How do you know if you need an executive assistant vs personal assistant? In this post, we’ll distinguish between the two so you can hire the best fit for your needs.
Understanding the Roles
The executive assistant vs personal assistant roles do have similarities. These roles overlap in some areas. What we will focus on here are the distinctions. This way, we hope to help you to see more clearly which is which. That way, you can see what each one can do for you.
Executive Assistant: Business Focus
An executive assistant has the word “executive” in the name for two reasons. Originally, they got that title because they are high-level assistants. Now, we also recognize them as such because they assist business executives.
An executive assistant usually works for only one person, but under the umbrella of the business. An executive assistant role is, therefore, more tuned to helping the executive in business matters. They lighten the executive’s load by taking on certain business tasks. We see a lot of similarities in the task types that executive assistants take over. However, not every EA will do exactly the same things. The role is flexible depending on what the boss needs.
Executive assistants have leadership skills. They are highly observant and proactive. They are also analytical and good at juggling tasks. This type of assistant will not just come to you with a problem to solve. They will present you with a good solution when they point out an area for improvement. An EA has higher level interpersonal, networking, and communication skills. They can plan well as well as think strategically and even handle negotiations.
Role Distinction
Most executive assistants are fully capable of performing all the basic administrative and clerical duties. They actually often do a few of these types of tasks here and there. An executive can rely on this high level of assistant for more than the basics, however. Most executive assistants actually have the ability to take on management and leadership duties.
For instance, more than scheduling meetings, an EA knows how to interact with high-profile clients. More than taking minutes of meetings, they are capable of running these meetings. You can even put an EA in charge of relationship management if they have experience in the area. This means that they can be the point of contact between you and clients and the executives of other companies. Your executive assistant can also handle arrangements between offices and departments inside your company.
An executive assistant will also often manage communications coming into and going out of the office. More than booking individual flights and hotels, they will usually handle group trips. In much the same way, an EA will not just make copies of reports and presentations, for example, but can actually create them. Sometimes, an EA will also manage other admin assistants in an office and take on project management duties.
Personal Assistant: Personal Focus
A personal assistant focuses on the personal needs of an individual. Whatever this individual needs to function better in their role, the personal assistant helps with. This is more of a life management role than an office management role. That said, a personal assistant can still assist an executive. The difference is that this role covers the non-official side of the executive’s life.
A personal assistant is basically responsible for taking on the more personal needs of an individual. By helping clear up these tasks, they help that individual to better focus on their work. This role is vital in that aspect of enabling an individual to be more productive on the job.
The most desired skills in a PA are organization and time management. Most of the best PAs will know how to use several communication and project management tools. A PA with keen attention to detail, flexibility, and resourcefulness is a valuable asset. Many people also look for assistants with good written and verbal communication. Solving problems around their usual tasks is also important. They won’t need to know how to keep a client from canceling a big project. They must, however, know how to make sure the boss can keep a tight appointment schedule.
Role Distinction
A PA will most often handle the personal side of the boss’s life. This means vacation travel arrangements rather than booking business trips. This is also true for communications and scheduling. A PA would handle personal calls and appointments over those relating to work duties.
Most personal assistants help their bosses with tasks that are completely unrelated to the office. This can include keeping household expenses separate from office deductibles. Many PAs do personal errands like ordering food, dry cleaning clothes, buying groceries, and taking pets to the vet. Online assistants can’t do these specific tasks, but they can still make most purchases and keep the books!
A personal assistant can do some office tasks, too, of course. These roles are highly flexible, mostly because each individual is different. As a personal assistant gains experience, they also become more adaptable. This makes them more valuable in any setting.
One area where the distinction can blur for a personal assistant is in clerical duties. We do not automatically think about organizing and maintaining office files and records as something personal. This type of work, however, does fall under the personal responsibility of any individual working in a company. If they have a lot on their plate, they can pass off these personal responsibilities to an assistant. This assistant then sorts and makes these documents easily accessible to the individual.
Many PAs handle correspondence and communications. PAs do not usually officially liaison among departments. However, they might reach out to certain business partners, suppliers, and customers. They will also often sort emails and screen calls. They also usually take a lot of notes for their bosses. PAs need to remind them of important information as they move from task to task. They also share updates before the boss meets with different people.
Distinctions in Compensation
An executive assistant vs personal assistant doesn’t have a clear pay grade difference. What we look at here is who they are working for. An executive assistant working for the owner of a small company will probably make less than a personal assistant to the top dog at a large multinational corporation. It’s all relative. All things being equal, however, an executive assistant will usually make more than a personal assistant. This is because their skills are more advanced and their duties are broader in scope.
One thing to take into account is who pays these assistants. The company will almost always take care of an EA’s compensation. The boss, however, is usually responsible for paying their PA. This is because executive assistants are office-focused while personal assistants are not concerned with company business.
Choosing the Right Assistant for Your Needs
When you choose between an executive assistant vs personal assistant, you must ask one question first. Do your primary needs lean more towards business support or life management?
Second, you must carefully list out certain factors. Consider your workload and what you want to pass off to an assistant. Think about the nature of these tasks. Then think about the type of expertise that each one requires to be done well. This is vital because you may actually need someone with attributes of both an executive and personal assistant.
Third, think about what you need to pay to hire the best fit for the role you just outlined. You always want to go for the best one – never settle! If you need to cut costs, reduce the task load, but never compromise on quality. This will give you the best benefit without the high cost. As you grow more financially capable, you can increase pay for added tasks or hire a higher-level assistant. This method helps you think about which tasks are really vital for you to pass off. It also serves as motivation for you to increase your income and remove unnecessary expenses!
Common Misconceptions about Executive Assistants and Personal Assistants
Both executive assistants and personal assistants are highly valuable assets. And most people tend to drastically undervalue them. Many EAs are seen as glorified secretaries and many PAs are seen as glorified nannies. I blame much of this gross misconception on Hollywood! In reality, most companies would not be able to function without these assistants.
Assistants do not have the flashy positions that the people they work for do. They are not the public face or voice of a company. They are, however, what often holds up that face and voice. Both executive assistants and personal assistants are highly competent partners, and worth every penny. A good assistant is a blessing because this relationship can get very personal with a great deal of transparency. You need to be able to trust EAs and PAs at a very high level.
Because most assistants don’t need special degrees, many people think they aren’t skilled. Executive and personal assistants actually have a ton of specialized skills and experience! They are really very special people even though most people don’t think that the things they do are glamorous.
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Conclusion
Hiring an executive assistant or a personal assistant can be one of the most vital hires for your business and life. These people will become highly valued partners in your everyday activities. That is, if you choose correctly. They will work so closely with you that you will soon not know how to function without them. Because they have the potential to become indispensable parts of your work and life, you must choose carefully. We hope that this post has given you the basic information you need to start on that journey.
