Behind every great businessman (or woman) is a great PA

There are more than 650,000 professional PAs working in the UK, playing a key role in helping industry leaders to achieve their business objectives. On November 28th the Times Crme show opens in Manchester and thousands of senior secretaries and executive assistants will attend to network and gather information on best practice and career development.

But what goes on beneath the professional faade of these influential individuals? Research undertaken by Pitman Training has revealed what PAs really think ñ about themselves and their boss.

ìThe modern PA is far removed from the traditional office secretary of the past who was expected to ëtake a letterí and remain in the background,î says Claire Lister, managing director of Pitman Training, the UKís leading IT and office skills training company. ìThe responsibilities of todayís professional PA are wide-ranging and extremely demanding,î Claire continues. ìFrom HR and marketing to accounts and event management ñ the majority of senior managers admit that they rely heavily on the contribution of their PA.î

But 60% of these seemingly cool-headed and unflappable individuals are not as confident as their professional personas would suggest. They admit that their confidence is ëjust an actî and that they are actually quite insecure. The survey, carried out amongst PAs at the Times Crme exhibition in London, also revealed that employers still have some work to do when it comes to staff training.

Confident and happy?

60% of PAs arenít as confident as they appear ñ theyíre just good at putting on a show. A worrying 42% describe themselves as insecure and admit that their confidence is ìall an actî.

63% of PAs said they enjoy what they do and 21% said they LOVE their job. Only 15% said theyíre not particularly happy/ready for a change and only one of the people we asked said they hated their job.

A close partnership?

34% said they donít think that their boss shows his/her appreciation enough. But 57% said their boss makes it very clear that they are valued.

PAs know everything! 32% said they know everything about their bossí business AND personal life. 37% said they are privy to the most confidential business information although their boss keeps personal stuff separate.

Training

When asked if they have all the right skills and training to do their job, 70% said that they want to keep learning. However 10% claimed that they have no gaps in their knowledge!!

One in five said that their company only spends money on training which is absolutely necessary for the organisation, such as health and safety. Personal development of staff is not really on the agenda. However 62% have a personal development plan and attend courses on a regular basis. 16% said they have to undertake training in their own time and 2% said their employer places no importance on training at all.

ìIt was really interesting to find out that almost three quarters of the professional PAs we surveyed arenít as confident as they appear to be,î says Claire. ìExecutive secretaries and assistants often have a reputation within an organisation as the scary gatekeeper; the person who knows most about what is really going on in an organisation. Our research shows that even the best of us has to work at looking confident. It was good to see that 62% of PAs we spoke to benefit from a personal training plan. However it is obvious from our research that many employers donít place enough importance on staff development and training.î

Pitman Training offers a wide range of courses and Diplomas designed exclusively for the professional secretary or executive assistant. ìPassing our Executive PA Diploma proves you're capable of delivering all the office skills an employer could expect - expert use of Microsoft Office, perfect touch typing, organisational skills and even shorthand,î explains Claire Lister. ìWhether you are already working as a PA or aspiring to become one, this comprehensive programme is aimed at ambitious people who really want to make their mark at work. In addition to developing your skills as a personal assistant, you'll find your confidence grows as you find your ability to apply your knowledge at work develops every day.î

There are also Pitman Training Diplomas designed for secretaries who have decided to specialise in a specific field such as the legal or medical profession.

There are more than 90 Pitman Training centres in the UK. To find out about the Pitman Training range of short course and Diplomas please visit us at Times Crme on stand 321, call 0800 0858270 or visit www.pitman-training.com.