As many as 83% of business travellers use time on their trip to explore the city they’re visiting. Nearly half of them (46%) add personal travel days to business trips every time they go away. In its report on the “bleisure” market, (leisure and business travel combined) serviced apartment operator BridgeStreet Global Hospitality reveals that […]

It’s not just our bodies that we need to exercise to keep us fit and healthy – our brains too should be treated to a regular workout in the form of meditation and mindfulness if we are to harness our full potential, says Sue France The brain is a fascinating subject and the development of […]

With spring in the air, now is the perfect time to think of taking a mini-break from work. That’s why PA Life has teamed up with Butlins Conference & Events to offer one lucky reader the chance to enjoy a weekend away at any one of Butlins’ three seaside resorts at Bognor Regis, Minehead or […]

Most people find it easy to prepare themselves for a one-on-one interview with a potential manager or recruiter. However, some companies prefer to use a group of interviewers to test how well candidates interact with multiple people at once. Here are some tips to help you get ready to face the panel. Build rapport While […]

The virtual assistant is often seen as somebody who writes letters, responds to emails and does the filing. However, businesses are starting to outsource more and more tasks in order to save time and money. If you’re thinking about branching out on your own, there is a wide range of duties you may be looking […]

Most PAs use Excel and Outlook on a daily basis, so it’s vital to ensure that you get the most out of them. If you are self-taught and have some gaps in your knowledge, then you could certainly benefit from a session at the forthcoming PA Life training day moderated by Kim Middleton, who is […]

Management assistants are often given a multitude of projects to work on at one time, as well as keeping up with their daily tasks and supporting their boss with anything that crops up unexpectedly. However, research shows that multitasking can be detrimental to a PA’s ability to work effectively. While many people claim they can […]

PAs who look after celebrities – both past and present – have been in the papers recently, with X Factor winner James Arthur resorting to dismissing his personal assistant after his phone was allegedly used to send abusive text messages to a model. 25-year-old James denies sending lewd texts to glamour model Teddy Edwardes after […]

There are many accounts of the shocking tasks celebrity assistants have been asked to do and now a new tell-all book shows that Hollywood’s show business executives are getting in on the act too. Lydia Whitlock worked as an assistant in various sectors of the entertainment industry for five years. While none of her bosses […]

What do a forecast of business travel trends, tips for booking chauffeur-driven cars and an update on the serviced apartments sector have in common? They’re all featured inside the latest issue of PA Life. Our PA Profile for January/February talks to Katie McEwan, who works for the CEO of lingerie retailer Ann Summers; she talks […]

Travel management companies (TMCs) provide specialist advice and expert itinerary planning to make your life much easier. Here, PA Life helps you find the TMC that’s right for you What is a TMC?Formerly called business travel agencies, they largely booked and delivered air tickets. Now, a TMC will provide expert itinerary planning and exceptional buying […]

As a way of selecting the best applicants from a wide field, a number of companies resort to using personality questionnaires nowadays. Sometimes they can be a minefield to navigate but luckily help is at hand, as assessment and development consultancy Cubiks has put together a helpful Q&A, based on comments from its candidates. The […]

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is recruiting an experienced executive assistant to support the organisation’s senior leadership team. This full-time role offers a salary of circa £25,000 and is based at the charity’s office in Bromley, Kent. This exciting role will provide administrative and executive support to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s senior leadership team, with particular […]

Making your boss look good is a prerequisite of being an EA par excellence, but what exactly are the essential traits that you need to cultivate in order to seriously impress senior management? Rachel Feintzeig of The Wall Street Journal has profiled a number of EAs who work at leading US companies to figure out […]

Personal image consultant Valentina Saggese studied fashion and personal shopping at the Luxury Academy of Milan and has several years’ experience of designer show rooms and high-level clothing shops. She and her partner Alain Mehada, who has been a stylist for more than 15 years, offer their expertise in a broad range of situations for […]

Spending two days at Confex last week may have made some of you realise that trade shows are a bit of a black hole unless you roll up with an agenda. Marketing Manager at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre Roopi Woodall has three tips for coming away with armfuls of treats, knowledge and inspiration. • […]

Most people think of references as a rubber stamp. You simply jot down your previous employers’ contact details, they say nice things about you and it helps you get a new job. The reality is far more complex, with many HR experts warning that unless people wake up to the wide-ranging myths surrounding references, they […]

Facing a room full of people who are ready to hang on your every word is a nightmarish scenario for some, but good public speaking skills come with practice and preparation. Whether you’re presenting a report to your company’s board of directors, or sitting in an interview, here are a few helpful hints for success. […]