Assistants fill a wide array of duties in several different professions. A highly varied job, an assistant may do anything from personal errands to secretarial-type duties.
Skillset: Assistants should be personable, good at taking direction, and above all else, excellent multi-taskers. Since an assistant's job can include myriad duties that may vary from day-to-day, a good assistant should be ready for the unexpected, and adept at calmly and efficiently managing a crisis.
Education: The amount of education required will vary for different assistant positions. While many assistant positions will require no more than a high school diploma or equivalent, many upper level business professionals will require that their assistants possess a bachelor's degree, as assistant positions in the business world can often be a stepping stone to higher positions.
Career Path: Don't scoff at the title of assistant; some of the most powerful people running some of the largest companies in the country began as assistants. Assistants who posses a bachelor's degree may spend a few years in the position before pursuing their MBA, and they will have made important connections and gained invaluable experience in those days spent making coffee runs.
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