The right PA is not necessarily the one who has the most experience, but instead will be someone who has the drive and integrity to get the job done as best they can. The right PA needs to be good with people, and will also need to be extremely organised and self-aware, and many of these are skills that cannot be taught or learnt.
However, there are plenty of skills that can be learnt that will also be necessary to those undertaking the role of a PA. As such, whilst it might be best to choose a candidate who simply suits your company and who is very effective in dealing with those around them, it will almost always be necessary to send them on certain courses to develop their skills and ensure that they are ready for the more scholarly aspects of the job too.
Effective writing courses will help any individual to communicate better through the written word, ensuring that minutes are typed up correctly, reports are prepared in the most effective way and that even the likes of emails and correspondence are tackled in the most appropriate manner.
Finding a candidate that has all the skills and experience you need and who you feel you can trust in such an important role can be extremely hard – and in the majority of cases, businesses would fall apart without the right PAs. As such, finding the right person is integral, and experience won’t matter so long as you make sure they get effective writing training and are offered the chance to learn as they go.