The Engagements – J Courtney Sullivan (Virago, £13.99) If you have ever pressed your nose up against a jewellery shop window and wondered who has worn that antique diamond engagement ring then this book is for you. We follow one ring’s journey through the 20th century as we are given touching insights into the people’s […]

The life of a celebrity’s personal assistant isn’t always a glamourous one. It is often a round-the-clock, high-pressure job and you’re rarely appreciated as you should be. One PA who knows thing or two about this role is Rita Tanteel, one of the founders of the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants, an organisation that provides support […]

The vast majority of office employees (72%) rate being happy in their job as one of the most important factors in their work life, but in fact just 8% feel they’re in their dream role and more than 40% of us waste up to four hours a week fantasising about what we could be doing […]

With the need for company departments to work as a unified team, it’s essential to motivate employees and develop their skills in innovative ways. PA Life takes a look at the huge range of team-building activities on offer, from indoor skydiving and a survival camp to a Dragons’ Den experience and cookery classes. AIRKIX (pictured)airkix.comType […]

Riddle me this, my exceptional executive assistants: what do a personal trainer, a beer brewer and a Sherlock Holmes aficionado have in common? It’s a real brain-teaser that one, so before you tie yourself up in mental knots trying to work it out, allow me to enlighten you: they are all sure-fire ideas for making […]

Writing a good executive assistant job description sometimes stumps employers because they don’t know exactly what will attract suitable candidates. Brian Daniel, former celebrity PA and headhunter to the stars, has written a guide to help businesses get applications from top job seekers. “It continues to amaze me that many employers don’t know how to […]

At last year’s Office show, PA Life Editor Colette Doyle led a debate on the importance of continuing professional development (CPD) to the PA community. Here we review some of the points raised by the panel. As a starting point, Colette asked the panel what they felt was the best way for PAs to continue their […]

Congratulations to the November/December competition winners: Debra Jacobs at RBS wins a Paella Fella party for up to 20 people; Sophie Duffy at Town and Country Fine Foods gets a Redness Therapy facial at Fredrick’s Spa; Joanna Theodoulou at William Hill enjoys a VIP stay at a De Vere Hotels location (pictured); and Silvia Murador, […]

It’s great when PAs are recognised for their hard work and can add an award to their career achievements. One such executive assistant is Laura Taylor, who is celebrating her new title of Leeds’ Best PA. Laura, an EA at Deloitte, was chosen for the win by local car hire firm Arrow Cars. The company […]

Being a PA can often be quite isolating, as I’m sure my dear readers know only too well, so I was thrilled to be invited to PA Life’s fabulous networking event last night at Voltaire. It was great to meet so many fellow readers and get the inside scoop on what PA Life has planned […]

Chotto Matte is one of the capital’s most exciting venues, serving incredible Nikkei cuisine and cocktails within a stunning environment. Now it’s offering PA Life readers the chance to win a cocktail masterclass worth £450. Kurt Zdesar, the founder of Chotto Matte, (and the man who brought Nobu to London) launched the restaurant during the […]

In celebration of another successful year, Butlins Conference & Events team is offering you a chance to win a family break for two adults and two children, or a live music weekend for two adults including a relaxing spa experience at one of its three seaside resorts in Bognor Regis, Minehead, or Skegness. On a Butlins […]

The Rocket restaurant chain’s newest venue in Holborn has announced the launch of two stunning, recently refurbished conference rooms. To celebrate the latest addition to the portfolio, Rocket is offering one lucky PA Life reader the chance to win a £100 voucher to spend at the restaurant. Whether you’re looking to arrange a product launch, […]

Win an evening at Namco, complete with karaoke for up to 20 guests, champagne reception, one-hour boutique bowling and £10 free tokens each (bumper cars, arcades and simulators). Namco Funscape is London’s unique corporate venue with three floors and 35,000 square feet of spectacular multi-player games, team-building activities and interactive simulators. The venue has a […]

ACC Aviation provides bespoke charter flights on all types and sizes of aircraft, from private jets and helicopters to large commercial planes. And now, the company is offering three lucky readers the chance to win a helicopter flight over London. This fantastic prize includes an aerial sightseeing tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks during […]

Deliveroo brings a variety of high-quality, super-tasty restaurant food to your office, quickly and reliably. Right now, it’s giving PA Life readers the chance to be a hero at work and win £500 worth of food. The company partners with thousands of London’s best-loved restaurants, including Gaucho, Ping Pong, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Busaba Eathai and […]

At PA Life we’re devoted to bringing you the very latest news, tips, advice and recommendations on a whole smorgasbord of topics that we hope are of interest to you in your professional lives. Since our most popular stories seem to be those that provide suggestions on how to engender a better working relationship with […]

If there’s one question Eleanor Marshall gets asked a lot it’s whether she meets celebrities at work. She smiles at this and admits she usually has to act coy when it comes up in conversation. “By the nature of the job, we have bands and artists in the studio just about every day, but it’s […]