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How to Write an Ad for Employment as a Personal Assistant

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Writing an ad to promote yourself as a personal assistant can help you find full-time work, as well as part-time or self-employment opportunities. An employment ad should be short, yet informative, so brainstorm the key traits and job responsibilities you want to include and then pare the information down to a brief 50-word blurb.

State, in your opening line, the role you're seeking: “Full-time freelance personal assistant available,” “Virtual assistant available,” or “Professional assistant seeks full-time corporate role.” The more flexible you are with work options, the wider range of potential customers you will attract.

Describe your experience: “Ten years of experience as a high-level executive assistant” or “Corporate secretarial background.” This establishes you as someone with in-depth and wide-ranging knowledge of administrative and personal assistant responsibilities.

Stress your organizational skills. For example, “Detail-oriented, highly organized and efficient. Good people skills and exceptional communication abilities.” This portrays you as someone who is professional and reliable, while also easy to work with.

Describe what you can do. If you have a particular area of expertise, such as transcription, file management or data processing, highlight it in your ad. “Full range administrative and secretarial services -- research and data compilation expert.”

Wrap up your ad copy by describing how hiring you will make someone's life professional life easier. “Will help you streamline professional responsibilities and work more efficiently.”

Provide contact information. Include phone numbers where you can be reached as well as an email address. Quickly return phone calls from interested parties to demonstrate you’re reliable and easy to get in touch with.

Tip

Create a website and post your resume and an overview of your services. Consider a frequently asked questions section that details the most common inquiries from people seeking your services. If you have previous clients, ask for testimonials you can include on your site, and include the website link in your ad.

Keep good records related to business expenses like advertising, marketing and web design. If you’re working as an independent contractor, many of these expenses can be deducted on your taxes.

Warning

Use caution when meeting prospective clients for the first time. Choose a public forum or office environment rather than meeting in your home, or the client’s home. If you operate in a freelance capacity, get all contractual terms in writing prior to starting work.

References
Tips
  • Create a website and post your resume and an overview of your services. Consider a frequently asked questions section that details the most common inquiries from people seeking your services. If you have previous clients, ask for testimonials you can include on your site, and include the website link in your ad.
  • Keep good records related to business expenses like advertising, marketing and web design. If you’re working as an independent contractor, many of these expenses can be deducted on your taxes.
Warnings
  • Use caution when meeting prospective clients for the first time. Choose a public forum or office environment rather than meeting in your home, or the client’s home. If you operate in a freelance capacity, get all contractual terms in writing prior to starting work.
Writer

Lisa McQuerrey has been a business writer since 1987. In 1994, she launched a full-service marketing and communications firm. McQuerrey's work has garnered awards from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the International Association of Business Communicators and the Associated Press. She is also the author of several nonfiction trade publications, and, in 2012, had her first young-adult novel published by Glass Page Books.

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