When you work in PA jobs in London, you never quite know what kind of boss you’ll get. From the eccentric to the inspiring, every PA has a story to tell. Each job is completely unique because of the executive or boss that you work for. It makes it hard to understand what the role can really be like.
We asked five personal assistants to spill the beans – anonymously – about their most memorable bosses. Here’s what they had to say…
1. Farah
“He once asked me to buy 100 helium balloons for a client’s dog’s birthday party," Farah laughs. “It was for a Chihuahua named Stan the Man and they needed to be personalised. I had to ring around half of West London to get them. He was a smidgen eccentric but he knew all about hard work, but was immensely supportive of me too.”
2. Lee
“One of my bosses was terrifying at first – military background, sharp suits, didn’t smile for the first month," says Lee. “But then I organised a surprise birthday lunch for her, and she cried and hugged me. Turned out, no one had ever done something like that for her. After that, she treated me like family. We managed to get a really good rapport going, it just took a bit of extra work.”
3. Sinead
“My last boss used to dictate emails while walking on a treadmill," recalls Sinead. “And he never stopped. Even if I was sneezing, or getting dizzy from the moving belt and pounding feet, he'd just keep going. But he taught me more about resilience and forward-thinking than anyone else I've worked with. When he left the company, he recommended me for a promotion – I’ll always be grateful.”
4. Jill
“She had this obsession with perfect penmanship. Everything handwritten had to be in fountain pen with blue-black ink," Jill shares. “One time I ran out and used a normal biro – she noticed instantly! But she also backed me when I wanted to do a project management course. She said, ‘You’re more than just a PA’ – and that changed everything about how I viewed myself.”
5. Tomas
“He used to make me proofread his dating app messages," Tomas says. “I'd be like, ‘Maybe don’t say that on a first message?’ It was cringeworthy, but weirdly hilarious. He respected my opinion, though – not just on dating! He let me sit in on high-level meetings because he said I had a keen eye for detail. That gave me huge confidence and I guess he liked that eye for detail with his personal life too!”
Being a PA often means being part of your boss’s world in ways you’d never expect – and as these five assistants show, it can be both life-changing and downright entertaining.
Whether you’re already in the industry or just browsing PA jobs in London, remember: the role is never just admin. It’s personal, unpredictable, and full of moments you’ll remember for years to come. Get in touch about PA jobs on 020 7870 7177.