How To Become A Personal Assistant in Australia & Salary Guide

Are you wondering how to become a personal assistant in Australia? Read on for more information about a personal assistant’s salary, job role, and required skills.

a female personal assistant with medium length brown hair, thick black glasses and red lipstick smiles at work

Working as a personal assistant can be a varied and dynamic career choice, with opportunities to interact with people from all walks of life and new challenges each day.

Personal assistants look after a manager’s day-to-day activities, and their responsibilities may include everything from scheduling meetings and updating records to handling emails and calls to booking cars, flights and accommodation.

Are you wondering how to become a personal assistant in Australia? Read on for more information about a personal assistant’s salary, job role, and required skills.

How to become a personal assistant

Although no formal qualifications are required to work as a personal assistant, learning the ins and outs of business administration can be a good way to stand out from your peers and gain practical skills while also building your professional network.

Becoming a personal assistant can also be a great way to get some on the job experience that will help you gain entry to a different industry later down the line.

If you’re just beginning your career, completing a Certificate IV in Business Administration will help you develop a range of important skills, including project management, financial reporting and building and maintaining business relationships.

Personal assistant salary guide

Personal Assistant Career Stats showing weekly pay, future growth, employment size and more in Australian labour market

Source: Labour Market Insights

The personal assistant salary is dependent on a number of factors, including the worker’s age, level of experience and the demands of the role. On average, a personal assistant working full time in Australia can expect to earn around $1,432 per week.

Personal assistant skills

Personal assistants provide one-to-one support to senior staff and are usually responsible for coordinating a wide range of daily activities. In addition to practical knowledge of word processing, transcription and file management, the following skills are important to develop: 

  • Time management 

  • Ability to work under pressure

  • Communicating within a team 

  • Strategic planning and leadership 

  • Researching and investigating

Why study business administration through Swinburne Open Education?

If you’re looking to complete a BSB40120 Certificate IV in Business (Administration), but can’t afford to drop everything and study full time, Swinburne Open Education will help you fit your studies around your busy life. Our world-class learning platform allows you to log in and study at any time and from any place, and our dedicated trainers will help you achieve your career goals within a timeframe that works for you.

Personal assistant career FAQs

Although there are similarities between working as a personal assistant and executive assistant, an executive assistant generally operates at board level and takes on more responsibility than a personal assistant. If you’re interested in pursuing the role of executive assistant, the Swinburne Open Education Certificate IV in Business Leadership could be a good fit for you.

A personal assistant’s daily tasks may include handling daily correspondence such as calls and emails, organising meetings and taking notes, managing diaries, keeping track of expenses, booking venues, accommodation and transport, and conducting background research.

Although no formal qualifications are needed to become a personal assistant, having a proven track record of good communication and problem-solving, as well as scheduling and management will greatly increase your chances of being hired. Taking a VET course in business administration is an excellent way to gain the necessary skills and stand out during the hiring process.

Working as a personal assistant is a great way to gain hands-on knowledge of a specific industry while working with some of the best in the business. Personal assistants also have the opportunity to interact with a variety of people on a daily basis and tackle new challenges every day, which means no two days will ever be alike.

Conclusion

If a competitive salary, varied job role and ability to work in different industries sounds appealing, a career as a personal assistant could be an excellent fit for you. To find out more about the Certificate IV in Business Administration and how it can help you launch your career as a personal assistant, download a free course guide or speak directly with one of the Swinburne Open Education team.

 

Related How-To Articles

How To Become A Bookkeeper

How To Become An Accountant

How To Get A HR Job

How To Get A Procurement Job

How To Get A Marketing Job

How To Get A CyberSecurity Job

How To Become A Data Analyst

Get in touch