The duties, responsibilities, remuneration and working hours of the personal assistant depend on the industry in which they work and the employer under whom they work. The challenges faced by the assistant are seldom standard and constant. They are ever changing.

Communication skills are indispensable - If a personal assistant does not have good communication skills, then he or she would be a liability on the employer instead of being an asset. The job profile of an assistant requires constant interaction with people.

Meetings have to be fixed, schedules have to be drawn up, appointments have to be made and messages have to be relayed. Since the assistant would be acting on behalf of her boss, it is important that his or her communication skills be excellent.

A Pleasing personality is a must - There is no such thing as a perfect day in the life of the personal assistant. There will always be something that does not go as per the plan. In times of crisis, the employer will not benefit if the secretary loses his or her cool.

Delays will take place, appointments will be missed and plans will go awry. The assistant may have to deal with irate persons unhappy with the sudden change of plans. He or she must be bright, attentive and pleasant.

Focus on solving the problem is an indispensable skill - In the life of a celebrity or politician or busy executive, problems and emergencies crop at the drop of the hat. The onus is on the assistant to solve the problem before it goes out of hand.

This requires clarity of thought and good understanding of the requirements of the employer. This will help the secretary judge the seriousness of the problem and determine the course of action.

There is no alternative to hard work - A common joke is that the only person who works harder than the boss is the personal assistant of the boss. The job of an assistant is not a cushy one. The assistant will always be in the thick of the action.

Procrastination, delay and laziness can be fatal to not just the job of the assistant but also to the job of the employer himself. It is common for assistants to be summoned to work on holidays as well. Get used to the routine & you will shine in your career.

Just as the boss can never expect to take his eye of the game, the assistant too cannot afford to relax and forget about the office and all its challenges.

A person who has these skills can easily succeed in winning the trust and confidence of his or her employer. A person who does not have these skills will have to develop these skills if he or she wishes to make a mark in the job.