Top tips for PAs
1
Invest your time for your employer as if it were your own business. You work for the business owners and/or business leaders; they are passionate about their company, and you will go far and do well if you are to.
2
Learn about the business and the sector you work in. If it is a finance house then read the FT or Economist. If it is Media Company, read Marketing Weekly. Be informed primarily about what and where you work.
3
Make sure you know who you can and can’t work for. Some personalities clash and some people you will naturally differ to. Try to find a role where you are in sync with your boss, their goals, their values etc. It makes for a much more enjoyable job.
4
Make yourself heard but in the right way; voice your ideas in the positive for best results. We are not saying all bosses are ego maniacs, but it has long been known that those with big egos seek to run their own company or someone else’s.
5
Your job is in many ways to manage the manager; that is to say that you are the key to their operational success in the major areas by helping them organise and deal with logistics. So make sure that your boss knows to give you the time you need and the updates you require from them for projects ahead of the game. Chasing a busy boss can be like trying to catch a chicken with your bare hands in a 1000 square foot park. Not for the faint hearted then!
6
Do the basics well. Like, know your bosses favourite hotels, restaurants, travel methods and preferences like window seats, quiet cars, etc.
Sometimes the basics are all that is needed to stand out in your role.
7
Make sure to develop your own networks, get on LinkedIn and start to build a network of advice pools and go to people that can back up what your boss may need if they don't have regular suppliers and/or a vendor lets you down.
The role of the PA is evolving and often now leads to project management and procurement duties so be prepared.
8
Connect with your peers. PAs can be misunderstood for being different or unable to integrate with their co-workers. Maybe they are seen as the eyes and ears of the managers. Whatever it is you need to break that stereotype because your co-workers and other employees are often the lifeline to the success you need to achieve.
9
Have a direction of travel plan for your own career, be that in learning new skills, taking on new professional qualifications, advancing up the career ladder.
Whatever it is, make sure you have a plan for your career. As we said earlier the role for the PA is evolving and this is your time to grow.
10
Demand for good PAs in London is at an all time high, so don't settle for second best. Make sure your role meets your needs and that there is some real work-life balance to what you do.
Having a mobile can mean that you are always at work, make sure you pick the role that accepts that the mobile will be off when it is your time.