Personal Assistant – 3 Days

This course is accredited by the Services Seta and material covers unit standards 12153 at NQF level 4 worth 5 credits and 13929 at NQF level 3 worth 3 credits.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The aim of this course is to develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities for being an effective and efficient Personal Assistant.  This course will give you the skills to further develop, polish and professionalise your expertise as a Personal Assistant. Participants will also explore the underlying values and attitudes which convey respect for different people when communicating and interacting with them through various media.

COURSE OUTCOMES

Learners should be able to:

  • Understanding your role as a PA
  • Apply essential verbal and non-verbal strategies for effective communication
  • Understand English Grammar in the business environment
  • Establish a high standard of written communication
  • Structure and compose a variety of texts using simple language
  • Write with confidence and to the point
  • Drawing up professional emails, memoranda, faxes, & business letters
  • Developing effective agendas and minutes for efficient meeting management
  • Taking and editing minutes of meetings
  • Processing and distributing all documentation required for the meeting or event
  • Continuously improve your telephone skills
  • Developing efficient filing systems
  • Understanding and utilizing both electronic and manual filing systems
  • Coordinating and planning the managers diary
  • Identifying a date, venue and time for meeting or event
  • Liaising or negotiating with meeting attendees regarding availability
  • Booking venues and catering
  • Finalising meeting room arrangements
  • Making travel, car hire and accommodation arrangements
  • Notifying and confirming arrangements with attendees or stakeholders
  • Handle information about individuals with appropriate confidentiality
  • Speaking with precision
  • Planning your day
  • Being organized

COURSE OUTLINE

What does it mean to be a PA?

  • Knowing myself
  • Understanding people –diversity in the workplace
  • Being a professional PA

Communication 

  • The purpose and methods for communicating with clients
  • Listening skills
  • The phone call- greeting, body, conclusion

Business writing skills 

  • Planning your writing- mind mapping
  • Common errors to avoid

Professional Documents 

  • Intelligent Emails
  • Letters

Meeting management 

  • Setting an effective Agenda
  • Taking and editing concise minutes of meetings
  • Circulating minutes
  • Ensuring decisions are implemented

Managing a diary 

  • Understanding a diary
  • Confidentiality
  • Professionalism and ethics

Understanding filing 

  • Filing rules
  • Filing alphabetically, date, name
  • Labelling files
  • Electronic filing
  • Using MS Outlook effectively for filing documents
  • Using MS Outlook for managing your diary
  • Data Management

Being organized 

  • Routines, procedures, checklists
  • Simple systems and routines
  • Planning your day

 Event planning 

  • Responsibility chart
  • Be professional in organizing travel and accommodation
  • Booking caterers and venues
  • Project managing the event
  • The events budget
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