The power of influencing others is essential to success in all areas of business and important to the smooth and successful accomplishment of a PA’s duties. Influencing includes the ability to negotiate to reach agreement and to persuade others in our work environment to take the action that we feel is most suitable to the […]

The majority of your work as a PA will no doubt be done on a computer these days. While technology has evolved to make our lives simpler, there are still times when you need to utilise shortcuts to get a big job completed. If you, like some management assistants, are tasked with sending bulk emails […]

PA Life has previously looked at some ways in which it is possible to manage our modern technology to ensure that it improves our efficiency and productivity without causing unwanted interruption or becoming a distraction. But sometimes phones and computers become more than a distraction when we become over-dependent on our gadgets. The constant stimulation […]

Working with a new executive takes some getting used to at the best of times, but landing a job with one who has never had a PA before can be a tricky situation. Even if you’ve been an assistant for years, your boss won’t know how to use your skills to his advantage. It’s up […]

Continuing professional education is essential for all those who aspire to be top management assistants and that’s what makes training so vitally important. PA Life has put together an extremely strong programme for its next training day that includes a huge variety of sessions guaranteed to be of interest to ambitious EAs. The morning sessions […]

All too often, the training opportunities in a company are limited to a few days of induction. But the world of the PA is busy, demanding and fast-changing; you may sometimes need a boost, be it by building fresh confidence and enthusiasm, expanding your skill set, or gaining the latest technical updates. You may feel […]

PAs around the world are tasked with a plethora of different duties, some of which can border on things people in other roles would never be asked to do. Sometimes admin professionals receive requests from their bosses that cross the line into the bizarre, as three management assistants told the New York Post. An EA […]

The Meetings Show is now inviting PA Life readers to apply to attend as hosted buyers at the UK’s premier meetings industry event, taking place from 7-9 July at London’s Olympia. The dedicated PA education stream has been created by leading industry experts to provide all admin professionals with the specific education they need in […]

Writing a CV is by no means unique to the PA profession and making it impressive utilises many of the same techniques as other occupations. However, there are some simple ways to tailor your CV to the role and boost your chances of landing your dream job. Office workers the world over will have a […]

To achieve their purpose, your business letters need to be accurate, purposeful and appealing. The letters you send are the first impression someone gets of your company, the equivalent of that crucial five seconds when people first meet. Business letters have your employer’s company logo on them; they represent the company and as such should […]

PAs and EAs can hold the key to effective project management. Esther McMorris explains what you can be doing to ensure a project’s success and strengthen your position within the company in the process Executive assistants hold the key to sustainable project management, yet for every business that understands and supports your unique position, the […]

Today’s business climate is highly challenging and constantly evolving and management assistants need to be on top of things to ensure they can face any challenge confidently and with authority. Here are some valuable pointers on steps you can take to prepare for all kinds of workplace situations. Be braced for change With so many […]

We are pleased to announce that PA Life has been shortlisted as a finalist in the PPA Awards 2015, a highly prestigious annual awards event for the magazine publishing industry. PA Life saw off competition from literally hundreds of other entries to be shortlisted in the Publishing Innovator of the Year category for the second […]

To truly excel at being a PA then you need to strive to be the best and aim to give that little bit extra. Celebrity PA Donna Coulling will be discussing how to broaden the width of your responsibilities at work and how to take these even further at the next PA Life Training Day. […]

PA Life is pleased to announce the winners of its recent competition run in conjunction with ACC Aviation: they are Becky Owen from Vodafone, Helen Miller from Citi and Nafiseh Bakhshian from Universal McCann Worldwide. These three PAs recently enjoyed an aerial sightseeing tour of London’s most iconic landmarks during a helicopter flight provided by […]

It seems that PAs across the pond are working harder than ever, as an annual US survey has highlighted the growing workload of administrative professionals. The findings, compiled by stationery retailer Staples, reveal that more than half of those polled are supporting more managers than in previous years and additional tasks are being handed to […]

Devices in the workplace improve efficiency and productivity, but manage them carefully or they can also be a distraction. The arrival of smart phones, notebook laptops, tablets and high speed internet has undoubtedly had a positive impact on our lives, dramatically changing the way we interact with others and the modern workplace. Technology now enables […]

If you or your boss move between PCs or access work files at home and from varied locations, cloud computing could meet your needs. Many British companies are wary of the cloud due to concerns over security, concerns about losing in-house control, and uncertainty about how the cloud can benefit their business. Others feel that […]