PA to the Director - how much can I ask them to do?

[22]

How much can I expect a PA to do? Is the job description entirely of my making?

As with many small businesses, one person (me) runs everything behind the scenes. All employees are operational.

I've looked for office help to take the edge off my workload, perhaps a couple/few hours a day and know how to run things if I'm tied up. I had a girl on the kickstart scheme who wasn't great, but when I advertise for part-time office help the candidates are pretty poor. Maybe a couple of hours a day isn't enough to attract decent candidates - I was looking for someone who had perhaps previously run a family business and was looking for some part-time hours - but I seem to get youngsters applying with no experience. I could do with someone who can half hit the ground running.

The only way I can really make the days longer is to find someone who can do a school run for me (8am) - then works in the office with admin etc until PM school run, and finishes after that (~3:40pm). A longer day, but part-taxi service (teenage kids) and part office help!

Does anyone employ someone similarly? Feels like I need a sanity check but I definitely need some help.

[22]

thanks all.

We moved house so daughter schools across county borders. My son now walks to school (move was better for him). I thought the lack of office help applicants may be as not enough hours - hence the suggested longer days with school runs. I'd get daughter a taxi if there was a properly reliable one (plus you have to park up early PM to get a space so half hour waiting about).

Mrs 22 has been poorly (although currently well) and one day I will need to have ducks in a row as I will care for her as long as needed. I love my job but it falls quickly out of my priorities at times. That's not fair on the workers who completely rely on me.

[22]

It sounds like 2 separate things for sure. I actually really enjoy the school runs, my daughter is an amazing person. Ultimately though, I'd like to know it's something taken care of when I need to look after her mum.

The idea of adding school runs to a 'job' was simply to pad out the hours and hopefully attract some decent/better candidates - something that's just not happening at really low hours.

I've had a couple of awesome people approach me offering/asking about work - but I can't make it enough hours for them (I also need work to consume me as I'm easily distracted). The Kickstart scheme was 25 hours a week and that was probably a bit much - struggled to fill days and that was someone without many existing skills.

Annoyingly, I thought about this a while back and had some really strong candidates apply - then had my head turned by the Kickstart Scheme and now applicants are a world apart. I've just emailed one of the old ones back today (varied CV inc PA to MD of national house builder, landlady, breast cancer volunteer).

Thanks all.

[22]

bearman68 said:

I thought I was just about coping, but in reality, I was being slowly buried. Having help in admin / business support is a very worthwhile thing. It eases the stress of being the one person in charge as well. That's worth a bit.

The above is probably nail on head.

I work best under pressure, but sharing some of that can't be a bad thing. I've probably never really pushed to find help because I do manage. I think the time has come and if I give up a little more, it's more of a role for someone suitably skilled. Ultimately I envisaged being an overseer rather than having day-to-day involvement, just not there yet.

Thread had more legs than I thought. Ta muchly.