site’s Menu.
*If you are looking for a job/career, and would like to apply as one of my personal assistants, please click on the “Contact Us” Tab on the menu to the left and follow the instructions. Thank you.