You’ve been through the application stage. Your nerves jangled through the interview. Now you’ve been offered the PA job you desperately wanted. Your role, in a nutshell, is to serve. It’s to make your executive’s working life run smoothly. Yet, starting out always brings teething problems, mistakes, systems to learn, and relationships to forge. How do you get stuck in and facilitate a good relationship quickly when you take on a PA job in London? It’s a question that we, as a PA recruitment agency, are often asked. So, we’ll let you in…
Your role is relational
Yes, you will have a job description that lists things such as inbox organisation or booking travel arrangements. However, at the heart of every task is a relationship between you and the individual you are serving. It doesn’t just ensure you meet their expectations—it means you’ll have a pleasant and enjoyable working life too.
This relationship needs to be viewed as a partnership: you’re in it together. To enable this, you need effective communication and a good understanding of who you’re working for, their goals, pet hates, and more.
The early days
In the early days, the individual you’re working for will be expecting questions. Everyone knows that to get assimilated into a new role and organisation quickly, there’s a great deal to learn. It’s an awful lot harder to ask questions further down the line. You can feel embarrassed that you didn’t ask sooner, or your boss may become frustrated as they expect you to know these things. So, use the early days wisely and make a point of asking questions that will really help. Our suggestions include:
- Which systems do you feel work really well?
- Which systems or processes frustrate you?
- Is there any area of a typical PA role, or even my job description, that you would rather I didn’t touch or change?
- What is the biggest challenge for you in terms of getting on with your job? How can I help with that?
- Talk me through your daily routine. Is there anything that doesn’t work well?
- How do you prefer people communicate with you? Are there forms of communication you don’t like?
- Are there individuals that you need to avoid or manage?
- What behaviour indicates to me that you absolutely don’t want to be disturbed?
Know your value
Whilst your skills, such as organisation, admin, and planning are vital to the success of your role, interpersonal skills between you and your boss are pivotal to the success of a PA. Therefore, if despite your best effort you’re struggling with a frosty, uncommunicative, or aggressive executive, know your value and don’t be afraid to move on.
Now is an exceptionally good time to look for PA jobs in London, because there is low unemployment and high demand. We are a PA recruitment agency in London who works with you throughout the recruitment process to ensure you enter a role where you will be valued. Register with us or give us a call on 020 7870 7177.
Love Success is a leading PA and secretarial recruitment agency in London.
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