Within any office there always seem to be those that progress up the company ladder much quicker than the rest, if youโre introvert and a PA we hope that with our help, youโll progress up the ladder. Vincenzo Ferrara looks at the top tips for introvert PAs to get noticed in the office.
We get that itโs not easy to always wake up in a hardworking and social mood. Sometimes just getting out of bed in the morning is tough enough, let alone the idea of a busy day at work, where being social is key to your role.
Thereโs a fine line to getting noticed, too much and youโll begin to get on peoplesโ nerves, but too little and youโll become part of the background furniture. The key to being noticed is being a subtle extrovert.
So here are our top tips for getting noticed in the office:
Business development: At the end of the day, the thing your boss and the business care about most of all is the โbottom lineโ. Anything you can do to help the bottom line helps you get noticed. As a PA, you are constantly faced with meeting new people, businesses and opportunities and by bringing new business to your company, you will be seen in a very positive light.
Donโt be afraid to pick up the phone: We live in a world were less of our day is taken up by work because of the increasing number of business meetings and emails we need to respond to. A lot of emails are completely ignored, not on purpose but by the sheer volume received.
Getting on the phone with someone is still the best way to speak to them.
In our social lives, we use our smartphones for a million things, but making phone calls is now one of the lesser ways we contact each other. But at work, speaking to someone over the phone makes a personal connection that will help you be remembered a lot more than an email.
Build rapport with everyone: We arenโt saying you need to be friends with everyone or even like them. What we are saying is that you need to be in contact with everyone.
As a busy PA you are constantly meeting new people and creating new relationships. However, you donโt need to become everyoneโs best friend. Just make sure to stay in contact with them. A few days after meeting follow-up them a follow up email, connect with them using sites such as LinkedIn and in your calendar put a reminder to send them another email four to six months down the line so that they donโt forget you. This also works around the office, with those you donโt see frequently.
Willingness to work extra hours: Itโs not easy after a long day to voluntarily work an extra few hours to get your job done. Sometimes this will include having to cancel other plans.
But, the advantages out-weight the negatives. Offering to give a few extra hours at work every now and then can show your boss and other employees that you have a great work ethic and attitude. This will make you stand out in a positive fashion and show everyone that you care about the company and your role within it.
Donโt become a gossip: As a PA youโll know a lot about your boss and about others in the company but that doesnโt mean you should be gossiping about them.
Some of the most respected PAs in the world know the deepest darkest secrets of their boss but part of the job is disclosing only what is relevant to make them shine. By letting others know the negatives of your boss, will only make you look untrustworthy and like a gossip.
Be a team player: Being a PA is often a very independent job, you donโt get a lot of chances to work as part of a team on a regular basis. This doesnโt mean that you should ignore others completely. Collaboration can lead to success. For example by joining a local PA network or working with those in the office that youโd usually ignore can have positive social effects, and help you develop a good rapport alongside some new skills.
Understanding the business โ talk about it confidently: This may seem obvious but youโd be surprised how many PAs weโve met that donโt really understand what the company they work for does. Some have even gone as far as to not fully understand the role of their boss.
This as you can imagine shocked us!
As a PA, the fundamental basics of the role require you to understand the business of the company you work for and the job/position of your boss. If you donโt, it looks sloppy and comes across as if youโre not doing your job very well. If you want to get noticed in the โrightโ way, you need to make sure you know this very basic information.
Being able to read a situation and react accordingly: Sometimes itโs okay to speak about your home life and whatโs going on with your family or even what you and your friends did over the weekend. However, sometimes it really isnโt okay to do this. As a PA you need to read a situation and respond accordingly. It will show professionalism and highlight your skill as a PA to read people/situations. This may sound easy but itโs a skill that is learnt and can take years to do well.
Participate in office activities: As a PA you will most likely be the person organising an office event. Itโs always good to participate and meet new people, catch up with those that you donโt get to regularly see and itโll boost your office presence.
Dress the part: The famous saying โdress for the job you want, not the job youโve gotโ is true. Dressing to impress isnโt about peacocking your way to a job role but if youโre well dressed and present yourself as a professional, youโll be treated as a professional.
