ARE YOU AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT OR PERSONAL ASSISTANT?

Whether you’re preparing presentation materials for your principal’s quarterly meeting or simply helping make your superior’s day easier by helping to maintain a timely schedule, assistants undoubtedly help create a stress-free and productive workplace. Personal Assistant and Executive Assistant share many similarities, but what are the main differences?

We’ve gathered a couple of key differences between the two overlapping profiles – so what type of assistant are you?

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

• EA roles tend to be more professional and oftentimes, include managerial and operational skills
• EA generally work for high-level executives
• The attitude of an EA is very pro-active, involving being one step ahead and having extraordinary decision-making and problem-solving skills<

PERSONAL ASSISTANT

• PAs tend to be organizers; managing calendars, schedules, and databases simultaneously
• PAs support managerial teams, which usually involve senior managers, administrators, and reporting teams
• PAs mentality is more reactive – responding to any problems or issues that may appear and consistently making sure everything is taken care of