Demand grows for quality PAs and secretaries

ONE minute they can be welcoming a Government minister or taking the minutes of a board meeting, the next organising a pig roast in their boss's garden or dropping off his dry cleaning.

The life of the personal assistant or PA is varied, challenging and about being a Jack, though more usually, a Jill of all trades.

As the right hand person for the region's managing directors, chief executives, chairmen and politicians, they wield more power than even they sometimes realise.

Contrary to the myth that all they do is file and type, PAs actually hold the key to their boss's diary and have their finger over the transfer call button on the telephone. It's their mouse that chooses whether or not your e-mail gets forwarded and their priority rating that decides the fate of your letter.

They are also the most organised people you're likely to come across.

At an event for PAs and secretaries hosted by NRG City, Tees Valley branch manager Michelle Gaff said: "They're the ones who've not only written their Christmas cards at the beginning of December but printed out address labels for the envelopes too."

The aim of the event is to give PAs and secretaries, who often talk by telephone, but rarely meet, the opportunity to get to know one another, to share experiences and to pick up career tips.

Sue Enderwick and Juliet Lawson, PAs to two of the region's most high profile men - Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon and David Kelly, managing director of Newsquest (North-East) - are there to speak about their careers and how they operate.

A straw poll among four senior managers about the qualities they look for in a PA unsurprisingly puts trust, discretion and confidentiality at the top of the list. Reliability, being competent and highly organised, showing attention to detail and the ability to second-guess are also seen as important.

Extra attributes that make an outstanding PA are knowing what makes their manager tick, how he manages people and his language style. They also need urgency of judgement and the ability to think on their feet. Difficult to master but valued by bosses is the ability interpret whether or not an issue can wait or is something the manager needs to know about now.

"We are sometimes thought of as a spy in the camp, we aren't, but we are our boss's eyes and ears," admits Juliet.

"My current boss wants me to be at the centre of the business. I'm not part of one department, but I do have an overseeing role."

Sue said: "It can sometimes be a lonely life when you're in the office next to the director so you have to make the effort to go out and talk to people."

Technology has done much to help the PA, from electronic diaries to the Internet for searching train timetables and directions to meetings.

But sometimes the old fashioned way is best. When the computer crashes during her presentation, like a pro, Juliet pulls out a hardcopy. "You never send your boss into a presentation without a back-up and it's the same rule for yourself as well," she laughs.

Both Juliet and Sue have worked their way through the ranks, and they're keen to encourage fellow PAs and secretaries to aim high.

Sue said: "When you've been in a job for a long time it's easy to look at a job description and think 'I can't do that'.

"But you've got nothing to lose by applying, you should just go for it. You never know what might happen. And even if you don't get the job, the application process and interview will be good practice."

Recruitment specialists at NRG City, in Stockton, can help with CV writing and interview techniques as part of the process to match candidates with vacancies.

Michelle Gaff said: "Good PAs are in demand at the moment from companies already here and with all the investment in the area we are expecting a lot of opportunities to open up.

"Secretaries may be thinking about making the next step up or PAs might be considering moving to a bigger company or from assisting a senior manager to becoming the chief executive's PA. It really is a candidates' market and good quality people have a number of options open to them."

Juliet has had first-hand experience of the work going on to enhance the area through her role as PA to the chairman and chief executive officer of Tees Valley Regeneration, which is leading the Middlehaven development at Middlesbrough, Central Park in Darlington and Victoria Harbour at Hartlepool.

She says: "People think that they are going to make more money by moving away but there are good jobs paying £20,000-plus and even more in the top companies that are here. With all the work that's being done to attract investment and high quality developers the opportunities are only going to get better.

"I've never felt I needed to go to a city for a good job. I've got a great career and I've always found great jobs on my doorstep."

* For more information on opportunities in the Tees Valley, visit www.nrgplc.com or telephone 01642 626350.

* PAs and secretaries interested in meeting colleagues and getting tips on how to further their careers are invited to attend the next free networking event at NRG Tees Valley in Stockton on February 24 at 6pm. For details, contact Michelle Gaff on (01642) 626350.

What works for me - case study

Juliet Lawson

"I didn't even want to be a PA. In fact they didn't event exist when I was 17. My first job was as a receptionist for a construction company of more than 1,000 men. It gave me a good grounding because I had to run the gauntlet with the post every morning.

Someone told me I'd make a good secretary so I went to college to learn shorthand and typing and became an admin assistant, then project secretary. I moved to Teesside Development Corporation as secretary to a director then the chairman.

I joined Comcast/ntl as PA to the managing director then became administration manager. When I was made redundant the bottom fell out of my world, but I got a job as PA to a senior manager at Orange then PA to the chairman and CEO of the new Tees Valley Regeneration.

Now I'm working in newspapers, which is a completely different beast. Starting a new job is about building a relationship and trust and becoming part of an established team. I've always taken whatever training has been offered to me, and if you aren't offered it you should invest in it yourself. It's important for PAs to have management qualifications to help you understand the business you're in and because you're a manager yourself.

You need mentors too - I still keep in touch with the guy who told me I'd make a good secretary. Finally you need a positive attitude, common sense, patience, a sense of humour and be willing to do things beyond the call of duty."

Sue Enderwick

"I wanted to be a hairdresser but my mother made me go to secretarial college. After a number of jobs as a secretary, I worked in personnel in a hotel then got a job organising conferences and weddings.

I gave up work in the early eighties to have my three children. After 13 years at home I was ready to get back to work and became a supply secretary in schools.

I was PA to a headteacher and worked in the office of a secondary school.

I started to set my sights higher and got the job of PA to the Director of Education for Middlesbrough.

In May 2002, Ray Mallon was elected mayor and needed a PA. We have grown into our jobs together, we've gelled and I'm his right-hand man now. He cal ls me his "gatekeeper".

We don't have a typical day. I'm in at 8am to sort out the many letters he gets from members of the public. Ray really does work hard to put Middlesbrough and Tees Valley on the map.

We get a lot of interesting visitors to our office and a lot of media inquiries. Ray keeps Friday morning for media briefings and interviews.

I do everything for Ray. I arrange all his meetings, when he's been planting trees or visiting a building site, I clean the mud from his shoes and my office carpet, and I send his clothes to the cleaners. I sound like his mother, but it's my job to protect him and to ensure he looks the part."