With the sheer array of tasks that are expected of a pa in their day-to-day role, there are always new skills you can learn and adopt to help you work more efficiently. Shilpa Wymer is keen to share
Last year at the Office show I was really excited to present a brand new session, โ25 Top Tips For The Ultimate PAโ. I first started presenting on this kind of topic more than eight years ago. Some things have changed since then, but many of the core issues have remained the same, albeit with a little more input from technology.
My last talk looked at how many people believed the demise of the PA was imminent, as executives could easily send an email, or book flights and accommodation on the go by themselves and therefore would no longer need the level of support an executive assistant could provide. However, there has been a sea change in that time and most office employees now appreciate that the role of the PA is here to stay.
The extra demands, particularly relating to technology and communication, that are placed on executives means there is one individual who is critical to their success, both on a professional and personal level. Of course it is no surprise when I say that person is the executive assstant.
When you consider the complexity of a busy executiveโs life, you realise that it is the job of the PA to take away as much of that difficulty as possible so that managers can concentrate on their top priorities. A recent survey by Hays of more than 1,700 PAs certainly backs this up, as 16 per cent said their boss regularly accepts their opinion on business decisions; 17 per cent said they stand in for their manager at meetings at least once a month; and 29 per cent undertake projects for the wider organisation on a weekly basis.
As the principal of four of the largest Pitman Training centres globally, Iโm lucky to get to meet lots of PAs, as well as those aspiring to enter the profession and I find the array of tasks that is now expected of them quite incredible. Thatโs the reason I have been careful when putting together the content of my speech to ensure that it covers lots of ground from the technical to the personal. Plus, understanding how busy PAs really are means that I focus on tips that can be implemented immediately.
During the hour-long presentation, we looked at how to ensure you start out in the job so that you hit the ground running. I offered tips on ensuring you understand your role fully and how to set expectations correctly for your boss.
Managing your workload efficiently is a key skill of the successful senior administrative professional and I discussed lots of practical ways of dealing with everyday tasks by prioritising and using technology to help.
An exceptional PA is one who can communicate brilliantly, not only with their boss but also with other counterparts, both internal and external to the organisation. We dealt with this area and concentrated on how to polish up your language, assert yourself to get the outcome you need and portray an image that really gets results.
We also took a look at some essential Microsoft tips that will improve your performance at work, including working with pivot tables, getting smart with the Rules function in Outlook and using shortcuts to make editing documents a breeze.
Arranging travel and hotel bookings for your boss may seem a bit daunting, but again I armed management assistants with some superb tips on getting it right. With PAs increasingly being asked to take on bigger and more complex responsibilities, we looked at the main principles of managing large-scale projects and I gave visitors the confidence to handle them like a consummate professional.
In addition, over the last few years, smartphone apps have really made a difference to how we all work. There are some amazing ones out there that I can talk you through to demonstrate how you can really improve you and your bossโs efficiency. Iโm confident that the tips I can share will help you to do your job in a more accomplished and competent way than ever before.
Shilpa Wymer is the Managing Director of Pitman Training centres in Holborn, Notting Hill, Croydon and Manchester. Visit holborntraining.co.uk to find out more about the variety of courses that Pitman offers
