For job seekers with excellent organizational skills, it can be very tempting to consider finding a job as a personal assistant. It’s a varied job based around communication and administrative skills, and the situations you will be assisting in can vary greatly. Because of the interests many people have in this line of work, finding a job as a personal assistant can be competitive stuff.
Peter V. Ivery peter.v.ivery@gmail.com +1234567899
Professional Overview
Talented Executive Assistant with excellent communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills and a strong track record of establishing and maintaining positive relationships with all stakeholders.
To facilitate incoming mail processes, handled and sorted mail and answered routine correspondence on behalf of management. Arranged accommodations, ground transportation and rental cars for visiting executives, and provided personal assistance as required. Performed administrative functions and executive support for staff policies and monitored the changes in accomplishing tasks including reducing time to complete tasks.
Education: Bachelor in Public Administration Yale University (2001-2004)
Skills
Event Planning Mail management Appointment setting Administrative Support Letter and memo composition Multi-Task Management
Good news - we’ve put together this guide that aims to help you write great personal assistant resumes! We’re going to be discussing how to write, structure and format the document to make your resume stand out!
According to US labor statistics, personal assistants could earn anything from $25,000 to $80,000 annually.
Positions requiring high levels of skills pay dearly, and this only adds to the competition during a job hunt.
Additional Information About Resume for Personal Assistants
The annual salary that should be expected for personal assistant jobs varies greatly depending on the specific position. Take a look at the following examples of average annual salaries in the US. They should provide you with a good idea of how much you could expect to earn:
Personal Assistant: $44,000
Office Manager: $50,000
Executive Assistant - $58,000
These are only average salaries so you can certainly earn more than that if you find the right job, but overall the salaries are pretty competitive. To provide some further context, here is a list of annual salaries that others have had within the industry:
Self Employed Personal Assistant: $37,000
Office Manager at Allstate: $51,000
Executive Chief Assistant at Philips: $82,000
This personal assistant template should get you started, but if you find yourself struggling, check out our resume examples written by experts in the field!
How to make a Personal Assistant Resume
Finding a career path as a personal assistant can be very competitive, so your resume must be optimized as much as possible to stand out among the crowd.
Your personal assistant resume should include all relevant personal assistant skills relevant to the job
Personalize your resume - general writing can be a serious red flag to employers!
Write cover letters that demonstrate the reasons that you are applying for the position
Expert Tip Applicant tracking system (ATS) software is used by many employers to filter out resumes that include irrelevant skills, so always keep it relevant!
The layout of the Personal Assistant Resume
The best way to layout your personal assistant resume is through the reverse chronological approach. This means that you will begin by writing about your most recent experience, ensuring the hiring manager sees this first before any information about earlier experiences.
The structure of the Personal Assistant Resume
Your personal assistant resume should be one to two pages in length, and should consist of information regarding your work history, education, professional skills and any other relevant information.
Always read the job description carefully before deciding on a resume structure. Some jobs will require different headings and general structures, so you should read specific resume samples on our website to get some examples.
Start with the Header of the Personal Assistant Resume
The header of your resume is very important. This will be the first thing employers will notice, so you want to ensure it is concise, strong and packs a punch. Include basic personal details, contact information and other relevant information (such as your website or LinkedIn profile).
Example of a good header for PA
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Georgia J. Barr
Office Manager
987-654-321
georgia.j.barr@gmail.com
Salt Lake City, Utah
linkedin.com/almaking
Example of a bad header for PA
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Georgia Jeniffer Barr
Enthusiast in helping people as a personal assistant across their day-to-day needs
987-654-321
princessgeorgia@hotmail.com
House Number 1512, Burnsider Avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah, ZIP: 84104
facebook.com/georgiababy
instagram.com/georgiajenniferbarrxo
It should be pretty obvious, but make sure you understand why these are good and bad. If you find yourself requiring additional examples to ensure you're on the right track, simply navigate to our website and check out our resume builder and personal assistant resume templates.
Is a photo required in the Personal Assistant Resume?
For almost every other job, including a photograph on your resume is a red flag. 80% of U.S employers state that they would not consider an applicant who includes a photo on their resume. However, they can always look at your photo on your Linkedin profile if they wish so we recommend you do not include your photo.
Choosing your Personal Assistant Title
Your personal assistant resume title is a great place to provide a concise overview of your relevant skills and experience in the field. Make sure you personalize this section and avoid any generalized information!
Professional resume summary for Personal Assistant
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Committed personal assistant with 12 years of experience in executive office settings and a courteous and positive attitude. A professional with extensive experience writing, scheduling, and diary management.
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My name is Jonathon and I have built up loads of experience over the years helping people with their day-to-day tasks such as word processing and generally helping them organize their business life
Whilst it is almost always a good suggestion to focus on using the reverse-chronological resume format within your resume summary, you could consider using the functional layout if you do not have prior experience. Simply focus on your skills and passions as opposed to professional experience!
Work Experience in the Personal Assistant Resume
Many positions will require some sort of professional experience, so it's essential that you pay close attention to this section. Show off any relevant experience as a personal assistant, and don't forget to personalize it to include the most relevant examples!
Always remember to refer to the keywords found in the job description when including work history. Whilst it may be tempting to include every job you have had in the past, it would be better to only include the most relevant information due to ATS systems.
Describe your professional experiences on your Personal Assistant Resume
When you list past work experiences in this section, you should always include information regarding the employer, start and end dates and the responsibilities that you had. Remember to include at least three bullet points describing these duties and avoid writing paragraphs!
Examples of professional experiences for a Junior Personal Assistant
Detail-Oriented Personal Assistant for Social Media Influencer
Hours worked: 16 hours per week, 2019 - 2020
Receiving and distributing all the mail including invoices and bills to the appropriate department.
Assessed condition of client's home and organized work projects accordingly.
Analyzed incoming memos
Examples of work experience for Senior Personal Assistant
Executive Chief Assistant
Uber
Duties begin/end date: 2011 - Present
Optimized business operations through effective scheduling and planning
Streamlined administration operations and prioritized tasks, resulting in a 45% increase in revenue.
Stood in for executives in conferences whenever they could not attend.
Education in the Personal Assistant Resume
Most job applications will benefit from strong educational experience, and this includes a career as a personal assistant. Always use the reverse-chronological format when listing your educational history, but don't panic if you don't have a university degree. In this case, it may be more relevant to start with your high-school diploma and continue to use the functional structure when it comes to this section.
Should you start with education or work experience in a PA Resume?
Generally it is a good idea to begin with work experience as hiring managers will be much more interested in this. However, if you do not currently have any work experience then you should start with your education.
How to properly list your education in a Personal Assistant Resume?
Any educational experience should be backed up through all relevant details. This should include the educational institute, the years studied, subject area/major and your GPA or grade. However, if you received a below-average grade, there is no reason to include this as it may set off red flags!
Example of the education section of a Personal Assistant Resume
California State University, Sacramento
California
Public Administration and Social Media
Years Attended Degree: 2015-2018
GPA: 3.9
This personal assistant resume should provide all the information essential to writing your education section, but if you need a bit more guidance then you should take a look at our additional examples on our website!
Skills to put in the Personal Assistant Resume
Getting a job as a personal assistant requires a vast range of soft-skills and hard-skills depending on the specific job position. The skills section of your resume is an excellent change to demonstrate to hiring managers that you have the abilities relevant to the job.
What are the main skills sought for in a Personal Assistant Resume.
The main skills required for personal assistants will generally consist of administrative tasks, software and communication skills. Some positions may simply require generalized skills in these areas, whilst some may be more niche and require very specific skills.
What skills for a Junior PA?
Greeted customers
Advanced experience in Microsoft Office
Organization of personal travel arrangements for family members
Screens conference calls properly
Running personal tasks and errands for clients’ personal life
Strong interpersonal skills
Running Errands
Management of personal data and financial records
Office Administration
What skills for a qualified Senior PA?
Maintenance of office supplies and office equipment
Scheduling meetings and personal appointments
International travel arrangements
Proper phone etiquette
Office Management
Human resource laws knowledge
Workers' compensation knowledge
Time management
Fulfillment of daily bank deposits
Be aware that these skills are not personalized to the job that you are applying for, so make sure you check out the skills sections of specific personal assistant positions on our resume sample website!
Write the Ideal Resume Hook for a Personal Assistant Resume.
Your next step is to write a strong opening resume hook that concisely provides information about yourself. This is a great opportunity to summarize your experience, specialism and general skill-sets.
Example of a tagline for a junior PA
Motivated personal assistant with excellent organizational skills. Customer service oriented with proven ability to exceed company and clients' expectations.
Sample tagline for a senior level PA
Disciplined executive manager assistant with 15 years of experience and expert in the retail industry. Excellent communication skills and exceptional soft-skills in regards to organization.
Additional Headings for your Personal Assistant Resume
It is always important to personalize your resume and this could require additional headings. Take a minute to consider any additional information that has not been covered yet that is relevant to the position - it could deserve its own heading!
For example, if you have a strong portfolio of previous client relations or have managed social media accounts as a personal assistant, this will likely benefit from having its own section!
Computer skills and certifications in a Personal Assistant Resume
Personal assistant positions will almost always require computer skills. This could consist of using relevant software for time management, Microsoft Office Suite know-how, memo-writing and a wide range of other skills. It is definitely worth having an additional section to outline your computer fluency.
Interests in a Personal Assistant Resume
It is almost always a bad idea to include an interest section on your resume. This is because it can distract the employer from relevant information and even flag up the ATS system to be filtered out! You should avoid writing this section unless you think it is truly necessary.
Languages in a Personal Assistant Resume
A personal assistant based in the U.S. will always need to speak fluent English. Whenever you are required to speak an additional language, you must provide proof of your fluency. With this in mind example, both IELTS and TOEFL (with at least a 30-point score) are acceptable for English.
Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Personal Assistant Resume
We’ve covered a lot throughout this article, so we’ve included the following summary of our four top tips to streamline your personal assistant resume!
Stick to the format specified in this article - we’re recommending it for a reason, it covers all the essential headings!
Make sure that the entirety of your resume is personalized to the specific job. Nothing screams ‘red flag’ like an obviously general and mass-produced resume.
Remember to consider ATS systems as this could make a huge difference to your resume being read. Skip any information that is not relevant, and optimize your resume to include keywords from job descriptions.
Don’t rush! The job you are applying for could be for the long-term, so it would be a waste of time to rush it and ruin your chances!
Finally, don’t forget that if you find yourself struggling with writing your resume, check out a personal assistant resume sample on our website to gain some further insight
Write a Cover Letter That Goes With Your Personal Assistant Resume
You should consider writing a cover letter for every personal assistant position you apply for! This is your opportunity to write in more detail about your passion and experience in the role. However, you should ensure that every cover letter is personalized - it would be a serious red flag if you wrote it in a general and mass-produced format!
Frequently Asked Questions for a Personal Assistant Resume
Last but not least, we’ve put together this FAQ for any general questions that you may still be unsure of.
What is a good personal assistant resume objective?
Your personal assistant resume objective should be to concisely outline all relevant information to a potential employer. You should specifically refer to past experiences, including all relevant responsibilities, soft-skills, hard-skills and educational history.
What are the top 3 skills for a PA position?
This depends on the job you are applying for, but generally PA positions require you to be highly organized, excellent at appointment scheduling and have great interpersonal skills for telephone calls.
What are the duties and responsibilities for personal assistants?
A personal assistant will generally be responsible for scheduling appointments, catering to a client’s personal needs, taking phone calls and other responsibilities your boss may not have time for.
What are examples of a personal assistant position?
There are a wide range of reasons somebody may need a personal assistant, but generally you will be looking at opportunities to assist business owners, be an office manager or even a senior executives personal assistant!
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