Personal Assistant Career Guide

Potential Roles as a Personal Assistant

---

The role of a personal assistant can vary depending on the employer and the type of work the company undertakes. Personal care assistants carry out very different tasks than a workplace PA or EA. They support people with their physical and social needs to live as full a life as possible.

Personal assistants (PAs) work with senior professionals to help organise and manage their working lives. PAs typically work for one manager, although some may provide more low-level support to a management team. Personal assistant jobs can involve diary management, administrative support, arranging travel, screening phone calls and emails, and facilitating meetings.

Executive assistants (EAs) are experienced PAs who work with C-suite managers or other senior staff members, like company CEOs, hospital trust managers or senior politicians. Executive assistant jobs can involve advanced responsibilities, including planning events and handling sensitive information or large sums of money. The term ‘executive assistant’ is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘personal assistant’.

Personal care assistants support individuals with mental or physical health needs or learning disabilities. As a personal care assistant, you might need to help the client wash, dress, prepare food and take medications. Personal care assistant jobs require a criminal records check to safeguard the client and a clean driving license so you can transport them to social activities or appointments.

 

Salary and Career Progression

---

Salary and the potential for career progression vary hugely across different sectors and types of personal assistant jobs. Typically, workplace PA and EA jobs attract higher salaries than personal care assistant jobs.

  Personal Assistant (PA)

Personal assistants can enter the workplace in a junior role and quickly progress to senior positions if they show aptitude and the desired skills.

In the UK, starting salaries are around £18,000 to £28,000, with graduates more likely to achieve the upper end of this scale. More experienced personal assistants can earn £35,000, rising to upwards of £50,000, depending on the type of work and employer. PA jobs often include additional company benefits, like gym membership and private healthcare.

In the US, personal assistant salaries typically start at around $38,000, rising to $59,000 with experience, and eventually over $70,000 in some major city locations. Company benefits often include a pension, health and life insurance, and educational assistance.

  Executive Assistant (EA)

Executive assistants are generally experienced personal assistants who progress to an EA position. Starting salaries in these senior roles are typically higher than in entry-level PA roles, although smaller regional companies may not be able to match the wages of city companies.

In the UK, an executive assistant can expect to earn at least £25,000, but salaries of £50,000 and eventually over £70,000 are typical.

In the US, entry level salaries for EAs are around $45,000, increasing with experience to $70,000, and in some cases much more.

  Personal Care Assistant (PCA)

Personal care assistants can have limited scope for career progression unless they wish to train in a health or social care profession, like nursing or social work. Unfortunately, personal care assistant salaries do not always reflect the impact that employees can have on their client’s life. The level of pay can be restricted by the client’s financial situation or access to government-funded support. Working as a PCA through an agency can lead to higher pay.

In the UK, you can expect to earn from the minimum living wage hourly rate to £25 per hour as a personal care assistant.

In the US, hourly rates for a personal care assistant range from $11 to $26.00.

 

Qualifications, Education and Experience

---

Personal assistants can enter the profession without specific qualifications, but they must have a good basic education, including a working understanding of English and maths, as a minimum.

The following can also be beneficial:

In the UK

• GCSEs grade 9-4 (A** to– C) in English and maths
• A’ Levels or an equivalent
• A Higher National Diploma or other qualification in Business Support or Business Administration
• Education or qualifications to show proficiency in IT
• Bachelor’s degree or further education
• Administrative experience

In the US

• High school diploma or GED, with good grades in English and mathematics
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in business administration, communication, or a related field
• Certifications in areas like administrative support or office technology
• Administrative experience

Executive assistants tend to be experienced PAs rather than entry-level employees. Therefore, they typically have more advanced educational attainment, qualifications, and experience. EAs can benefit from the following:

In the UK

• Bachelor’s or or master’s degree(beneficial but not compulsory)
• Experience working as a personal assistant
• Qualifications in business, IT or communications

In the US

• Associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree (beneficial but not compulsory)
• Qualifications in business, IT, or communications
• Experience working as a personal assistant

Personal care assistants do not need any specific education or qualifications. Instead, they must be able to demonstrate the desired skills and outlook that fit the job requirements for a particular client. In some cases, the following may be beneficial:

In the UK

• Some employers may ask for GCSEs or equivalent
• Having relevant qualifications can be helpful, for instance, Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care
• Training in caring for complex medical conditions or administering medications
• Experience working as a care assistant in other fields, e.g. in hospitals, day care centres or residential homes
• Awareness of the importance of meeting a client’s physical, mental and social needs
• Basic understanding of English and maths to support the client with correspondence, shopping, managing finances etc., as the role requires

In the US

• High school diploma or GED
• Certifications such as CNA or HHA can be helpful
• Previous experience in a caring role

 

Skills

---

Personal assistants need both hard skills and soft skills to be successful, including:

• Organisational skills
• Good time management
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Excellent communication skills, both one-on-one and with groups
• Patience
• Diligence and attention to detail
• Self-motivation and ability to take direction
• Proficiency in using IT and office software
• Honesty and trustworthiness
• Flexible thinking, problem solving, and adaptability
• Interpersonal skills
• Typing, transcribing and minute-taking

Executive assistants need similar skills to personal assistants but also need to operate at an advanced level. As well as the skills above, EAs may benefit from the following:

• In-depth knowledge of IT systems
• Relevant industry knowledge, e.g. medical, financial or political
• Discretion and respect for confidentiality
• Confidence in speaking to senior executives internally and externally
• Data analysis and reporting
• Research skills

Personal care assistants must have a clean driving license and may need to pass a criminal records check to work with clients. They also rely heavily on soft skills, including:

• Compassion, empathy, and sensitivity
• Patience and kindness
• Excellent communication
• Independence and the ability to support another person
• Well organised
• Reliable and punctual
• Willingness to pitch in with varied tasks, including housework, admin, running errands and providing personal care
• Honesty and strong ethics
• Practical and physically fit
• Problem solving abilities
• Ability to work well in a team as well as independently
• Confidentiality
• Adaptability
• Positive attitude

 

Working Hours

---

Personal and executive assistants can expect to work standard office hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with weekends and bank holidays off work. However, some managers might prefer their PA or EA to be available outside these hours. Exact hours should be specified in a job description or negotiated during recruitment.

Personal care assistants work the set hours that their client needs. Some clients might only need care whilst their family is out working during the day. Others may need specific times of the day, for example, when getting ready in the morning or for support during the night. Due to the personal nature of this work, employers are sometimes willing to be flexible with hours for the right candidate.

 

Notable Locations

---

Personal assistants, executive assistants and personal care assistants can find work almost anywhere in the UK and the US. The larger the company, the more likely they are to have senior managers that hire assistants. These bigger companies tend to be located in cities, including:

In the UK

• London
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Belfast
• Glasgow
• Newcastle Upon Tyne
• Nottingham

In the UK

• New York City
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco
• Miami
• Las Vegas
• Dallas
• Chicago
• Washington DC

Smaller companies, organisations and charities may also hire PAs or EAs, so it is always worth looking for job vacancies in your local area if you do not live near a city.

Personal care assistants work in a person’s home, so they can work anywhere in the UK or US. Often, personal care assistant jobs are in a remote location, where clients may otherwise be isolated without the help of an assistant.

 

Notable Companies

---

In the UK
Companies that hire personal, executive or personal care assistants include:

• Rivendell Care & Support: provides personal home care in London and surrounding areas.
• Tesco: employs PAs and EAs at its main office locations in London and Reading
• NHS: hires PAs and EAs for non-clinical staff, like trust CEOs and managers, as well as for clinical specialists and consultants.
• Local Authorities: may hire PAs and EAs for C-level executives and provide funding for residents needing personal home care.

In the US

• JP Morgan Chase: employs a large number of executive assistants to support their senior leadership and various business units.
• McKinsey and Company: leading global management consulting firm, employs personal assistants and executive assistants to support their consultants and leadership.
• Microsoft: global technology leader employing personal assistants to support their various teams and leaders.
• Addus HomeCare: One of the largest providers of personal home care and customer service in the US.

Clients or their families may employ a personal care assistant directly and advertise through the local press or community job boards.

 

Next Steps

---

Ready to get going? Read The Ultimate Jobseeker Guide for tips and advice on landing your next role, and sign up to JobLookup for the latest Personal Assistant jobs straight to your inbox.