Personal Assistant Qualification Recommendations

I'd just check job listings you would like to work for and see what they ask for. Going up the career ladder isn't quick or easy else everyone would do it. Get a lot of experience under your belt then ask for a promotion, if they can't offer it, go elsewhere for it.

My personal opinion is that a qualification would be a waste of time/money and I don't often see qualifications preferred in postings. YMMV.

monkey84 wrote: »

Thanks. Well, yes, both really! The issue that I'm having is that even though I do have the skills and experience and can look through a job description and say 'I can do that', because I've never had a job title of PA/EA, agencies seem to overlook me for these roles. I made sure to highlight all of the relevant bits in my CV.
I'm just thinking that a qualification might help to show that I'm serious and capable!

I think this resonates the adage of 'can't get a job without experience, can't get experience without a job' - this applies to all sectors and is irrelevant of qualifications.

Your other issue is that agencies just want to get the best matched people into jobs as quickly as possible to get their commission and maintain their credibility. Recruitment agencies would be presented with a job spec similar to one you'd see online, so don't think you're being disregarded to a criteria you couldn't be aware of.

Personally I would;

1) Apply for jobs directly where possible
2) Have people scrutinise your CV, make sure you clearly show that you could do the job and how you stand out from the rest.
3) Clear up the obscurity in your cover letter; why haven't you been a PA/EA before and why do you want to be one now?

Out of interest, you say 'job title of PA/EA' - do you mean Personal Assistant and Estate Agent? These are quite different jobs, I'd personally tailor CV's to each of these roles rather than a slapdash document that says you'd be willing to both (as it sounds like you're not committed).

I went from working in an advertising agency for 8 years as an Account Handler to becoming PA to CEO of a telecommunications company without specific PA/EA experience, I went to agencies and demonstrated my transferable skills and was given a chance at the tele company and kept on for 2 years until I left.

I'm now an EA at an Investment bank. I do have computer skills like Word and some Excel and basic PowerPoint but my role is mainly arranging calls and meetings and travel and I use email a lot!

Make sure you state in your cover letter what your transferable skills are: liaising with clients / customers / travel agencies / finance department etc, organising meetings / conferences / evening events for example, dealing with personal duties for your boss (i.e. paying credit card bills, researching holidays).

Maybe look at PA/EA roles on secsinthecity for example and see what transferable skills you have.

It's all about transferable skills and how you put them in your coverings letter to demonstrate you know how to do it.

Eg you take notes for a letter / detailed phone messages from clients /customers = you can do minutes in meetings.

Arranging meetings = Diary management.

I've got the secretarial and legal qualifications, but it's my transferable skills employers look at.

So look at your CV, go over your job history and see what's relevant to the jobs you are going for. But being a PA isn't all it's cracked up to be! One of my workmates is one and she has had enough now.

Make sure you are not just chasing the money as without job satisfaction you will not stick it out.