At the Love Success PA recruitment agency, we’ve been chatting to Alex, who is PA to a director for a well-known brand. Having built an enviable career in a short time, we wanted to find out about his first PA job in London.
How did you find your first PA job in London?
At the time, I was doing a lot of temp work in London. I’d finished my A-levels and was filling a gap year before university as I hadn’t got the grades I was looking for. At the time, my goal was to earn cash and nothing more! However, I was temping in retail near to Christmas and got chatting to the HR department. They invited me back in the New Year as a temp PA. That role was a good introduction but I outgrew it quickly. Then I contacted you because you are a PA recruitment agency, and you’ve helped me secure all my PA jobs in London since! I decided not to go to university in the end because I loved temping so much.
How did working as a PA differ from other jobs you’ve done?
I didn’t have a huge amount of experience when I started being a PA. I’d done a few stints of temp work in London in retail, on a bar, and on the reception desk at a leisure centre. But in my experience, it isn’t so much the role that differs, but the working environments. That’s changed between all my jobs, including PA roles. I think that’s why temping in London is so great for me. It enables me to see what I like and what I don’t. Now I won’t hang around if the work environment isn’t right for me.
What’s been your biggest achievement as a PA?
Wow! That’s a hard one! I think it would be in my current role. I was asked to lead a project that was about revamping the customer experience. It was completely new to me. However, I did lots of research and we’ve had some really good feedback so far. It’s given me a stronger profile within the company, and being a well-known brand, that’s pretty cool.
What’s been the hardest thing for you as a PA?
When I was younger, my confidence was easily knocked. I was worried coming straight from school into the workplace that people wouldn’t respect me. As a PA, you’re usually working with highly successful and high-earning individuals, so it’s easy to feel inferior. It took me a few years and some lovely feedback to realise that I’m actually really good at what I do. Overcoming that lack of confidence was hard but I’m so glad I persevered.
What advice would you give to candidates looking for PA jobs in London for the first time?
I’d say be positive. Your success as a PA is largely down to your people skills, so you need to be optimistic and positive from the start, even if you don’t always feel it! I’d also say go through a PA recruitment agency like Love Success. They’ll help you find the right position that will boost your experience.
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.
View our latest job opportunities here
PA Jobs l Executive Assistant Jobs l Office Support Jobs l Top PA Jobs
Secretarial Jobs l Marketing & PR Jobs l HR Jobs l Finance Jobs