Top PAs and EAs are responsible for enabling their bosses to work effectively, but what skills do they need in gain in order to be as efficient as they can be? Here are some helpful hints for those looking to give their career a boost
Choose who you work for carefully
Perhaps not the most useful place to start if you’re already embedded in a position, but a point that needs to be made. Not only is it easier to work for someone who doesn’t get on your nerves, you will be more effective and productive if you complement the character of your employer. Successful PAs are often very different from their principal, filling the gaps that person’s working style creates. So, discuss your way of working with a potential employer and get a feel for his or her character. It’s no good teaming up with a minimum explanations type if you prefer precisely detailed instructions and many professionals appreciate a PA who is happy to deal with the jobs they would prefer not to.
Once you’re in the job, make it your business
Gain a good sense of the business your boss is in and that you are now in. Get an induction into the company, or, if you can’t, create your own by asking questions. You’ll need to know:
•What the company does
•Who its main clients and suppliers are
•What departments you will interact with and how they interact
•As much as possible about the main personnel in those departments
Know as much as you can about what is happening in the business so that you can keep your boss aware of important issues, especially if he or she spends a lot of time out of the office.
Learn about business
Don’t just know your boss’s business, know about the world of business. It will help you and your boss if you understand the reference points for his/her concerns and decisions. Be aware of world events and political news, stock markets and share prices, and how they affect your company’s success. Dip into The Financial Times often enough to stay up-to-date.
Words count
Communication is important to a PA so think about what you say, the words you choose, the impact you have on people.
How familiar are you with your own voice? Listen to yourself on a voicemail recorder – is your voice strong or quiet, clear or muffled, determined or hesitant? You can sound more friendly by slightly lowering the volume of a loud voice, more confident by slowing down and more authoritative by dropping the tone of a shrill voice.
By slowing down you give yourself time to think so that you won’t struggle for the right word or babble ideas in a long-winded or confused order. If possible, briefly think through what you are going to say, and then get to the point. Being friendly, firm and clear will help you get what you need first time.
Appearances matter too
Always choose smart, clean, professional clothes and – however busy you are – spend time on good grooming. A good haircut makes a dramatic difference to how professional you look.
Choose clothes that are appropriate to your work environment and avoid casual clothes; it’s better to be more smart than too casual. Work clothes are an investment, so ensure that they are well chosen for your figure and not too tight or poorly cut. The people you meet will make assumptions about you within the first five seconds of seeing you, so be sure to make first impressions count – whether with new clients or with colleagues on Monday morning.
Listen
While you’re focusing on what you say and how, don’t overlook the importance of listening. One aspect of your role is to know as much as you can about what is happening in the company and keep your boss informed on important issues and developments. Listen and remember the little things; while you don’t want to get a reputation as the office busy-body, it’s wise to be aware of undercurrents in the company and bear in mind where your loyalties lie.
Make friends
An important part of a PAs role is building good relationships with the many people connected to your role in order to get tasks done quickly and pleasantly. The most important rule to remember is that if you are friendly and helpful to people, they’ll be helpful when you need them. Make friends – and take a tip from Dale Carnegie, the father of self-improvement:
•Smile
•Be a good listener
•Be genuinely interested and encourage people to talk about themselves
•Remember people’s names and use them
•Make other people feel valued and important
Assert yourself
While being friendly and approachable, resist the temptation to be all things to all people. While tact and consideration are important skills for successful corporate life, carefully applied assertiveness is essential to dealing with office demands without being trampled or trampling on other workers.
You should be able to negotiate assertively within your role to achieve required outcomes while maintaining good relations with your boss and colleagues. If you find positive assertiveness difficult, there are useful courses available.
Use your discretion
A PA may be party to information which is sensitive, confidential or outright secret. Your reputation will depend on your ability to be discrete and tactful, so keep what you hear to yourself. Practice politely refusing to enter into some discussions, don’t indulge in gossip, and learn to say “I’m sorry, I can’t discuss/answer that” with a smile.
Similarly, there’s no need to rush into answering some questions, so give yourself time to give a considered reply or say “I’ll come back to you in an hour”. Never make promises on behalf of your boss.
Keep learning
The modern work environment is constantly changing. To keep ahead of the game you need to continually update your office and IT skills. Be sure to know how to use more than the basic functions of your desktop programmes and use shortcuts to save time. You can keep a little time clear to deal with crises and last minute demands, or spend it on creating the thorough presentations, reports and charts which will make your boss look great and make you an impressive and effective PA.
Know your worth
If you’re working this hard to be the best PA you can, you deserve your efforts to be recognised. You should expect a good boss to know that some return on your loyalty is important. A good employer will treat their PA with respect, listen to them, thank them and invest in their professional development.
