What Makes a Great PA or EA in Real Estate

Personal Assistants (PAs) and Executive Assistants (EAs) are no longer just traditional support roles. Increasingly, clients are looking for individuals who bring more than just diary and inbox management - they want strategic, adaptable professionals who can add value across multiple areas of the business. As someone who has worked placing PAs and EAs across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East for the past 5 years, here are just a few core capabilities real estate firms and more have been looking for from their PAs and EAs, that have added to their influence in these organisations.

Marketing and Social Media Experience

A number of clients are now asking for PAs who can support with internal and external communications, and even complete light marketing duties like managing a website, or posting across social media like LinkedIn. This is particularly relevant in small to mid-sized businesses where responsibilities often stretch beyond one job title.

The introduction of AI programs and the ease of tools like Canva for design work have made marketing tasks easier for non-marketers, and the importance of an active LinkedIn profile has never been more critical. Whether your PA/EA is managing a company page, or the communications of the C-suite member(s) that they’re supporting, LinkedIn continues to play a pivotal role in building a company and personal brand, and promoting thought leadership to drive inquiries.

AML and Compliance Awareness

In regulated sectors, there’s a growing demand for assistants who understand compliance protocols, especially around AML (Anti-Money Laundering). While not always a formal requirement, a PA/EA with these skills offsets the need to have this capability elsewhere in an organisation.

Recent examples include an estate agency we’ve worked with to place an Office Manager, and a combined EA and Compliance Support role with a private equity business. Whether it’s specifically mentioned in the job title, or the role is in a space that requires greater scrutiny over AML practices, those PAs/EAs that have this knowledge are often the ones that make it beyond the shortlist to interview stage with a client.

Operations, Processes, and Project Delivery

Many clients now expect their assistant to act as a key operational support, not just a reactive admin resource, with a notable rise in the expectation for PAs to be involved in process improvement, internal coordination, and project tracking. Indeed, in a recent poll we conducted, 40% of all respondents said that 'operations, process, and project delivery' are the most critical strengths a high-performing PA/EA needs to have.

In our 100-day check-in with clients post-placements, the efficiency gains that come with a great PA are cited as being the best thing about their new hires. Some within SME businesses even use this role to take the responsibility for system improvements and rollouts of new processes (with more in-depth product rollouts covered by Business Systems Specialists).

Digital Confidence and Technical Ability

Familiarity with CRM platforms, project management software, and internal communication tools is becoming standard. Digital literacy with common business systems like Xero and Salesforce, and the Microsoft suite, including Excel, Powerpoint, and software like PowerBI, are proving ever more valuable. Or, for those that don’t have familiarity with these, the ability to pick up these new systems quickly and troubleshoot basic tech issues is often the difference between a good and great PA/EA.

Event and Stakeholder Management

While less of a primary focus than in previous years, managing internal and external events, stakeholder relationships, and logistics is still part of many briefs - though now often alongside other business-facing responsibilities. Some PAs and EAs have upskilled over the past 5 years, with many now having the ability to run online events like webinars and company conferences, as well as research, book, and manage those in-person internal and external events.

Implications for Hiring

The scope of the PA/EA role is changing, but salary bandings and job specs don’t always reflect that. Candidates with broader business experience, marketing exposure, or technical capabilities will be able to offer your business more, but often have higher expectations in terms of what they want to receive.

Clients I speak to across real estate organisations are either falling into one of two brackets:

1) They don’t realise the value a PA can drive in their business – from time-saving efficiencies to value-adding comms and compliance experience that GREAT PA’s and EA’s have.

2) For those that do realise the power of a great EA/PA, a number of clients are still advertising roles with outdated salary ranges or vague responsibilities, which can make it difficult to attract the right calibre of talent. In some cases, this can result in longer hiring cycles or failed searches.

There are many, many facets to a Personal / Executive Assistant role, like front of house responsibilities, minute taking and diary management, but these value-adding skills are often those making the difference between a good and a GREAT PA/EA.

If you're currently hiring or exploring the possibility of it, it’s worth taking a step back and asking:

• Does our brief reflect the actual scope of the role?
• Are we asking for skills that go beyond traditional EA/PA work - and if so, are we adjusting our expectations accordingly?
• Could we be missing out on strong candidates by not addressing the shift in the market?

See what you could find in your next PA/EA by getting in contact with me via cbreen@cobaltrecruitment.com.