Personal Assistants, or PAs, are a mixed bunch. But an outstanding PA is worth their weight in gold. So, how do you become one of the fabulous ones? As a leading London PA recruitment agency, we’ll let you in on how to become a better PA, ready to take on the best PA jobs in London.
Get experience
At our recruitment agency, we see a diverse range of candidates applying for PA jobs in London. The single outstanding feature of the most successful candidates is that they’ve done temp work in London at some point. By temping in the capital for a while, candidates gain experience and develop their skills. They learn about flexibility and adaptability, which are crucial attributes for the best PAs. So if you’re new to being a PA and struggling to get your career off the ground, consider temp work in London to gain some more experience.
Know what the role entails
The problem with the PA role is that everyone thinks it’s a glorified secretary. However, PA jobs in London have moved on from this stereotype. A typical PA role will be demanding and skilled. You’ll be unlikely to work 9-5 pm, but will need to be flexible. You’ll need to be the person who manages stress well, so that stressful environments around you benefit from your sense of calm and organisation.
A defining feature of a fabulous PA is the ability to be everything to everyone whilst also having clear boundaries. That’s quite a tall order! Central to this is the ability to multitask and juggle different skills and priorities. We’d recommend that you develop the ability to be unflappable. When urgent requests are raining down and everyone is pressing you for responses, you need to be able to problem-solve without losing the plot!
What personal attributes are important in a PA role?
Arguably, you need to care about what you do (and doing a good job) whilst also developing a thick skin. Often, you’re only noticed when something goes wrong, rather than the myriad of times that went right. You need to be able to handle this.
We’d also say that whilst your skills as a PA are paramount, you also need to be prepared to get to know your industry. For example, being a PA in a financial services firm will be considerably different to that of one within an advertising agency.
Whatever the industry, discretion and personal integrity are must-haves. You’ll be exposed to sensitive and confidential information and your bosses need to trust you implicitly to act with professionalism and discretion.
Outside of work matters
With the breakdown of the standard 9-5 routine for PAs, it’s important that you work hard to develop a clear work-life balance. The PA role involves taking care of the often intense and complex needs of others. To ensure you always have energy for this, make sure you spend some time looking after your own needs.
On-the-job advice
Lastly, here are some quick-fire tips to make on-the-job tasks easier:
- Be organised and plan.
- Use time-saving apps to help.
- Be meticulous with record-keeping.
- Listen to and get to know your boss.
Come to our PA recruitment agency and we can give you further advice on how to secure the best PA jobs in London.
Love Success is a leading PA and secretarial recruitment agency in London.
Our recruiters can help you find secretarial jobs, office support jobs, and top PA jobs in London.
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