For most PAs, finding a specific industry in which youโre happy is not always a given. At the start of her career, Angie Williams managed to combine her knowledge of commerce and her skills as a shorthand typist to pave the way for a lifetime of interesting roles.
Angie, who is the PA to Michael Izza, the CEO of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), based at One Moorgate Place, says she chose to work in finance because it was something she had always been interested in. After she left school, she sent her CV to a large number of firms. โI was lucky enough to get a job after a short amount of time,โ notes Angie. โI was young, naรฏve and shy, but it was such a good introduction to life in the City of London.โ
While a typical first day is usually spent touring the office and getting to know your colleagues, Angie was thrown in at the deep end. โThe first person I took dictation from was a lord,โ she divulges. โIt was a huge thing to undertake on day one. His PA had been taken ill and I was later told that he asked a colleague to โsend in the new girlโ.โ
Since then, Angie has remained mainly in the corporate finance sector. When the company she worked for in 2007 was bought out, she decided not to stay on. โI fancied something different,โ she comments. She was told about the job at the ICAEW and thought it would be the perfect match for her skills. โMy CEO, Michael, has contacts all over the world, which keeps the job interesting. We have 144,000 members in 160 countries and offices around the globe. Iโm never bored because my โto-doโ list is always growing. The organisation has expanded and the demands on Michaelโs time are increasing, so my role is to take some pressure off him.
โBecause weโre involved with the government and are the ones to let our members know of any new laws and regulations, I have a close relationship with our communications team,โ Angie continues. โIโm also the one who is responsible for arranging Michaelโs meetings with members of Parliament. Iโve gained a hearty interest in politics and love the fact that we get to watch the news and Prime Ministerโs Questions in the office.โ
So what kind of changes has Angie observed in the role of the PA over the years? โWhen I first started, it was expected that you could do minutes in shorthand,โ she explains. โThe job is so much more involved than just taking dictation now, so when some of the younger people I work with see my notes they think Iโm writing in Arabic. The most obvious change is the impact email has had on anybody who works in an office. Everything is so much more immediate than it used to be. I remember when correspondence was done either over the phone or in a letter, which gave you time to consider your response. Now thereโs pressure to answer within hours. I have to force myself to get away from my desk every so often, otherwise I could sit at my computer all day.โ
With such a demand on her time, long office hours arenโt unusual for Angie. She says she wasnโt a stranger to working until 6am in past jobs, so heading home by 6.30pm is โmore civilisedโ. Although she believes her career has affected her personal life, she thinks thatโs down to her natural dedication and the fact that she tends to put her job first. โStill, a demanding role can become quite stressful,โ she adds. โI find that exercise and talking to good friends really helps.โ
Despite this hectic lifestyle, Angie says she loves her job. โIโve been at the ICAEW for more than six years now, so I think that shows Iโm happy. Ideally, Iโd like to still be here in the years to come. My ultimate retirement goal is to move to the country or by the sea and own horses and dogs, or maybe open a small florist shop.โ
If a young PA were to ask Angie her advice for reaching executive-level positions, she would say that soft skills are of the utmost importance. โYou have to be discreet, positive, helpful and conscientious,โ she explains. โA good telephone manner is also essential, as you are the first point of contact for people who are trying to reach your boss. You need to stand out from the crowd, but looking smart is a must. I once read that you should dress for the job you want, not the one you have.โ
These are excellent tips from a PA in finance who has her career all figured out.
A day in the life
7.15am I spend the time on the train to check my own and Michaelโs emails. Itโs always good to be prepared before I arrive at the office.
8.15am I log on to both Michaelโs computer and mine, then record our daily voicemail greetings. I check my โbring-forwardโ file and get papers and speeches ready for the day. Iโll reply to emails and any correspondence, take phone calls and plan ahead where I can. Iโm the first point of contact for people who want to speak to Michael, so new tasks will come up throughout the day that need to be dealt with.
Michael travels abroad to our worldwide offices quite often, so part of my job is organising his flights and hotels, as well as that of anybody travelling with him. Itโs important for me to know how to obtain visas, which are different for every country he goes to.
1pm I normally have a sandwich at my desk and continue my daily tasks until around 6.30pm. I aim to have answered every email before I leave the office, even if itโs just to acknowledge that Iโll look into their request.
7.30pm I try to get to my local sports centre a couple of nights a week. Itโs a great way to switch off at the end of a busy day. Socialising is normally left to the weekend, although I do occasionally meet friends for dinner or a visit to the theatre after work.
11pm I finally fall into bed, ready to start the whole thing over again in the morning.
