Opinion: Recognising yourself

Often having the ability to recognise one’s achievements can lead to many significant successes, making it imperative for assistants to do the same. Jade Burke, editor of PA Life, shares why she believes PAs should aspire to recognise themselves.

I have never been part of an industry where peers and colleagues truly support one another as much as they do within this one.

I recently attended an awards ceremony where I was able to witness this support. The room was filled with hundreds of industry members, where both the nominees and the winners were commended for their efforts and their inspiring achievements. It was a pleasure to be a part of the evening to witness this camaraderie first hand.

As more award ceremonies start to take place up and down the UK, we can rest knowing that these team members are being recognised, however, there is only so much that these large corporate companies can do to celebrate individuals – it must come from the assistants themselves.

For example, Carys Stacey, EA at Moët Hennessy, previously told me: “I love that there are lots of awards out there just waiting to be won and to nominate your fellow assistants for. It’s a great way for people to show assistants they recognise the contribution that we make. I think assistants in general need to start recognising themselves.” This is especially profound to me – PAs, EAs, VAs, office managers and administrative staff need to learn to recognise themselves and to ensure they are getting what they deserve.

But, what more can they do? Consider launching an internal network for each administrative staff member to join, where they can share ideas and discuss different tips and tricks. This could also be replicated via forums or social media platforms. For example, LinkedIn is a fantastic way to publicise yourself and promote your ideas.

If the industry, as a whole, is to continue supporting assistants and all they do, recognition must come from within to drive this forward.