A personal assistant or personal aide (PA) is someone who assists in daily business and personal tasks. For example, a businessman or businesswoman may have a personal assistant to help with time and daily management, scheduling of meetings, correspondence and note taking. The title of a business personal assistant is often shortened as “PA”. There are also personal assistants who work specifically for disabled people, and whose salaries may be paid by an individual or by social services on an individual’s behalf. Families in which both parents work may also employ personal assistants, often referred to as household managers. The role of a personal assistant can be varied, and in many cases is quite similar to a role which would have been described as secretary 20 years ago. Salaries are between $15 to $25+ an hour, depending on candidate caliber and working hours. People who cannot afford to hire their own personal assistants to run errands or answer phone calls full-time can hire a part-time assistant for scheduling, travel arrangements, and more. Costs of a part-time employee can end up exceeding the amount it would have cost to hire a full-time employee, if hours are long, since part-times might charge more per hour.

Personal Assistants in Business-Related PhenomenaSmaller companies, especially start-up and real estate development companies, may desire the services of a Personal Assistant to “manage” an individual executive or to assist in the office as the new company goes about setting up their new business. These Personal Assistants may develop great skills at the “birth” of a new company and have opportunities for advancement. Other Personal Assistants will have garnered valuable knowledge and experience if they choose to move into other positions.Career developmentSome business personal assistant jobs may “morph” into other positions within the organization. Some business PAs are asked to consider full-time positions elsewhere in the company, depending on the level of ambition and education required/desired. Some employers will not see the potential for a Personal Assistant immediately and thus the Personal Assistant will remain in that position until other positions become vacant.In more recent years, the Celebrity Personal Assistant has been thrust into the spotlight. Many celeb assistants have used their exposure to create their own companies, like Madonna’s former assistant.

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