Do you have multitasking ability and the ability to fulfill responsible duties promptly? Then, you will make a good executive personal assistant. Executive personal assistant is a job that stands close to the management. It is a huge responsibility as the person has to support the top executives in an office on a one-to-one basis.

They usually carry out administrative duties like arranging conference calls and meetings, making travel arrangements, creating presentations and statistical reports.

The main aim of appointing an executive PA is to make the boss's work-life easier. The executive PA has to keep a record of all the tasks to be done and she can also make decisions on his behalf.

Executive Personal Assistant Job Description

The job responsibilities of an executive person assistant tend to vary between organizations. However, the following are the general tasks assigned to an executive personal assistant:

• Act as a point of contact between executives, employees, clients and other external partners
• Maintain executive calendars and schedule meetings
• Make travel and accommodation arrangements
• Accompany the boss in travels when necessary
• Check daily expenses and make weekly/monthly/quarterly reports

Key skills required for executive PA

• Flexibility and adaptability
• Multitasking
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Effective organizational skills
• Basic IT skills

Executive Assistant vs Personal Assistant

The personal assistant has the same job responsibilities as the executive assistant. PA will also be carrying out administrative and clerical duties while maintaining close contact with management. However, it might not be strictly with the CEO or another high-profile holder as an executive PA.  Some companies interchange these titles and the differences are blurred more often.

The benefits of COA training

Though there are no specific qualifications required to become an executive personal assistant, having a certification in office administration is beneficial for the job profile. Certified Office Administrator (COA) is a training that gives you a clear idea about the daily tasks in an office and will make you equipped with the tools necessary for fulfilling your job responsibilities with ease.

The main areas covered in COA training

• Organizational skills: Learn everything about the organizational structure, team management, customer service and goals of a company
• Business communication: Gain insights into body language, active listening, and cross-cultural communication
• Interpersonal skills: Soft skills like personality development, negotiation skills, time management, stress management and self-motivation help in developing the right mind-set
• Business etiquette: Having an idea of the expected behaviors and actions at the workplace is essential for all employees.
• Travel arrangements, events and meeting management: It creates an understanding of coordinating travel, events, and meetings in an organized manner.
• Basic accounting: Executive PAs need a basic understanding of accounting as they may be asked to make monthly reports of expenses.
• Computer skills: As computers have become an essential part of work, it is important to possess basic IT skills.  
• Leadership and human resource management skills: At some offices, executive PAs also take care of the HR management tasks. So, leadership qualities and knowledge of HR management are also necessary.

COA International Certification at Blue Ocean Academy

The Certified Office Administrator (COA) course at Blue Ocean Academy is suitable for individuals who work or aspire to be in the fields of Administration, Human Resources, Front Office and Secretarial services. It is tied up with the American Certification Institute (ACI) which gives you the opportunity for international certification.

This training and certification course is aimed at honing the skills of officers, junior managers, as well as experienced executives. The course will enable you to develop an organized approach for managing people and processes at your office thereby enhancing your productivity.

It is an added advantage that will make you a certified professional in Office Administration and Business Management along with increasing your value in the specialized field. COA certification can add value to an executive personal assistant and widen job opportunities for you.