Meaning of Secretary & Personal Assistant

Many times people mistaken the role of a Secretary and a Personal Assistant is totally two different job requirement. I noticed that it seem to happen quite regularly especially when you try to look out for a new job opportunity through employment agents.

So what does a Secretary really mean?

According to this Answer.com that defines the role of the

Secretary :-

1. A person employed to handle correspondence, keep files, and do clerical work for another person or an organization.
2. An officer who keeps records, takes minutes of the meetings, and answers correspondence, as for a company.
3. An official who presides over an administrative department of state.
   

IN BRIEF: A person who does business assignments for a boss, such as typing correspondence or maintaining files.

Personal Assistant: -

A personal assistant, or personal aide, is someone who assists in daily personal tasks. For example, a businessman may have a personal assistant to help with his correspondence and run errands. The role of a personal assistant has expanded as the business environment has required more responsibilities. Today, a Personal Assistant may be responsible for screening incoming calls, checking emails, reviewing documentation, sending mail, doing research, scheduling reservations, booking meetings, etc. The term is often used to describe roles which would previously have been referred to as secretary. The title of Personal Assistant is not the same as a "PA". A "PA" is a Production Assistant, which is a completely different job. Personal Assistant job duties can range from menial tasks such as picking up the dry cleaning to more important tasks such as attending contract negotiations, briefing journalists on which questions can and can not be asked during interviews, travelling etc. A Personal Assistant is their employer's "go to" person. The position normally covers a variety of positions. They are Receptionists, Administrative Assistants, Runners, Managers, Publicists, Agents etc. The job has a wide range of requirements and can often be extremely demanding as employers normally expect their assistants to be there whenever they need them.

As you can see, Personal Assistant is required do things that are personal to the boss. This may even include looking after his dog to iron his clothes to preparing his speech. In any case, if you are on a job hunt, do note that they are both different job.