Being asked to house-sit the boss’ villa in France might not be the wo
Booking your boss a taxi in Moscow while on a shopping trip with his wife is all in a day's work for a personal assistant. If you're a skilled multitasker, this could be the role for you.
Being asked to house-sit the boss' villa in France might not be the worst job in the world. But how about having your Blackberry beep constantly and having to organise someone's life every day?
The benefits and the drawbacks of working as a PA largely depend on who are you working for. Erin Williams, manager of permanent recruitment in Crone Corkill's City office, says top PAs get rewarded. "If you're good, it's not unusual to get bonuses of £10-£15k as well as other benefits," she says. She also says top PAs tend to be really looked after by their bosses. They don't want to lose them, after all. "They'll give you nice Christmas presents and so on. A big managing partner for one of our clients pays for a luxury ski trip to his chalet for his PA as well as a two-week summer holiday to a destination of her choice," she says.
Sounds pretty good — but of course that PA might be flat out managing her boss' life every minute she's not on holiday. Eileen Heaslip, the London branch manager of Le Crème, says how busy a boss is reflects on how busy the PA is. Some PAs might even be asked to spend a day with the wife, do lunch and a spot of shopping. According to Heaslip, supporting a difficult person can be hard work. '
The job can encroach on your personal life," she says. "You may get a phone call at 11pm on a Friday night from your boss who is outside a restaurant in Russia and needs a taxi," she says. Plus the more senior a ? boss is, the more in demand their PA can be. "There are PAs who work as many hours a day as the CEO of the large corporation that they work for," Heaslip says.
The Money
Williams says salaries for permanent PAs, usually range from £30-£35k depending on their level of experience.'
However, we have seen a few top-level PA positions offering up to £80k," she says. Temporary PAs can expect to command between £14 and £16 per hour.
Flexible
You need the ability to change with the mood of your boss says Sharlene Knight, manager of the temporary secretarial desk at recruiter Joslin Rowe.
A good communicator
You need to be confident talking to clients and senior executives as well as to junior staff and people across all departments.
Organised
Can you manage your boss' diary, keep his inbox under control and post his mail on time? There's no room for being forgetful or messy.
Trustworthy
Can you keep secrets? PAs often have access to as much information as a CEO.
A multi-tasker
Can you talk on the phone, find your boss' paperwork and send an email in 30 seconds?
Good in social situations
You might have to do a bit of small talk when clients show up to see your boss.
Could you handle it?
From the fantastic to downright annoying — here's a taste of the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of being a UK personal assistant, as reported by those on the front line.
The good
One PA's boss had a house abroad so she had access to the house and his cars when she went on holiday.
A PA reported at her office she had access to her boss' private chef every day. So she would get gourmet meals each lunchtime. Sure beats a sandwich from Sainsbury's.
The bad (and the ugly)
Making coffee, but having to serve it at 'drinking' temperature.
Being asked to only wear black as it's more professional.
Replacing the boss' daughter's hamster, which died while she was on holiday.
Picking up the boss' kids from school.
Being asked to place an advert for a replacement when the PA didn't know she was leaving.
On the job
Belinda O'Brien
After arriving in Brtian last April, Belinda O'Brien easily landed a job as a personal assistant to a head of credit finance in a City bank. O'Brien, 24, from Brisbane, Australia, says her job is pretty cruisy, but there are challenging moments when she constantly has to juggle her boss' hectic schedule."I manage his diary and make sure he's got everything he needs. He's a ridiculously busy man," she says. As part of her job, O'Brien also has to take care of the administration duties for a team of 180 people, a task that means she has to be extremely well-organised.
This job is the first time she has worked in a banking environment and she says the atmosphere of the office is great. "I don't find banking interesting, but the people here are a fun bunch and they are really sociable as well," she says. Her role is demanding and varied, which makes the days go faster, she says. "I work 8.30am to 5.30pm every day, but I'm sure there are a lot of PAs who do much longer hours. I'm lucky in that respect," she says. O'Brien says she has no intention of climbing the career ladder and is happy to be the office organiser. "I just wanted a job that puts money in my pocket while I'm here so I can go travelling," she says. "I'm not particularly here to advance my career."
