PA work - career advice please!
Discussion
Hi there,
A member of family is currently working for a large IT company and has been approached with the idea of applying for a PA role to a manager in her existing company.
She is currently working in Pricing - so finance / admin / customer services type work.
I would like to hear more from PA's or people with knowledge on what exactly is expected of a PA - and more importantly - what is her career prospects?
Long term is key, will it give her experience / good cv experience to be able to move into other areas, or is she destined to be only able to climb up the 'PA' ladder to more senior exec-level PAs?
She has shown an interest in moving into Project management or event management, so will any of these skills carry over / give her a chance in these lines of work from a PA role?
Many thanks for any info!
A member of family is currently working for a large IT company and has been approached with the idea of applying for a PA role to a manager in her existing company.
She is currently working in Pricing - so finance / admin / customer services type work.
I would like to hear more from PA's or people with knowledge on what exactly is expected of a PA - and more importantly - what is her career prospects?
Long term is key, will it give her experience / good cv experience to be able to move into other areas, or is she destined to be only able to climb up the 'PA' ladder to more senior exec-level PAs?
She has shown an interest in moving into Project management or event management, so will any of these skills carry over / give her a chance in these lines of work from a PA role?
Many thanks for any info!
Difficult question to answer without some additional insights such as her own qualifications, ambitions and capability.
As PA is not a protected title, what they do in different industries can be wide ranging. I would approach it from where does she eventually want to be and does this particular PA role help her get there. If not, then she might want to give it a miss. Good luck!
As PA is not a protected title, what they do in different industries can be wide ranging. I would approach it from where does she eventually want to be and does this particular PA role help her get there. If not, then she might want to give it a miss. Good luck!
rog007 said:
Difficult question to answer without some additional insights such as her own qualifications, ambitions and capability.
As PA is not a protected title, what they do in different industries can be wide ranging. I would approach it from where does she eventually want to be and does this particular PA role help her get there. If not, then she might want to give it a miss. Good luck!
She doesn't have any qualifications, ambitions = to be as successful as possible, capability very high but working experience of 1-2 years tops.As PA is not a protected title, what they do in different industries can be wide ranging. I would approach it from where does she eventually want to be and does this particular PA role help her get there. If not, then she might want to give it a miss. Good luck!
From what I've been told the job will involve:
Diary management, scheduling meetings, general admin duties for the manager etc - nothing majorly complicated or applicable to other roles, in my opinion. However - I hear the recruitment agent is telling her about the scope for picking up work that is delegated from the manager and getting more hands on in the work he does (server hosting of some description I believe) - but I'm not sure if this is a possibility, or if it's a typical recruitment agent peddling bulls
t to get people into roles?Well... let's think pragmatically.
If she takes the role - she should not rest on her laurels.
A lot of PA duties - require organisation, planning and just plain common sense.
So... why doesn't she consider building on this - and do some project management qualifications.
This then opens opportunities - e.g. PMO etc etc.
If she takes the role - she should not rest on her laurels.
A lot of PA duties - require organisation, planning and just plain common sense.
So... why doesn't she consider building on this - and do some project management qualifications.
This then opens opportunities - e.g. PMO etc etc.
30ish years ago I started work as a Receptionist, then Reception/secretary, then secretary, then PA & then Executive Assistant.
Then 'my' Director left & his replacement didn't want the previous Director's EA (he felt my loyalty would be to the other guy & preferred to bring his own PA with him).
I went temping with 10 years experience behind me & in 1999 was offered a Contract with an Automotive Co as PA to the Programme Director, from there I fell into Project Office Management; I haven't been permie since or looked back & my skills as a PA have come in very useful!
Bearing in mind how long ago it was! My PA duties were (no internet, DOS PC with Corel WordPerfect!)
Diary management (paper diary!) & arranging meetings
Arranging flights
1st point of contact (filtering messages etc)
Typing dictated letters, file notes of meetings, memos etc
Sitting in on meetings to take notes
Making tea & coffee
Ordering flowers etc for wife (& shopping for b'day/Xmas!)
Research on clients
Then 'my' Director left & his replacement didn't want the previous Director's EA (he felt my loyalty would be to the other guy & preferred to bring his own PA with him).
I went temping with 10 years experience behind me & in 1999 was offered a Contract with an Automotive Co as PA to the Programme Director, from there I fell into Project Office Management; I haven't been permie since or looked back & my skills as a PA have come in very useful!
Bearing in mind how long ago it was! My PA duties were (no internet, DOS PC with Corel WordPerfect!)
Diary management (paper diary!) & arranging meetings
Arranging flights
1st point of contact (filtering messages etc)
Typing dictated letters, file notes of meetings, memos etc
Sitting in on meetings to take notes
Making tea & coffee
Ordering flowers etc for wife (& shopping for b'day/Xmas!)
Research on clients
Edited by ali_kat on Saturday 14th February 21:02
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