What is a personal assistant?
As a person who assists specific individuals with their daily business or personal tasks, a personal assistant will have expertise in general problem solving and administration skills. A personal assistant will also handle detail oriented tasks their employer has neither the time or expertise to handle.
How do you hire a personal assistant?
You can source personal assistant talent on Upwork by following these three steps:
- Write a project description. You’ll want to determine your scope of work and the skills and requirements you are looking for in a personal assistant.
- Post it on Upwork. Once you’ve written a project description, post it to Upwork. Simply follow the prompts to help you input the information you collected to scope out your project.
- Shortlist and interview personal assistants. Once the proposals start coming in, create a shortlist of the professionals you want to interview.
Of these three steps, your project description is where you will determine your scope of work and the specific type of personal assistant you need to complete your project.
How much does it cost to hire a personal assistant?
Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions.
- An experienced personal assistant may command higher fees but also work faster, have more-specialized areas of expertise, and deliver higher-quality work.
- A contractor who is still in the process of building a client base may price their personal assistant services more competitively.
Which one is right for you will depend on the specifics of your project.
How do you write a personal assistant job post?
Your job post is your chance to describe your project scope, budget, and talent needs. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a contractor to know if they’re the right fit for the project.
Job post title
Create a simple title that describes exactly what you’re looking for. The idea is to target the keywords that your ideal candidate is likely to type into a job search bar to find your project. Here are some sample personal assistant job post titles:
- Personal assistant needed for up and coming music artist
- Need virtual administrative assistant help during busy season
- Looking for personal assistant/administrator to manage small office
- Executive assistant needed for busy marketing executive
Project description
An effective personal assistant job post should include:
- Scope of work: From running errands to managing someone’s calendar, list all the deliverables you’ll need.
- Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project.
- Background: If you prefer experience with certain industries, software, or duties, mention this here.
- Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Personal assistant job responsibilities
Here are some examples of personal assistant job responsibilities:
- Manage customer database using latest CRM software
- Handle all administrative tasks for real estate office
- Draft and distribute all personal correspondence
Personal assistant job requirements and qualifications
Be sure to include any requirements and qualifications you’re looking for in a personal assistant. Here are some examples:
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite
- Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Small scale event planning experience