PAs in the US are lawyering up and taking their former employers to court over their unacceptable behaviour. First up is US songstress Mariah Carey who is being sued by 49-year-old Ylser Oliver, who was with Mariah for seven years and is accusing the singer of having forced her staff to work “on average approximately […]

When times are tight you may not be able to get travel suppliers to budge on price, but they may throw in extras if you put business their way, says Catherine Chetwynd As the recession recedes, are travel buyers fighting to keep prices down?They’re not all trying to get rates slashed, many are aiming for […]

If you’ve ever found yourself carrying out personal errands for your boss – picking up his or her dry cleaning, paying bills, or running out of the office to buy their partner’s birthday present – take heart in knowing you’re not alone. A US study shows that 23% of PAs across the pond are regularly […]

Personal image consultant Valentina Saggese studied fashion and personal shopping at the Luxury Academy of Milan and has several years’ experience of 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 both […]

Cupid has been hard at work lately, with a recent survey revealing that two in five UK employees may have spent Valentine’s Day with a secret office sweetheart. What’s more, as many as 28% admit to having an affair with a married colleague. In the annual office romance survey conducted by online job site CareerBuilder, […]

The title of EA used to carry a much different connotation from its current incarnation back when management assistants were “just secretaries” and the salary reflected this attitude. Today, EAs are seen as the gatekeeper to their company and have the chance to earn a decent salary.   In California’s Silicon Valley, for instance, base […]

The Goring is one of those hotels that can justifiably be called “a bastion”, upholding civilised behaviour and impeccable good manners, writes Colette Doyle. Run by CEO Jeremy, who represents the fourth generation of the Goring family, this venerable property is a long-time favourite of the residents of nearby Buckingham Palace and can lay claim […]

Sushi restaurants should no longer be perceived as in-and-out affairs where the dishes float past you on a constantly moving conveyor belt, writes Molly Dyson. Since the cuisine has become such a popular choice for the UK’s up-and-coming generation of creative business people, these establishments have turned into swanky modern venues. Uni is no exception, […]

GetTaxi has signed on as the headline sponsor of the next PA Life training day, taking place once again at the ILEC Conference Centre in Earls Court on 15 June. GetTaxi UK Head of Sales Gary O’Neill says: “We’re thrilled to be the headline sponsor for the PA Life training day in June and can’t […]

Think of the Côte d’Azur and what may first come to mind is in-your-face opulence. Colette Doyle takes a detour and discovers a more tasteful interpretation of the delights that Provence has to offer It’s amazing how a scent can so potently evoke an image of a certain place. In Seville, it’s the azahar, or […]

PAs are often called upon to conduct interviews, but don’t underestimate the importance of proper training – otherwise you may end up with someone unsuitable Interviewing skills are fast becoming another string to the PAs bow. As senior secretaries take on more and more management roles, many are expected to interview people to work under […]

Planners of internal meetings are not being sufficiently encouraged by their bosses to focus on business objectives. This is the conclusion of research conducted by event content specialist KDM Events, which set out to discover how organisers evaluate their internal conferences. The company surveyed planners from 49 companies, many of whom were PAs, last December […]

It’s time to take a fresh look at the way you work. Helen Bradley shows you how to organise your files so you’ll never lose another document. If there’s one thing that really wastes time at work, it’s not being able to find files when you need them. But the good news is that you […]

My previous visits to Inn the Park have all been to grab a bottle of water or a quick bite to eat at its self-service café during walks through St James’s Park, writes Molly Dyson. Having sat down for brunch recently, I’m now glad I’ve had a chance to experience a proper meal at this […]

Why is continuing professional development so important for PAs? When PA Life Editor Colette Doyle recently posed this question to a group of management assistants, she received a whole raft of interesting answers. Training is a great way to refresh your existing skills so you don’t get too set in your ways, was one of […]

In order to build a good working relationship with your executive, regular, face-to-face communication is key. Adam Fidler offers an educational session on the importance of making time to talk Despite living in a technological age, where communication is instantaneous, bosses and PAs need to speak to each other – not just via email. Face-to-face […]

The delicious-looking box of goodies pictured above comes courtesy of treat-purveyor Choccywoccydoodah and is the latest prize offered by the PA Life Club, won by Rachel Russ, a PA at the Islington Clinical Commissioning Group. The club offers members the chance to win a super prize every single month – recent giveaways have included a […]

Recruitment of secretarial and office support staff has been boosted by a resurgence in permanent appointments, according to the latest salary survey from specialist recruitment agency Robert Walters. An increase in job numbers and rising candidate mobility means that administrative professionals from a range of backgrounds can look forward to a salary increase this year, […]