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What is the difference between the personal assistant and a secretary?

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Question added by jane murambe
Date Posted: 2016/04/01
Vinod Jetley
by Vinod Jetley , Assistant General Manager , State Bank of India

According to the company, or the whim of the human resources person deciding on job titles, these can mean anything and everything. In theory (but not always in practice), a personal assistant is more senior to a secretary, equvalent to an executive secretary and expected to have more initiative and take more responsibility. On the other hand, some personal assistants will be expected to buy birthday cards/gifts for spouses, and even take care of dry cleaning arrangements, etc.! In theory (again), the personal assistant works more closely with their manager and is much more of a "righthand man/woman"

Hanan Al Mallak
by Hanan Al Mallak , HR Manager , Leaders Center

totally agree with Mr. Vinod

A personal assistant to any appointment is meant primarily to help him in his daily management of time, scheduling, answering calls, making appointments, running errands, arranging travel etc. Aim  is  to relieve the appointment of mundane routine tasks. Tasks may also include personal/family work  This enables the manager to concentrate on his more important tasks.

On the other hand a Secretary will be more concerned with the organisation rather than a single individual & hence carry more responsibility. He will generally be tasked to carry out administration of the managers secretariat, implement & monitor activities & report back to the manager & even advise him/her on certain issues. They will also manage high level conferences from a scratch to implementation  including taking down minutes if the conference & circulating these for further action.

how not answer difference between the personal assistant and asecretary

Thanks for the invite, I agree with the answer Mr  Vinod

Ahmed Mohamed Ayesh Sarkhi
by Ahmed Mohamed Ayesh Sarkhi , Shared Services Supervisor , Saudi Musheera Co. Ltd.

Agree with mr. vinod                 .

ghazi Almahadeen
by ghazi Almahadeen , Project Facilitator , Jordan River Foundation

Thank you for your invitation agreed with the answer Professor Vinod Jaitley

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