Writing a personal assistant CV

Are you looking to kick-start a career as a personal assistant? Do you have the perfect skillset for this challenging role, but can’t quite put it into words?

We’ve all been there – it can be tricky to write about yourself in a way that shows off your best qualities. That’s why we’ve put together an ideal PA CV example and tips to help get you on the right track.

Of course, no two CVs will ever be the same. The trick to a great personal assistant CV is to take all your achievements and experience, before tailoring to highlight those most relevant to the job at hand.

What should a personal assistant CV include?

A PA’s CV should include a profile (or bio), personal details, your skills, employment history, achievements, education and interests. Your personal details, employment history, and education will always need to remain untouched, so let’s look at the areas you can use to your advantage.

Profile – the elevator pitch

The profile section of your CV is where you can really sell yourself for the specific job at hand. And just like any great sales pitch, it should be brief, compelling and to-the-point.

It’s an opportunity to shine a light on the most impressive, relevant points from elsewhere in your experience, as well as flaunt your passion for the role.

In our personal assistant CV example, the aspiring jobseeker has noted their skills, desirable traits, and motivation for seeking a PA role.

Skills – the test drive

The hiring manager will want to see that your abilities are up to scratch for the job – to kick the tyres as it were. So, you’ll need to demonstrate you have all the bells and whistles they want.

While you mustn’t change the job titles or dates in your employment history, you certainly should cherry-pick the most relevant duties those jobs entailed, and the skills they taught you.

These are known as ‘transferable skills’, and you’ll have many more than you might suspect! Our example jobseeker’s previous role as a waitress taught them to be calm under pressure, as well as the importance of timely service. Another role as an office administrator involved proofreading and travel booking, while another lists expenses management – those all sound like classic PA skills to us!

Achievements – the proof

Alongside your employment history and key responsibilities, you should list your achievements in the roles. Why? These demonstrate exactly what you contributed to your previous employer and how it benefited them. Keeping your achievements concise and to-the-point will allow your future employer to quickly envision how you might also add value to their business.

Interests – the charm

It may seem like a minor section of a CV, but writing about your interests is the most powerful way to get across your personality. The clue is in the job title, Personal Assistant – you’ll need to show why you’ll click with your principal!

You can be especially selective here, depending on the business or individual you’re applying to work with. Think about aspects of your hobbies and passions that further highlight your suitability for the role.

Our example personal assistant CV talks about taking part in football tournaments since childhood. You can frame this as being a natural team-player, with the dedication to stick at it for the long haul. Likewise, a love of travelling may not seem relevant, but didn’t that require a knack for planning, preparation, flight and accommodation booking? All music to the ears of a PA hiring manager!

By applying these tips, you can turn a stale, uninformative CV into one that hits all the important points, and does so in your own unique voice. This will immediately help you stand out from the competition, especially in such a personality-focused role as a PA.

Download PDF here:

Tiger Recruitment – Personal Assistant CV template (AE)

Ready to put that freshly polished CV to work? Apply for PA roles on our jobs board now!

Author Zahra Clark Tiger Recruitment Team